This smallest
district in West Bengal is situated between 22o12’ 30” and 22o46’ 55” north latitude and 88o22’ 10” and 87o50’ 45” east longitude. It was recently transferred
from the Burdwan Division to the Presidency Division under Government of West
Bengla Notification No. 999-G.A. dated March 4, 1963.
It is bounded on the north by the
Arambagh and Serampore subdivisions of the Hooghly district; on the east by
Calcutta and the Barrackpur, Alipur and Diamond Harbour subdivisions of the
24-Parganas district; on the south by the Tamluk subdivision of the Midnapur
district; and on the west partly by the Tamluk and Ghatal subdivisions of the
latter district and partly by the Arambagh subdivision of the Hooghly district.
The boundaries are partly natural and partly artificial. On the west and
south-west the Rupnarayan, and on the east and south-east the Bhagirathi
constitute natural boundaries, while on the north, except for small stretches
to the north-east and north-west bounded by the Baly Khal and the Damodar
respectively, the boundary is formed by an artificial line marking the southern
limits of the Hooghly district.
Howrah, the second
largest city of West Bengal and twin of Kolkata is said to have a rich history
that dates back to 500 years. The name itself is possibly derived from a
village named Harirah which was located in or about the site of modern day Howrah City.
Venetian explorer Ceasare Federici was the first european who mentioned a place called Bator in his journal in 1578
AD which is identifiable with the modern day place around the Howrah City. The
Bengal Council of East India Company, on the accession of the Emperor
Farrukshiyar to the throne of Delhi in AD 1713, sent a deputation to him
praying for a settlement of the villages 'Salica' (Salkia), 'Harirah'(Howrah),
'Cassundeah'(Kasundia),
'Ramkrishnopoor' (Ramkrishnapur), and 'Battar'(Betor) to the west of
river Bhagirathi and once the settlement was made in favour of the East India
Company the places were quickly adopted as exit and entry point of sea fareing
business hubs and the modernisation of Howrah city as we know it now, began.
The
Howrah Railway Terminus came up in 1854 and in 1862 the first municipal
administration started functioning though the modern day Corporation as we see it
now came into being in 1980 when the Howrah Act,1980 was implemented.