Overview
Naihati is a city and a municipality in the North 24 Parganas district of the Indian state of West Bengal. Located on the eastern bank of the Hooghly River, it forms part of the greater Kolkata metropolitan area and lies in the industrial belt that stretches along both banks of the river. Naihati is known for its long association with Bengali literature, jute and engineering industries, and the annual Boro Maa Kali Puja which draws large numbers of devotees.
Key facts
| Country | India |
|---|---|
| State | West Bengal |
| District | North 24 Parganas |
| Civic body | Naihati Municipality |
| River | Hooghly |
| Region | Kolkata metropolitan area |
Geography
Naihati lies on the eastern bank of the Hooghly, opposite the town of Chunchura (Hooghly district), to which it is connected by ferry services and by the Jubilee Bridge / Sampreeti Bridge across the river. It is bordered by the urban centres of Bhatpara to the south and Halisahar to the north, forming a continuous industrial conurbation along the river. The terrain is part of the flat alluvial Gangetic delta.
History
Naihati developed as a riverside settlement during the colonial period, when its location on the Hooghly and along the Eastern Railway corridor made it a convenient site for jute mills and engineering works. The town is closely associated with the 19th-century Bengali novelist Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay, who was born at Kanthalpara, a neighbourhood within Naihati, in 1838. His ancestral home has been preserved as a memorial.
The Naihati Municipality was constituted in the 19th century and has since administered civic affairs in the town. Industrial growth around the late 19th and early 20th centuries brought a working population from across Bengal and neighbouring states, shaping the social composition of the town.
Civic administration
Local governance is carried out by the Naihati Municipality, which is divided into wards each represented by an elected councillor. The municipality is responsible for water supply, sanitation, roads, street lighting, and other urban services. For revenue and general administration, Naihati falls under the Barrackpore subdivision of North 24 Parganas district.
Transport
Naihati is a significant junction on the Sealdah–Ranaghat section of the Eastern Railway, with the Naihati–Bandel branch line crossing the Hooghly via the Jubilee Bridge to connect with the Howrah division. Naihati Junction railway station is one of the busier suburban stations in the Kolkata suburban network. Road links connect the town to Kalyani, Barrackpore, Kolkata and the Kalyani Expressway, while passenger ferries operate across the Hooghly to Hooghly–Chinsurah.
Economy
The local economy has historically been driven by jute mills, paper mills, engineering units and small-scale manufacturing along the river. Trade and retail activity is concentrated near the railway station and along the Naihati–Halisahar road. With improved rail connectivity, a section of the workforce commutes to Kolkata for employment in services and administration.
Culture and notable features
- Bankim Bhavan – the ancestral house of Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay at Kanthalpara, maintained as a literary memorial.
- Boro Maa Kali Puja – an annual Kali Puja celebrated in Naihati that attracts large gatherings from across West Bengal.
- Jubilee Bridge / Sampreeti Bridge – rail bridges across the Hooghly that have long served as landmarks linking Naihati with Bandel.
Education
Naihati has a network of Bengali- and English-medium schools, and is home to long-established institutions such as Naihati Mahendra High School, Naihati Narendra Vidyaniketan, and Rishi Bankim Chandra College, which is affiliated to the West Bengal State University and offers undergraduate courses in arts, science and commerce.
Notable people
- Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay – novelist, author of Anandamath and the song Vande Mataram; born at Kanthalpara, Naihati.