Labhpur

Labhpur is a census town in Labpur CD block in Bolpur subdivision of Birbhum district in the Indian state of West Bengal. It is known to the outside world as the native place of Tarashankar Bandopadhyay and one of the 51 Shakti Peethas.

Location
Labhpur is located at 23.83°N, 87.82°W. It has an average elevation of 35 m.

Note: The map alongside presents some of the notable locations in the area. All places marked in the map are linked in the larger full screen map.

It lies in the flood plains of Mayurakshi River and when water is released from Massanjore dam and Tilpara barrage in large quantities, flood waters wreak havoc in the area. In 2006, nearly 50,000 people were marooned in Labhpur and surrounding blocks of Birbhum district.

Police station
Labhpur police station has jurisdiction over Labhpur CD block.

CD block HQ
The headquarters of Labpur CD block are located at Labhpur.

Panchayat
1. Labhpur 1 no gram panchayat

2. Labhpur 2 no gram panchayat

Demographics
As per the 2011 Census of India, Labhpur had a total population of 5,419 of which 2,762 (51%) were males and 2,657 (49%) were females. Population below 6 years was 443. The total number of literates in Labhpur was 4,193 (84.26% of the population over 6 years).

Infrastructure
As per the District Census Handbook 2011, Labhpur covered an area of 2.1069 km2. There is a railway station at Labhpur. Buses are available in the town. It has 5 km roads and open drains. The major source of protected water supply is from bore well pumping and over head tank. There are 1,000 domestic electric connections. Amongst the medical facilities it has 16 medicine shops. Amongst the educational facilities it has are 5 primary schools, 2 middle schools, 2 secondary schools and 2 senior secondary schools. Amongst the social, recreational and cultural facilities there are 1 cinema theatre, 1 auditorium/ community hall, 1 public library and 1 reading room. It has the branches of 4 nationalised banks, 1 cooperative bank and 1 agricultural credit society. Amongst the commodities it produces are paddy, wheat and oil seeds.

Transport
It is located on the Suri–Phutishanko (state highway 6) road and Labhpur railway station is situated about 12 km from Ahmedpur and 11 km from Kirnahar on the Ahmedpur Katwa Railway.

One pair of trains ran daily along the 52 km Ahmedpur – Katwa narrow gauge (2' 6") line. It remained a single line since its inception. Indian Railways took over the narrow gauge tracks between Katwa and Ahmedpur, and Katwa and Bardhaman from McLoyd and Company in 1966. The railways have identified poor turnout of passengers and their unwillingness to buy tickets as the reasons behind the losses incurred by the narrow gauge section. Since 16 January 2013 the train services had been stopped and the work of conversion of the narrow-gauge line was going on. Conversion work was completed in early 2017 and the section has been opened to passenger traffic since 24 May 2018.

Labpur is well connected by bus routes with Siuri, Sainthia, Rampurhat, Bolpur, Kirnahar and other important parts of the district. It is also connected with Burdwan, Durgapur, Asansol, Berhampur, Katwa, Krishnanagar by bus service.

Education
College High School Primary School
 * 1) Sambhunath College, Labpur. (Estd. 1963)
 * 2) Labpur Teachers' Training Institute (B.Ed)
 * 3) Labpur Teachers' Training Institute (D.El.Ed)
 * 1) Labpur Jadablal High School(H.S.) (Estd. 1901)
 * 2) Satyanarayan Shikshaniketan Girls' High School(H.S.) (Estd. 1958)
 * 3) Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya(CBSE) at Gopalpur. (Estd. 2007)
 * 4) St. Josheph's Convent School(ICSE) at Laghata. (Estd. 2005)
 * 5) Jakir Hossain Minority Educational Society (CBSE)
 * 6) Labpur Jr. High Madrasha. (Estd. 1977)
 * 7) Laghata Jr. High School. (Estd. 2011)
 * 1) Nirmalshib Junior Basic School. (Estd. 1951)
 * 2) Jagadamba Junior Basic School. (Estd. 1946)
 * 3) Sandipan Pathshala. (Estd. 1983)
 * 4) Sambhu Mukherjee Smriti Prathamik Bidyalaya. (Estd. 1999)
 * 5) Laghata Santal Primary School.
 * 6) Bisweshwari Smriti Sishu Siksha Mandir. (Estd. 1977)
 * 7) Ramkrishna Vivekananda Vidyashram. (Estd. 2000)
 * 8) Bhaswati Vidyapith. (Estd. 2005)

Tarashankar country
Tarashankar Bandopadhyay, the Bengali writer, was born at Labhpur on 23 July 1898. He passed matriculation from Labhpur in 1916. Many of his novels and stories carry vivid descriptions of the area.

In the novel Hansulibanker Upkatha, he writes, "The Hansulibank countryside is somewhat rough land. Here, man’s fight is more with land, than that with rivers. When drought comes, in extreme summer, the river becomes a desert, it is a land of sand – only deep water somehow manages to weave a narrow way through it. The land then is transformed into rock. The grass dries up. The land heats up as if it is a piece of heated-up iron."

In his novel Ganadevata, he quotes a rural rhyme
 * Poush-Poush, golden Poush,
 * Come Poush but don’t go away, don’t ever leave,
 * Don’t leave Poush, Don’t,
 * The husband and son will eat a full bowl of rice.

Fullara


According to mythology, when Mahadeva danced around with Sati's dead body cutting it to pieces, the lip fell at Fullara. There is a big pond beside the temple. According to hearsay, Hanuman collected 108 blue lotuses from the pond when Sri Ramachandra required them for the worship of goddess Durga. It is considered to be one of the fifty-one shakti peethas in India.

The Jagadharti Mandir of Banerjee Family in Babu Para
It is a very famous Temple in Labpur. It is a very old Puja that till continued.

Bele
There is a pond whose waters are popularly believed to have the powers to heal arthritis.

Gobinda Sagar
This is actually a part of Laghata River dissected off earlier. From this pond once, a statue of Lord Vasudeva was found. It is located at the Labpur Thakurbari (Gobinda Mandir) maintained and jointly owned by Jadablal Debottor Trust Estate.

Thakur Badi
This is an ancient Temple decorated with precious marble stones, about 1 km from the station. This temple was founded by Jadablal Banerjee (Bondopadhay). Here, several idols of Gods are present, including those of Lord Sri Krishna, Lord Vasudeva, Lord Ganesha and Lord Shiva, Durga and Annapurna. The famous Rath Yatra and Rash Purnima is celebrated here with great ceremonies and rituals.

Healthcare
Labpur Rural Hospital at Labhpur has 30 beds.