Originally part of the Kalinga Empire, Midnapore is a place famous for having produced some formidable freedom fighters during the British Raj in India. Today, this town located on the banks of the river Kangsabati is a bustling tourist destination because of its proximity to the state capital Kolkata.
The Mystery Of The Name
An interesting thing to note about the name of the town is that Hindus and Muslims claim their own versions of the story. The Hindus believe it was named after the local deity Medinimata while the Muslims believe it was named after their place of pilgrimage, Medina owing to the large number of mosques and a considerably large Muslim population back in the day.
Tourist Places In And Around Midnapore
Midnapore tourism has much to owe to its historical attractions like the Chapleshwar Temple of Shiva, the Jagannath Temple and a whole lot of mosques and dargahs. Followers of goddess Kali frequent the Battala Temple. Durga Puja, Saraswati Puja and Kali Puja are the times to visit Midnapore, as is the case for many other West Bengal towns. This is when the town gets painted with many different hues with pandals and shamyanas erected for worship and festivities.
Education In Midnapore
Apart from the tourist attractions, Midnapore is home to some important schools and universities, which are attended even by students from the bigger cities in the state. The locals enjoy their morning and evening walks which is why many parks have been built and maintained well in the township.
How To Reach Midnapore
Midnapore is well-connected to other main destinations by air, road and rail.