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			{{Short description\|District in West Bengal, India}}
	:''For Information on the Town see ]''
			{{About\|the district\|its eponymous headquarters\|Cooch Behar}}
	{{Infobox Indian Jurisdiction \|
			{{Use dmy dates\|date=November 2024}}
	native_name=Cooch Behar \|
			{{Use Indian English\|date=November 2024}}
	image_map=Coochbehar district.png\|
			{{Infobox settlement
	hq=Cooch Behar \|
			\| name = Cooch Behar
	state_name=West Bengal \|
			\| native_name =
	abbreviation=WB_COB \|
			\| other_name =
	altitude= ?? \|
			\| settlement_type = ]
	latd= 25°57'47" to 26°36'2"\|
			\| image_skyline = {{Photomontage
	longd=89°54'35" to 88°47'44" \|
			\|photo1a = Cooch Behar Palace alias Victor Jubilee Palace of Cooch Behar Town at Cooch Behar district in West Bengal 20.jpg
	population_year = 2001 \|
			\|photo1b = Gadadhar River.JPG
	population_total= ?? \|
			\|photo2a = Madan Mohan Temple of Cooch Behar Town at Cooch Behar district in West Bengal 14.jpg
	population_density = ?? \|
			\|photo2b = Mound of Rajpat of Gosanimari at Cooch Behar district in West Bengal 21.jpg
	collector=?? \|
			\|photo3a = Torsa river in Coochbehar town 01.jpg
	area= 3387 \|
			\|size = 300
	vehicle_code_range= WB-63/64 \|
			\|foot_montage = Clockwise from top-left: Cooch Behar Palace, Gadadhar river near ], Mount of Rajpat in ], Torsa river near Cooch Behar, Madan Mohan temple
	footnotes = www.coochbehar.gov.in\|
			}}
			\| image_map = Cooch Behar in West Bengal (India).svg
			\| mapsize = 300
			\| map_caption = Location of Cooch Behar district in West Bengal
			\| coordinates = {{coord\|26\|17\|N\|89\|21\|E\|type:adm3rd_region:IN-WB_dim:50000\|display=inline,title}}
			\| subdivision_type = ]
			\| subdivision_name = ]
			\| subdivision_type1 = ]
			\| subdivision_name1 = ]
			\| subdivision_type2 = ]
			\| subdivision_name2 = ]
			\| seat_type = Headquarters
			\| seat = ]
			\| leader_title = ]
			\| leader_name = ], ], ], ], ]
			\| leader_title1 = ]
			\| leader_name1 = ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ]
			\| leader_title2 = ]
			\| leader_name2 = ]
			\| leader_title3 = ]
			\| leader_name3 = ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ]
			\| total_type = Total
			\| area_total_km2 = 3387
			\| area_footnotes =
			\| population_as_of = 2011
			\| population_total = 2819086
			\| population_footnotes =
			\| population_urban =
			\| population_density_km2 = auto
			\| demographics_type1 = Demographics
			\| demographics1_title1 = ]
			\| demographics1_info1 = 74.78 per cent
			\| demographics1_title2 = ]
			\| demographics1_info2 = 942 ]/]
			\| demographics_type2 = Languages
			\| demographics2_title1 = Official
			\| demographics2_info1 = ]<ref name="wblangoff">{{cite web\|title=Fact and Figures\|url=https://wb.gov.in/portal/web/guest/facts-and-figures;jsessionid=JzdD9RHb7aMY5esZPtcsIVLy\|website=Wb.gov.in\|access-date=5 July 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web\|title=52nd Report of the Commissioner for Linguistic Minorities in India\|url=http://nclm.nic.in/shared/linkimages/NCLM52ndReport.pdf\|website=Nclm.nic.in\|publisher=]\|access-date=5 July 2019\|page=85\|url-status=dead\|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170525141614/http://nclm.nic.in/shared/linkimages/NCLM52ndReport.pdf\|archive-date=25 May 2017}}</ref>
			\| demographics2_title2 = Additional official
			\| demographics2_info2 = ]<ref name="wblangoff"/>
			\| timezone1 = ]
			\| utc_offset1 = +05:30
			\| website = {{URL\|http://coochbehar.nic.in}}
	}}		}}

	'''Cooch Behar''' (~~Bengali :~~ ~~কোচবিহার~~) is a district of the ~~state_name~~ of ], ], as ~~well~~ as the ~~name~~ of the ~~town~~ ~~which gives its name~~ to the ~~district~~. During the ], the ~~town~~ of Cooch Behar ~~was~~ the ~~seat~~ of a ] of the ~~same~~ ~~name~~, ~~ruled~~ by the ~~Narayan~~ ~~dynasty~~.		'''Cooch Behar district''' ({{IPA\|bn\|ˈkuːtʃ biˈɦaːr\|pron}}) is a district of the Indian state of ]. Formerly part of the ], the area became the heart of the ] in the 12th century. During the ], the district was known as ] ruled by the ] until 1949, when it became part of India. The district consists of the flat plains of ] and has several rivers: the most notable being the ], ] and ]. The district has the highest proportion of ] in the country, where they form a majority.<ref name="SC"/>
	In course of time, Cooch Behar has been transformed from a kingdom to a state_name and from a state_name to the present status of a district. Before ] ], Cooch Behar was a Princely state_name ruled by the king of Cooch Behar, who had been a feudatory ruler under ]. By an agreement dated 28th August, 1949 the king of Cooch Behar ceded full and extensive authority, jurisdiction and power of the state_name to the Dominion Government of ]. The transfer of administration of the state_name to the Govt. of India came into force on ] ]. Eventually, Cooch Behar was transferred and merged with the province of ] on ] ] and from that date Cooch Behar emerged as a new District in the administrative map of West Bengal.

	==Etymology==		==Etymology==
			{{main\| Etymology of Cooch Behar}}
	The name "Cooch-Behar" is derived from the name of the Koch tribe that is indigenous to this area. The word "Behar" is the ] word "bihar" (to travel) which means the land through which the "Koch" Kings used to travel or roam about ("bihar").
			The name ''Cooch Behar'' is derived from two words—''Cooch'', a corrupted form of the word ''Koch'', the name of the ] tribes, and the word ''behar'' is derived from '']'' meaning ''land'', Koch Behar means ''land of the Koches''.<ref>{{cite book \|last= Pal \|first= Dr. Nripendra Nath \|title= Itikathai Cooch Behar (A brief history of Cooch Behar) \|year=2000 \|publisher=Anima Prakashani \|location=Kolkata \| pages = 11–12}}</ref><ref>The name Cooch Behar is a compound of two words: Cooch and Behar. Cooch is a corrupted form of Coch or Koch, the name of an ethnic group of people inhabiting largely in vast tract of land to the north-east of Bengal. Behar or more properly Vihara denotes abode or sport. Cooch Behar means, therefore, the abode or land of the Koches. Ray, B.. . GOVERNMENT PRINTING, WEST BENGAL, 1961, p.20</ref>

			==History==
	The name "Cooch-Behar" is derived from the name of the Koch tribe
			] of Cooch Bihar]]
	(the Rajbongshi or Rajbanshi or Koch Rajbongshi) that is indigenous to this area.This tribe is the original son of this land from the early centuries . The great Koch King that has ever ruled in the Kingdom of Kamatapur is Lord Naranarayan, as well as his younger brother Prince Chilaray.
	The Historical '''Kamatapur''' Comprises of the total North Bengal maximum parts of Assam, some parts of present Bangladesh and a few parts of Bhutan . The Koch-Rajbongshi community is demanding a '''separate state_name''' of their own in order to save their century-old glorious culture from '''extinction'''. They are demanding a separate state_name within the boundary of India comprising the parts of their old Kingdom i.e Kamatapur .

			===Early period===
	== The District at a Glance ==
			{{See also\|Kamarupa Kingdom\|Kamata kingdom\|Koch dynasty}}
	District Headquarters: Cooch Behar Town<br>
			] archaeological site former capital of Kamata kingdom]]
	Population: 24,78,280 (2001 census)<br>

			Cooch Behar formed part of the ] of Assam from the 4th to the 12th centuries. In the 12th century, the area became a part of the ], first ruled by the ] from their capital at Kamatapur. The Khens were an indigenous tribe, and they ruled till about 1498 ], when they fell to ], the independent Pathan Sultan of ]. The new invaders fought with the local ] and the ] king ] and lost control of the region. During this time, the Koch tribe became very powerful and proclaimed itself ''Kamateshwar'' (Lord of Kamata) and established the Koch dynasty.
	=== Geographical Location and Details ===
	Latitude: 25°57'47" to 26°36'2" North <br>
	Longitude: 89°54'35" to 88°47'44" East <br>
	Total area: 3387 km square<br>

			The first important Koch ruler was ], who came to power in 1515.<ref>{{Citation\|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ECxUOSudNGYC\|last=Nath \|first=D. \|title=History of the Koch Kingdom, C. 1515-1615 \|pages=5–6\|publisher=Mittal Publications\|year= 1989\|isbn=8170991099}}</ref> Under his son, ], the Kamata Kingdom reached its zenith.<ref>{{cite web \|url=http://coochbehar.gov.in/HTMfiles/royal_history.html \|title=Royal History of Cooch Behar \|access-date=22 October 2006}}</ref> Nara Narayan's younger brother, Shukladhwaj (]), was a noted military general who undertook expeditions to expand the kingdom. He became governor of its eastern portion.
	Cooch Behar is a district under the ] Division of the state_name of West Bengal. Cooch Behar is located in the north-eastern part of the state_name and bounded by the district of Jalpaiguri in the north, state_name of ] in the east and by ] in the west as well as in the south. The district forms part of the Himalayan ] of West Bengal.
	=== Soil ===
	Being the district near to the Eastern Himalayan foot hills, after rains in the catchment area of each of the rivers generally attain strong current and spate over adjacent area. The turbulent water carries sand, silt, fables, which causes lot of problem in productivity as well as hydrology. The soil is formed by alluvial deposit and acidic in nature. It is friable loam to sandy loam ranging in depth from 0.15 to 1 meter. Soil has a low level of nitrogen while potassium and phosphorous levels are medium. Deficiency of Bo, Zn, Ca, Mg, S is quite high.

			After Chilarai's death, his son Raghudev became governor of this portion. Since Nara Narayan did not have a son, Raghudev was seen as the heir apparent. However, a late child of Nara Narayan removed Raghudev's claim to the throne. To placate him, Nara Narayan had to anoint Raghudev as a vassal chief of the portion of the kingdom east of the ]. This area came to be known as ]. After the death of Nara Narayan in 1584, Raghudev declared independence. The kingdom ruled by the son of Nara Narayan, ], came to be known as Cooch Behar. The division of the Kamata Kingdom into Koch Behar and Koch Hajo was permanent. Koch Behar aligned itself with the ] and finally joined the India as a part of the West Bengal, whereas remnants of the Koch Hajo rulers aligned themselves with the Ahom kingdom and the region became a part of ].
	=== Rivers and Topography ===
	Cooch Behar is a flat country with a slight south-eastern slope along which the main rivers of the district flow. Most of the high land areas are in the Sitalkuchi region and most of the low lying lands lie in Dinhata region.

			As the early capital of the Koch Kingdom, Cooch Behar's location was not static and became stable only when shifted to Cooch Behar town. Maharaja Rup Narayan, on the advice of an unknown saint, transferred the capital from Attharokotha to ] (now called Cooch Behar town) on the banks of the ] between 1693 and 1714. The capital has always been in or near its present location since then.
	The rivers in the district of Cooch Behar generally flow in a slanting course from north-west to south-east. Six rivers that cut through the district are ] , ], ], ], ] and ].

			In 1661 CE, Maharaja Pran Narayan planned to expand his kingdom. However, ], the ] of ] under the Mughal emperor ], attacked Cooch Behar and conquered the territory, meeting almost no resistance.<ref>{{cite book \|last= Pal \|first=Dr. Nripendra Nath \|title= Itikathai Cooch Behar (A brief history of Cooch Behar) \|year=2000 \|publisher=Anima Prakashani \|location=Kolkata \| page = 68}}</ref> The town of Cooch Behar was subsequently named Alamgirnagar.<ref name="bnpedia1">{{cite book \|last=Bhattacharyya \|first=PK \|year=2012 \|chapter=Kamata-Koch Behar \|chapter-url=http://en.banglapedia.org/index.php?title=Kamata-Koch_Behar \|editor1-last=Islam \|editor1-first=Sirajul \|editor1-link=Sirajul Islam \|editor2-last=Jamal \|editor2-first=Ahmed A. \|title=Banglapedia: National Encyclopedia of Bangladesh \|edition=Second \|publisher=]}}</ref> Maharaja Pran Narayan regained his kingdom within a few days.
	=== Climate ===
	The district of Cooch Behar has a moderate type of climate characterised by heavy rainfall during the monsoon and slight rainfall in the month of October to mid-November. The district does not have high temperatures at any time of the year. The summer season is from April to May with April being the hottest month with mean daily maximum of 32.5 °C and mean daily minimum of 20.2 °C. The winter season lasts from end-November to February, with January being the coldest month with temperature ranging from 10.4 °C to 24.1 °C, The recorded temperature minimum is 3.9 °C and respective recorded maximum is 39.9 °C. The atmosphere is highly humid throughout the year, except the period from February to May, when the relative humidity is as less as 50 to 70%. The rainy season lasts from June to September. The district's average annual rainfall is 3,201 mm.

	===~~Flora~~ ~~and fauna~~===		===British Raj===
			]
	The flora here constitutes among others palms, bamboos, creepers, ferns, orchids, aquatic plants, fungi, timber, grass, vegetable, fruit trees, etc.<br>
			{{main\|Cooch Behar State}}
	In absence of large forest area in the district, except at Patlakhawa, not many species of animal are found though there are many wildlife sanctuaries, national parks and Animal reserves in the neighboring ] district and ] subdivision of Jalpaiguri which are not very far from the district.
			In 1772–1773, the king of ] attacked and captured Cooch Behar. To expel the Bhutanese, the kingdom of Cooch Behar signed a defence treaty with the ] on 5 April 1773. After expelling the Bhutanese, Cooch Behar became a princely kingdom under the protection of British East India company.<ref>{{cite book \|last= Pal \|first=Dr. Nripendra Nath \|title= Itikathai Cooch Behar (A brief history of Cooch Behar) \|year=2000 \|publisher=Anima Prakashani \|location=Kolkata \| page = 73}}</ref>

			The ] was based on ] and built in 1887, during the reign of Maharaja ].<ref name="bnpedia1" /> In 1878, the maharaja married the daughter of ] preacher ]. This union led to a renaissance in Cooch Behar state.<ref>{{cite book \|last= Pal \|first=Dr. Nripendra Nath \|title= Itikathai Cooch Behar (A brief history of Cooch Behar) \|year=2000 \|publisher=Anima Prakashani \|location=Kolkata \| page = 75}}</ref> Maharaja Nripendra Narayan is known as the architect of modern Cooch Behar town.<ref>{{cite web \|url=http://coochbehar.gov.in/Htmfiles/history_book5.html\|title=Royal History of Cooch Behar 5 \|access-date=22 October 2006}}</ref>
	=== Subdivisions and blocks of Cooch Behar ===
	Number Of subdivisions: 5<br>
	Number of blocks: 12 <br>
	Number of gram panchayat: 128<br>
	==== Subdivisions ====
	# Cooch Behar Sadar
	# Dinhata
	# Mathabhanga
	# Mekhliganj
	# Tufanganj

			===Post Independence===
	==== Blocks and their headquarters ====
			Under an agreement between the kings of Cooch Behar and the Indian Government at the end of British rule, Maharaja ] transferred full authority, jurisdiction and power of the state to the Dominion ], effective 12 September 1949.<ref name="web1">{{cite web\|url=http://coochbehar.gov.in/HTMfiles/brief_history.html\|title=Brief Royal History of Cooch Behar 5\|access-date=22 October 2006\|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110724080258/http://www.coochbehar.gov.in/Htmfiles/brief_history.html\|archive-date=24 July 2011\|url-status=dead}}</ref> Eventually, Cooch Bihar became part of the state of West Bengal on 19 January 1950, with Cooch Behar town as its headquarters.<ref name="web1" />
	#Cooch Behar - I ..... Dhaluabari
	#Cooch Behar - II ..... Pundibari
	#Dinhata - I ..... Dinhata
	#Dinhata - II ..... Sahebganj
	#Haldibari ..... Haldibari
	#Mathabhanga - I ..... Sikarpur
	#Mathabhanga - II ..... Mathabhanga
	#Mekhliganj ..... Changrabandha
	#Sitai ..... Sitai
	#Sitalkuchi ..... Sitalkuchi
	#Tufanganj - I ..... Tufanganj
	#Tufanganj - II ..... Baxirhat

	== ~~Agriculture~~ ==		==Geography==
			]
	The agricultural area of Cooch Behar is 2530.63 square kilometers. The dominant agricultural products of Cooch Behar district are ] and ]. Paddy ] is also grown before and after the rainy season. Common plantation crops are ], ] and ]. Vegetable, ], and ] cultivation are increasing. In order to support agriculture, special programs have been taken for the production of ]s, ] and ]s. Revolutionary methods are being used in Boro paddy and potato cultivation. But due to nonadoption of modern technology, a large number of farmers still depend on traditional technology and in the mercy of God. Only 33% of the potentially cultivable land is developed for irrigation. In Kharif, the area of production of vegetables and other crops is much less. The ovine breed in the region originates from Tibet and was brought to the plains of West Bengal by traders.
			Cooch Behar is a district under the ] of the state of ]. Cooch Behar is located in the northeastern part of the state and bounded by the district of ] and ] in the north, ] and ] district of ] in the east and by ] in the west as well as in the south. The district forms part of the Himalayan ] of West Bengal.

			A geopolitical curiosity was that there were 92 Bangladeshi ]s, with a total area of 47.7 km<sup>2</sup> in Cooch-Behar. Similarly, there were 106 Indian exclaves inside Bangladesh, with a total area of 69.5 km<sup>2</sup>. These were part of the high stake card or chess games centuries ago between two regional kings, the Raja of Cooch Behar and the Maharaja of Rangpur.<ref name="A Great Divide">{{cite news \|url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1877200-4,00.html \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110419030927/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1877200-4,00.html \|url-status=dead \|archive-date=19 April 2011 \|magazine=Time \|title=A Great Divide \|date=5 February 2009}}</ref>
	==Princely Cooch Behar==
	While the exact origin of the Narayan dynasty is obscure, it is apparently of ] origin and has ruled the area around the town of Cooch Behar since the ]. The state_name remained unaffected by the great changes that overtook its surrounding provinces in the decade following the ] in ]. However, it was invaded by ] in the latter half of the ], which prompted a ] with the ] in 1775. Upon the extinguishing of ] in 1947, the state_name acceded unto the ]; it merged with the ] shortly afterwards.

			Twenty-one of the Bangladeshi exclaves were within Indian exclaves, and three of the Indian exclaves were within Bangladeshi exclaves. The largest Indian exclave was Balapara Khagrabari which surrounded a Bangladeshi exclave, Upanchowki Bhajni, which itself surrounded an Indian exclave called ], of less than one hectare (link to external map here ). But all this has ended in the historic India-Bangladesh land agreement. See ].
	====Prominence====
	Although the ] of Cooch Behar was very small, it enjoyed a certain prominence since it was one of very few state_names to lie within relatively easy distance of ], the hub of the ]. Due to this proximity, the royal family early embraced westernization; this resulted in the family enjoying an ascendancy in British official circles, as also in ] society, which was out of all proportion to the size of the state_name.

			===Rivers and topography===
	Maharaja Nripendra Bahadur (ruled ]-]) may be credited with initiating this westernization. He began by marrying, in defiance of established custom, the daughter of a prominent ]i, ]. The couple proceeded to break custom with a vengeance, spending long periods in Europe, adopting western ways and raising their children likewise. Caught between two worlds, their children faltered: three sons died young of drink (an established family tradition), while two daughters married (with largely unhappy results) sundry low-ranking British army officers. A third daughter married a nephew of ], the ], but was soon estranged from her husband.
			Cooch Behar is a flat region with a slight southeastern slope along which the main rivers of the district flow. Most of the highland areas are in the Sitalkuchi region and most of the low-lying lands lie in Dinhata region.

			The rivers in the district of Cooch Behar generally flow from northwest to southeast. Seven rivers that cut through the district are the ], ], ], ], ], ] and ].
	Maharaja Jitendra Narayan, second son and eventual heir of Nripendra Bahadur, eloped with a princess of ], the celebrated ]; she ruled as regent after his early death (of drink) and also made a celebrity career for herself in the ''salons'' of Europe, earning the sobriquet "''the ranee of cooch partout''". One of their daughters, ], wed for love the ] of ] and became an international celebrity. Another daughter, Menaka, wed the Maharaja of ] (Jr) and retired into respectable obscurity. Ila, their eldest daughter, wed into the royal family of ]; her granddaughters ] and ] are fashion models and aspiring film stars.

			===Flora and fauna===
	While Jitendra Narayan's elder son and heir made ]s first with an American actress and then with an Englishwoman, their younger son wed a daughter of the ] of ]. The only son of the latter couple was the last dynast of the ruling family of Cooch-Behar in the senior line; after he died childless in ], the headship of the family is unclear.
			In 1976 Cooch Behar district became home to the Jaldapara Wildlife Sanctuary (now ]), which has an area of {{convert\|217\|km2\|mi2\|abbr=on\|1}}.<ref name=parks>{{cite web\|author=Indian Ministry of Forests and Environment \|title=Protected areas: Sikkim \|url=http://oldwww.wii.gov.in/envis/envis_pa_network/index.htm \|access-date=25 September 2011 \|url-status=dead \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110823163836/http://oldwww.wii.gov.in/envis/envis_pa_network/index.htm \|archive-date=23 August 2011}}</ref> It shares the park with ] district.<ref name=parks/>

	==~~Tourism~~==		==Demographics==
			{{historical populations\|11=1901\|12=5,65,116\|13=1911\|14=5,91,012\|15=1921\|16=5,90,599\|17=1931\|18=5,89,053\|19=1941\|20=6,38,703\|21=1951\|22=6,68,949\|23=1961\|24=10,19,806\|25=1971\|26=14,14,183\|27=1981\|28=17,71,643\|29=1991\|30=21,71,145\|31=2001\|32=24,79,155\|33=2011\|34=28,19,086\|percentages=pagr\|footnote=source:<ref></ref>\|align=center}}
	]
	*] (Rajbari): Built in the classical European style of ] on the lines of Buckingham Palace in 1887. A recently constructed museum in the rooms of the Palace has added glory to the Royal stucture. The vast lawn and beautiful landscaping of the garden have made it more beautiful. It is a must visit.

			According to the ] Cooch Behar district has a ] of 2,819,086,<ref name="districtcensus">{{Cite web \|date=2011 \|title=District Census Handbook: Cooch Behar \|url=https://censusindia.gov.in/nada/index.php/catalog/1332/download/4342/DH_2011_1903_PART_A_DCHB_KOCH_BIHAR.pdf \|website=censusindia.gov.in \|publisher=]}}</ref> roughly equal to the nation of ].<ref name="cia">{{cite web \|author=US Directorate of Intelligence \|title=Country Comparison:Population \|url=https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/rankorder/2119rank.html \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070613004507/https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/rankorder/2119rank.html \|url-status=dead \|archive-date=13 June 2007 \|access-date=1 October 2011 \|quote=Jamaica 2,868,380 July 2011 est}}</ref> This gives it a ranking of 136th in India (out of a total of ]).<ref name=districtcensus/> The district has a population density of {{convert\| 833 \|PD/sqkm\|PD/sqmi}}.<ref name=districtcensus/> Its ] over the decade 2001–2011 was 13.86%.<ref name=districtcensus/> Koch Bihar has a ] of 942 ] for every 1000 males,<ref name=districtcensus/> and a ] of 75.49%.<ref name=districtcensus/> 10.27% of the population lives in urban areas. Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes make up 1,414,336 (50.17%) and 18,125 (0.64%) of the population respectively. Cooch Behar is the only district in India where Scheduled Castes make up a majority of the population.<ref name="SC">{{cite web \|title=Census of India : Scheduled Castes & Scheduled Tribes Population \|url=https://www.censusindia.gov.in/Census_Data_2001/India_at_Glance/scst.aspx \|website=www.censusindia.gov.in \|access-date=5 February 2021}}</ref>
	* Madan Mohan Temple: Situated in the heart of the Cooch Behar town. Constructed by ] during 1885 to 1889. A divine structure, deities include ] the <i>'kul-devata' </i>of the Koch Dynasty, Ma Tara and Ma Bhavani. The annual <i>'Rash Mela</i> is held here in the month of November.

			===Religion===
	*Rajpat Mound: A protected monument by the ] (ASI). Situated about 35 km from Cooch Behar Town. One can see the remains of a palace and some excavated artifacts and statues.
			{{bar box
			\|title=Religions in Cooch Behar district (2011)<ref name="religion" />
			\|titlebar=#Fcd116
			\|left1=Religion
			\|right1=Percent
			\|float=right
			\|bars=
			{{bar percent\|]\|darkorange\|74.05}}
			{{bar percent\|]\|green\|25.54}}
			{{bar percent\|Other or not stated\|black\|0.41}}
			}}

			{\| class="wikitable sortable"
	*Baneshwar Shiv Temple: Situated at a distance of about 10 km to the North of Cooch Behar town, the temple has a 'Shivalinga' 10 feet below the plinth level. There is a big pond within the temple campus having a large number of tortoise. Some of the tortoises are very old and big in size .At Siva Chaturdashi a big mela is held here for a week.
			\|+Religion in present-day Cooch Behar district
			!Religion
			!Population (1941)<ref name="1941religion">{{cite web \|title=CENSUS OF INDIA, 1941 VOLUME VI BENGAL PROVINCE \|url=https://dspace.gipe.ac.in/xmlui/bitstream/handle/10973/37365/GIPE-020591.pdf?sequence=3&isAllowed=y \|access-date=13 August 2022}}</ref>{{rp\|104–105}}
			!Percentage (1941)
			!Population (2011)<ref name="religion">{{Cite web \|date=2011 \|title=Table C-01 Population by Religion: West Bengal \|url=https://censusindia.gov.in/nada/index.php/catalog/11396/download/14509/DDW19C-01%20MDDS.XLS \|website=censusindia.gov.in \|publisher=]}}</ref>
			!Percentage (2011)
			\|-
			\|] ]
			\|394,948
			\|61.63%
			\|2,087,766
			\|74.05%
			\|-
			\|] ]
			\|242,684
			\|37.87%
			\|720,033
			\|25.54%
			\|-
			\|Others{{efn\|Including ], ], ], ], ], ]s, or not stated}}
			\|3,210
			\|0.5%
			\|11,287
			\|0.41%
			\|-
			\|'''Total Population'''
			\|'''640,842'''
			\|'''100%'''
			\|'''2,819,086'''
			\|'''100%'''
			\|}

			Hinduism is the majority religion. Islam is the minority religion, and is mainly rural. Muslims are a significant minority in Dinhata I (36.98%), Dinhata II (36.68%) and Sitalkuchi (35.31%) blocks.<ref name="religion"/>
	*Madhupur Dham: Situated about 10 km west from Cooch Behar Town. In 1489, Shankaradeva performed his last journey to Cooch Behar when Maharaja Nar Narayan requested him to preach the teachings of the neo-Vaishnava cult. It was in his honour that the Madhupur Dham was built in the 16th century. This place has a special significance for the devotees of Acharya Shankaradeva.

			===Language===
	*Kamteswari Temple: Situated at a distance of about 35 km west of Cooch Behar Town, the original temple is now destroyed. The present temple has been established by Maharaja Pran Narayan in 1665 The throne of Devi is situated here. Beside the main temple 2 smaller temples also exist/ At the gate a 'Tarakeswar Sivalinga' exists.
			{{Pie chart
			\|thumb = right
			\|caption = Languages of Cooch Behar district (2011)<ref name="languages"/>
			\|label1 = ] \|value1 = 94.79 \|color1 = orchid
			\|label2 = 'Other' Bengali \|value2 = 2.01 \|color2 = mediumpurple
			\|label3 = ] \|value3 = 1.31 \|color3 = plum
			\|label4 = ] \|value4 = 1.17 \|color4 = orange
			\|label5 = Others \|value5 = 0.72 \|color5 = grey
			}}

			At the time of the 2011 census, 94.79% of the population spoke ], 1.31% ] and 1.17% ] as their first language. 2.01% of the population recorded their language as 'Others' under Bengali.<ref name="languages">{{Cite web \|title=Table C-16 Population by Mother Tongue: West Bengal \|url=https://censusindia.gov.in/nada/index.php/catalog/10226/download/13338/DDW-C16-STMT-MDDS-1900.XLSX \|website=www.censusindia.gov.in \|publisher=]}}</ref>
	*Sagardighi: Situated in the Cooch Behar Town itself. The huge tank was excavated by Maharaja Hitendra Narayan. It is a popular rendezvous in the evening, surrounded by heritage buildings including Victor House and a War Memorial where a tank is kept . During winter months one can spot migratory birds on the water surface and the nearby trees.

			==Government and politics==
	*Rasikbil: It is situated about 42 km from Cooch Behar Town. A recognized bird sanctuary. It has a deer park and a recently bulit aquariam where fishes, turtles and Ghraials (a type of crocodiles) are kept. You may spot ] on the way to Rasikbil.
			===Divisions===
			====Sub-divisions====
			The district of Cooch Behar comprises five sub-divisions:
			* ]
			* ]
			* ]
			* ]
			* ]

			====Assembly constituencies====
	Apart from these other tourist spots are:
			As per order of the 2008 ] in respect of the ] in the West Bengal, the district is divided into 9 assembly constituencies:<ref>{{cite web
	*Eco Heritage Park
			\| url = http://www.wbgov.com/e-gov/English/DELIMITATION.pdf \| title = Press Note, Delimitation Commission\| access-date = 16 November 2008 \| work = Assembly Constituencies in West Bengal\| publisher =Delimitation Commission}}</ref>
	*Nipendra Narayan Park
	*Brahmo Mandir
	*Ranir Bagan
	*Baradebi Bari
	*Siddheswari Kali Bari
	*Dangar Ayee Temple
	*Siddhanath Siva temple, Dhaluabari
	*Madan Mohan temple, Mathabhanga

			==Politics==
	The best time to visit mid-October to mid-December and February to April

			{\| class="wikitable sortable"
	== Education ==
	<b>Educational Facilities <b>

	Primary Schools - 1805<br>
	High Schools - 120 <br>
	Higher Secondary Schools - 61 <br>
	High Madrasa - 5 <br>
	Senior Madrasa - 2 <br>
	Junior High School - 60 <br>
	Junior High Madrasa - 16 <br>
	Engineering / Technical Schools - 2 <br>
	Professional & Technical Schools - 16 <br>
	General College - 9 <br>
	Blind School - 1 <br>
	Libraries - 110 <br>

			!No.
	Cooch Behar is having an Agricultural University named ] at Pundibari about 10 km from ]. Apart from those Government schools there are a few privately adided schools mostly ICSE, ISC and CBSE boards.
			!Constituency
			!Name
			! colspan="2" \|Party
			!Remarks
			\|-

			\|1
	=== Trivia ===
			\|]
	- Bharat Dev Varma is a descendant of the royal family of Cooch Behar. He is the father of Raima Sen (an actress in ] and ]).
			\|]
			\|{{Full party name with colour\|All India Trinamool Congress}}
			\|
			\|-
			\|2
			\|]
			\|]
			\|{{Full party name with colour\|Bharatiya Janata Party}}
			\|
			\|-
			\|3
			\|]
			\|]
			\|{{Full party name with colour\|Bharatiya Janata Party}}
			\|
			\|-
			\|4
			\|]
			\|]
			\|{{Full party name with colour\|Bharatiya Janata Party}}
			\|
			\|-
			\|5
			\|]
			\|]
			\|{{Full party name with colour\|Bharatiya Janata Party}}
			\|
			\|-
			\|6
			\|]
			\|]
			\|{{Full party name with colour\|All India Trinamool Congress}}
			\|
			\|-
			\| rowspan="2" \|7
			\| rowspan="2" \|]
			\|]
			\|{{Full party name with colour\|Bharatiya Janta Party}}
			\|Resigned<ref>{{Cite web \|title=Two West Bengal BJP MPs resign as MLAs after directive from party leadership \|url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/nation/2021/may/12/two-west-bengal-bjp-mps-resign-as-mlas-after-directivefrom-party-leadership-2301747.html \|access-date=8 April 2022 \|website=The New Indian Express \|date=12 May 2021}}</ref>
			\|-
			\|]{{ref label\|BYE\|BYE\|BYE}}
			\|{{Full party name with colour\|All India Trinamool Congress}}
			\|Won in 2021 bypoll
			\|-
			\|8
			\|]
			\|]
			\|{{Full party name with colour\|Bharatiya Janata Party}}
			\|'''Deputy Leader of Opposition'''
			\|-
			\|9
			\|]
			\|]
			\|{{Full party name with colour\|Bharatiya Janata Party}}
			\|
			\|}

			Mekliganj, Mathabhanga, Cooch Behar Uttar, Sitalkuchi and Sitai constituencies are reserved for ] candidates. Mekhliganj constituency is part of ], which also contains six assembly segments from ]. Mathabhanga, Cooch Behar Uttar, Cooch Behar Dakshin, Sitalkuchi, Sitai, Dinhata and Natabari constituencies form the ], which is reserved for ]. Tufanganj constituency is part of ], which also contains six assembly segments from ] and Jalpaiguri districts.
	-] was born to ], princess of Cooch Behar and Romendra Kishore Dev Varma,a member of the Tripura princely family. Ila Devi met Romendra Kishore Dev Varma when both had been students of Shantineketan. Ila Devi died at a young age, leaving three children, two sons and a daughter. All of them were brought up by their maternal grandmother ], Maharani of Cooch Behar. The elder son married Rita Faria,a model and a beauty paegant the first Miss World. The daughter married a prince of Jaipur and Bharat Dev Varma married Moonmoon Sen, only daughter of legendary Bengali screen actress ], herself an actress and model. They have two daughters Raima and Riya, both an upcoming actress and model.

			==Education==
			<!--- begin this section --->
			*]
			*]

			==Towns and villages==
			<!---♦♦♦ Only add a location to this list if they already have their own article on the English Misplaced Pages ♦♦♦--->
			<!---♦♦♦ Please keep the list in alphabetical order ♦♦♦--->
			*]
			*Dhalpal
			*]
			*]

			==Geographical indication==
			] was awarded the ] (GI) status tag from the ] under the ] on 2 January 2024 (valid until 11 March 2034). It is a common and widely cultivated crop in districts of Cooch Behar, ] and ] along with some parts of ] & ] districts of West Bengal.<ref>{{cite news \|title=Bengal's own Gobindabhog and Tulaipanji soon to get a distinct stand on world map \|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/kolkata/how-new-grading-rules-for-non-basmati-rice-varieties-can-put-gobindabhog-on-world-map-9091192/ \|access-date=23 November 2024 \|work=The Indian Express \|date=2 January 2024 \|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite book \|last1=Khush \|first1=Gurdev S. \|last2=Hettel \|first2=Gene \|last3=Rola \|first3=Tess \|title=Rice Genetics III: Proceedings of the Third International Rice Genetics Symposium, Manila, Philippines, 16-20 October 1995 \|date=1996 \|publisher=Int. Rice Res. Inst. \|isbn=978-971-22-0087-8 \|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=M_hKLjbOuBEC&dq=Kalonunia+rice&pg=PA823 \|access-date=23 November 2024 \|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite book \|last1=Roychoudhury \|first1=Aryadeep \|title=Rice Research for Quality Improvement: Genomics and Genetic Engineering: Volume 2: Nutrient Biofortification and Herbicide and Biotic Stress Resistance in Rice \|date=29 July 2020 \|publisher=Springer Nature \|isbn=978-981-15-5337-0 \|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6RL0DwAAQBAJ&dq=Kalonunia+rice&pg=PA393 \|access-date=23 November 2024 \|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite book \|last1=Sarker \|first1=Dilip De \|last2=Saha \|first2=Manas Ranjan \|last3=Saha \|first3=Subrata \|title=Perspective of dietetic and antioxidant medicinal plants \|date=1 January 2015 \|publisher=Notion Press \|isbn=978-93-84878-95-5 \|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=YTrECQAAQBAJ&dq=Kalonunia+rice&pg=PT20 \|language=en}}</ref>

			State Agricultural Management & Extension Training Institute (SAMETI) from ], proposed the GI registration of Kalonunia rice. After filing the application in March 2021, the rice was granted the GI tag in 2024 by the Geographical Indication Registry in ], making the name "Kalonunia rice" exclusive to the rice grown in the region.<ref>{{cite web \|title=Kalonunia Rice \|url=https://search.ipindia.gov.in/GIRPublic/Application/Details/743 \|website=Intellectual Property India \|access-date=23 November 2024}}</ref> It thus became the third rice variety from West Bengal after ] and the 26th type of goods from West Bengal to earn the GI tag.

			The GI tag protects the rice from illegal selling and marketing, and gives it legal protection and a unique identity.

			==See also==
			* ]
			* ]
			* ]

	==References==		==References==
			{{Reflist}}{{Reflist\|group=lower-alpha}}
	*

	*
			==Further reading==
	*Book entitled ''Maharanis'' by Lucy Moore
			* Moore, Lucy (2004) ''Maharanis: The Extraordinary Tale Of Four Indian Queens And Their Journey From Purdah To Parliament'', Penguin, {{ISBN\|0-670-03368-5}}

			==External links==
			{{Commons category}}
			*
			*
			*

			{{Geographic location
			\|Centre = Cooch Behar district
			\|North = ]
			\|Northeast = ], Assam
			\|East = ], Assam
			\|Southeast =
			\|South = '']''
			\|Southwest =
			\|West = '']''
			\|Northwest = ]
			}}

			{{Towns and Cities of Cooch Behar District}}
			{{Cooch Behar topics}}
	{{Districts of West Bengal}}		{{Districts of West Bengal}}
			{{Minority Concentrated Districts in India}}
			{{Proposed states and territories of India}}
			{{Authority control}}

			{{DEFAULTSORT:Cooch Behar District}}
	]
	]		]
	]		]
			]
			]

	]
	]		]

Latest revision as of 08:28, 14 January 2025

District in West Bengal, India This article is about the district. For its eponymous headquarters, see Cooch Behar.

District in West Bengal, India

Cooch Behar
District
Clockwise from top-left: Cooch Behar Palace, Gadadhar river near Tufanganj, Mount of Rajpat in Gosanimari, Torsa river near Cooch Behar, Madan Mohan temple
Location of Cooch Behar district in West Bengal
Coordinates: 26°17′N 89°21′E / 26.283°N 89.350°E / 26.283; 89.350
Country	India
State	West Bengal
Division	Jalpaiguri
Headquarters	Cooch Behar
Government
• Subdivisions	Cooch Behar Sadar, Dinhata, Mathabhanga, Tufanganj, Mekhliganj
• CD Blocks	Cooch Behar I, Cooch Behar II, Dinhata I, Dinhata II, Sitai, Mathabhanga I, Mathabhanga II, Sitalkuchi, Tufanganj I, Tufanganj II, Mekhliganj, Haldibari
• Lok Sabha constituencies	Cooch Behar
• Vidhan Sabha constituencies	Mathabhanga, Cooch Behar Uttar, Cooch Behar Dakshin, Sitalkuchi, Sitai, Dinhata, Natabari, Tufanganj
Area
• Total	3,387 km (1,308 sq mi)
Population
• Total	2,819,086
• Density	830/km (2,200/sq mi)
Demographics
• Literacy	74.78 per cent
• Sex ratio	942 ♂/♀
Languages
• Official	Bengali
• Additional official	English
Time zone	UTC+05:30 (IST)
Website	coochbehar.nic.in

Cooch Behar district (pronounced [ˈkuːtʃ biˈɦaːr]) is a district of the Indian state of West Bengal. Formerly part of the Kamarupa kingdom, the area became the heart of the Kamata Kingdom in the 12th century. During the British Raj, the district was known as Cooch Behar state ruled by the Koch dynasty until 1949, when it became part of India. The district consists of the flat plains of North Bengal and has several rivers: the most notable being the Teesta, Jaldhaka and Torsa. The district has the highest proportion of Scheduled Castes in the country, where they form a majority.

Etymology

Main article: Etymology of Cooch Behar

The name Cooch Behar is derived from two words—Cooch, a corrupted form of the word Koch, the name of the Koch tribes, and the word behar is derived from vihara meaning land, Koch Behar means land of the Koches.

History

Early period

See also: Kamarupa Kingdom, Kamata kingdom, and Koch dynasty

Cooch Behar formed part of the Kamarupa Kingdom of Assam from the 4th to the 12th centuries. In the 12th century, the area became a part of the Kamata Kingdom, first ruled by the Khen dynasty from their capital at Kamatapur. The Khens were an indigenous tribe, and they ruled till about 1498 CE, when they fell to Alauddin Hussain Shah, the independent Pathan Sultan of Gour. The new invaders fought with the local Bhuyan chieftains and the Ahom king Suhungmung and lost control of the region. During this time, the Koch tribe became very powerful and proclaimed itself Kamateshwar (Lord of Kamata) and established the Koch dynasty.

The first important Koch ruler was Biswa Singha, who came to power in 1515. Under his son, Nara Narayan, the Kamata Kingdom reached its zenith. Nara Narayan's younger brother, Shukladhwaj (Chilarai), was a noted military general who undertook expeditions to expand the kingdom. He became governor of its eastern portion.

After Chilarai's death, his son Raghudev became governor of this portion. Since Nara Narayan did not have a son, Raghudev was seen as the heir apparent. However, a late child of Nara Narayan removed Raghudev's claim to the throne. To placate him, Nara Narayan had to anoint Raghudev as a vassal chief of the portion of the kingdom east of the Sankosh river. This area came to be known as Koch Hajo. After the death of Nara Narayan in 1584, Raghudev declared independence. The kingdom ruled by the son of Nara Narayan, Lakshmi Narayan, came to be known as Cooch Behar. The division of the Kamata Kingdom into Koch Behar and Koch Hajo was permanent. Koch Behar aligned itself with the Mughal Empire and finally joined the India as a part of the West Bengal, whereas remnants of the Koch Hajo rulers aligned themselves with the Ahom kingdom and the region became a part of Assam.

As the early capital of the Koch Kingdom, Cooch Behar's location was not static and became stable only when shifted to Cooch Behar town. Maharaja Rup Narayan, on the advice of an unknown saint, transferred the capital from Attharokotha to Guriahati (now called Cooch Behar town) on the banks of the Torsa river between 1693 and 1714. The capital has always been in or near its present location since then.

In 1661 CE, Maharaja Pran Narayan planned to expand his kingdom. However, Mir Jumla, the subedar of Bengal under the Mughal emperor Aurangazeb, attacked Cooch Behar and conquered the territory, meeting almost no resistance. The town of Cooch Behar was subsequently named Alamgirnagar. Maharaja Pran Narayan regained his kingdom within a few days.

British Raj

Main article: Cooch Behar State

In 1772–1773, the king of Bhutan attacked and captured Cooch Behar. To expel the Bhutanese, the kingdom of Cooch Behar signed a defence treaty with the British East India Company on 5 April 1773. After expelling the Bhutanese, Cooch Behar became a princely kingdom under the protection of British East India company.

The Victor Jubilee Palace was based on Buckingham Palace and built in 1887, during the reign of Maharaja Nripendra Narayan. In 1878, the maharaja married the daughter of Brahmo preacher Keshab Chandra Sen. This union led to a renaissance in Cooch Behar state. Maharaja Nripendra Narayan is known as the architect of modern Cooch Behar town.

Post Independence

Under an agreement between the kings of Cooch Behar and the Indian Government at the end of British rule, Maharaja Jagaddipendra Narayan transferred full authority, jurisdiction and power of the state to the Dominion Government of India, effective 12 September 1949. Eventually, Cooch Bihar became part of the state of West Bengal on 19 January 1950, with Cooch Behar town as its headquarters.

Geography

Former exclaves of India and Bangladesh in and around Cooch Behar district

Cooch Behar is a district under the Jalpaiguri Division of the state of West Bengal. Cooch Behar is located in the northeastern part of the state and bounded by the district of Jalpaiguri and Alipurduar in the north, Dhubri and Kokrajhar district of Assam in the east and by Bangladesh in the west as well as in the south. The district forms part of the Himalayan Terai of West Bengal.

A geopolitical curiosity was that there were 92 Bangladeshi exclaves, with a total area of 47.7 km in Cooch-Behar. Similarly, there were 106 Indian exclaves inside Bangladesh, with a total area of 69.5 km. These were part of the high stake card or chess games centuries ago between two regional kings, the Raja of Cooch Behar and the Maharaja of Rangpur.

Twenty-one of the Bangladeshi exclaves were within Indian exclaves, and three of the Indian exclaves were within Bangladeshi exclaves. The largest Indian exclave was Balapara Khagrabari which surrounded a Bangladeshi exclave, Upanchowki Bhajni, which itself surrounded an Indian exclave called Dahala Khagrabari, of less than one hectare (link to external map here ). But all this has ended in the historic India-Bangladesh land agreement. See Indo-Bangladesh enclaves.

Rivers and topography

Cooch Behar is a flat region with a slight southeastern slope along which the main rivers of the district flow. Most of the highland areas are in the Sitalkuchi region and most of the low-lying lands lie in Dinhata region.

The rivers in the district of Cooch Behar generally flow from northwest to southeast. Seven rivers that cut through the district are the Teesta, Jaldhaka, Torsha, Kaljani, Raidak, Gadadhar and Ghargharia.

Flora and fauna

In 1976 Cooch Behar district became home to the Jaldapara Wildlife Sanctuary (now Jaldapara National Park), which has an area of 217 km (83.8 sq mi). It shares the park with Alipurduar district.

Demographics

Historical population
Year	Pop.	±% p.a.
1901	565,116	—
1911	591,012	+0.45%
1921	590,599	−0.01%
1931	589,053	−0.03%
1941	638,703	+0.81%
1951	668,949	+0.46%
1961	1,019,806	+4.31%
1971	1,414,183	+3.32%
1981	1,771,643	+2.28%
1991	2,171,145	+2.05%
2001	2,479,155	+1.34%
2011	2,819,086	+1.29%
source:

According to the 2011 census Cooch Behar district has a population of 2,819,086, roughly equal to the nation of Jamaica. This gives it a ranking of 136th in India (out of a total of 739). The district has a population density of 833 inhabitants per square kilometre (2,160/sq mi). Its population growth rate over the decade 2001–2011 was 13.86%. Koch Bihar has a sex ratio of 942 females for every 1000 males, and a literacy rate of 75.49%. 10.27% of the population lives in urban areas. Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes make up 1,414,336 (50.17%) and 18,125 (0.64%) of the population respectively. Cooch Behar is the only district in India where Scheduled Castes make up a majority of the population.

Religion

Religions in Cooch Behar district (2011)
Religion			Percent
Hinduism			74.05%
Islam			25.54%
Other or not stated			0.41%

Religion in present-day Cooch Behar district
Religion	Population (1941)	Percentage (1941)	Population (2011)	Percentage (2011)
Hinduism	394,948	61.63%	2,087,766	74.05%
Islam	242,684	37.87%	720,033	25.54%
Others	3,210	0.5%	11,287	0.41%
Total Population	640,842	100%	2,819,086	100%

Hinduism is the majority religion. Islam is the minority religion, and is mainly rural. Muslims are a significant minority in Dinhata I (36.98%), Dinhata II (36.68%) and Sitalkuchi (35.31%) blocks.

Language

Languages of Cooch Behar district (2011)

Bengali (94.79%) 'Other' Bengali (2.01%) Rajbongshi (1.31%) Hindi (1.17%) Others (0.72%)

At the time of the 2011 census, 94.79% of the population spoke Bengali, 1.31% Rajbongshi and 1.17% Hindi as their first language. 2.01% of the population recorded their language as 'Others' under Bengali.

Government and politics

Divisions

Sub-divisions

The district of Cooch Behar comprises five sub-divisions:

Assembly constituencies

As per order of the 2008 Delimitation Commission in respect of the delimitation of constituencies in the West Bengal, the district is divided into 9 assembly constituencies:

Politics

No.	Constituency	Name		Remarks
1	Mekliganj	Paresh Chandra Adhikary	All India Trinamool Congress
2	Mathabhanga	Sushil Barman	Bharatiya Janata Party
3	Cooch Behar Uttar	Sukumar Roy	Bharatiya Janata Party
4	Cooch Behar Dakshin	Nikhil Ranjan Dey	Bharatiya Janata Party
5	Sitalkuchi	Baren Chandra Barman	Bharatiya Janata Party
6	Sitai	Jagadish Chandra Barma Basunia	All India Trinamool Congress
7	Dinhata	Nisith Pramanik	Bharatiya Janta Party	Resigned
7	Dinhata	Udayan Guha	All India Trinamool Congress	Won in 2021 bypoll
8	Natabari	Mihir Goswami	Bharatiya Janata Party	Deputy Leader of Opposition
9	Tufanganj	Malati Rava Roy	Bharatiya Janata Party

Mekliganj, Mathabhanga, Cooch Behar Uttar, Sitalkuchi and Sitai constituencies are reserved for Scheduled Castes (SC) candidates. Mekhliganj constituency is part of Jalpaiguri (Lok Sabha constituency), which also contains six assembly segments from Jalpaiguri district. Mathabhanga, Cooch Behar Uttar, Cooch Behar Dakshin, Sitalkuchi, Sitai, Dinhata and Natabari constituencies form the Cooch Behar (Lok Sabha constituency), which is reserved for Scheduled Castes (SC). Tufanganj constituency is part of Alipurduars (Lok Sabha constituency), which also contains six assembly segments from Alipurduar and Jalpaiguri districts.

Education

Towns and villages

Geographical indication

Kalonunia rice was awarded the Geographical Indication (GI) status tag from the Geographical Indications Registry under the Union Government of India on 2 January 2024 (valid until 11 March 2034). It is a common and widely cultivated crop in districts of Cooch Behar, Jalpaiguri and Alipurduar along with some parts of Darjeeling & Kalimpong districts of West Bengal.

State Agricultural Management & Extension Training Institute (SAMETI) from Narendrapur, proposed the GI registration of Kalonunia rice. After filing the application in March 2021, the rice was granted the GI tag in 2024 by the Geographical Indication Registry in Chennai, making the name "Kalonunia rice" exclusive to the rice grown in the region. It thus became the third rice variety from West Bengal after Tulaipanji rice and the 26th type of goods from West Bengal to earn the GI tag.

The GI tag protects the rice from illegal selling and marketing, and gives it legal protection and a unique identity.

References

^ "Fact and Figures". Wb.gov.in. Retrieved 5 July 2019.
"52nd Report of the Commissioner for Linguistic Minorities in India" (PDF). Nclm.nic.in. Ministry of Minority Affairs. p. 85. Archived from the original (PDF) on 25 May 2017. Retrieved 5 July 2019.
^ "Census of India : Scheduled Castes & Scheduled Tribes Population". www.censusindia.gov.in. Retrieved 5 February 2021.
Pal, Dr. Nripendra Nath (2000). Itikathai Cooch Behar (A brief history of Cooch Behar). Kolkata: Anima Prakashani. pp. 11–12.
The name Cooch Behar is a compound of two words: Cooch and Behar. Cooch is a corrupted form of Coch or Koch, the name of an ethnic group of people inhabiting largely in vast tract of land to the north-east of Bengal. Behar or more properly Vihara denotes abode or sport. Cooch Behar means, therefore, the abode or land of the Koches. Ray, B.. CENSUS 1961 WEST BENGAL. GOVERNMENT PRINTING, WEST BENGAL, 1961, p.20
Nath, D. (1989), History of the Koch Kingdom, C. 1515-1615, Mittal Publications, pp. 5–6, ISBN 8170991099
"Royal History of Cooch Behar". Retrieved 22 October 2006.
Pal, Dr. Nripendra Nath (2000). Itikathai Cooch Behar (A brief history of Cooch Behar). Kolkata: Anima Prakashani. p. 68.
^ Bhattacharyya, PK (2012). "Kamata-Koch Behar". In Islam, Sirajul; Jamal, Ahmed A. (eds.). Banglapedia: National Encyclopedia of Bangladesh (Second ed.). Asiatic Society of Bangladesh.
Pal, Dr. Nripendra Nath (2000). Itikathai Cooch Behar (A brief history of Cooch Behar). Kolkata: Anima Prakashani. p. 73.
Pal, Dr. Nripendra Nath (2000). Itikathai Cooch Behar (A brief history of Cooch Behar). Kolkata: Anima Prakashani. p. 75.
"Royal History of Cooch Behar 5". Retrieved 22 October 2006.
^ "Brief Royal History of Cooch Behar 5". Archived from the original on 24 July 2011. Retrieved 22 October 2006.
"A Great Divide". Time. 5 February 2009. Archived from the original on 19 April 2011.
^ Indian Ministry of Forests and Environment. "Protected areas: Sikkim". Archived from the original on 23 August 2011. Retrieved 25 September 2011.
Decadal Variation In Population Since 1901
^ "District Census Handbook: Cooch Behar" (PDF). censusindia.gov.in. Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India. 2011.
US Directorate of Intelligence. "Country Comparison:Population". Archived from the original on 13 June 2007. Retrieved 1 October 2011. Jamaica 2,868,380 July 2011 est
^ "Table C-01 Population by Religion: West Bengal". censusindia.gov.in. Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India. 2011.
"CENSUS OF INDIA, 1941 VOLUME VI BENGAL PROVINCE" (PDF). Retrieved 13 August 2022.
^ "Table C-16 Population by Mother Tongue: West Bengal". www.censusindia.gov.in. Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India.
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"Two West Bengal BJP MPs resign as MLAs after directive from party leadership". The New Indian Express. 12 May 2021. Retrieved 8 April 2022.
"Bengal's own Gobindabhog and Tulaipanji soon to get a distinct stand on world map". The Indian Express. 2 January 2024. Retrieved 23 November 2024.
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Roychoudhury, Aryadeep (29 July 2020). Rice Research for Quality Improvement: Genomics and Genetic Engineering: Volume 2: Nutrient Biofortification and Herbicide and Biotic Stress Resistance in Rice. Springer Nature. ISBN 978-981-15-5337-0. Retrieved 23 November 2024.
Sarker, Dilip De; Saha, Manas Ranjan; Saha, Subrata (1 January 2015). Perspective of dietetic and antioxidant medicinal plants. Notion Press. ISBN 978-93-84878-95-5.
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Including Jainism, Buddhism, Christianity, Zoroastrianism, Judaism, Ad-Dharmis, or not stated

External links

Places adjacent to Cooch Behar district

Jalpaiguri district

Alipurduar district

Kokrajhar district, Assam

Bangladesh

Cooch Behar district

Dhubri district, Assam