Berhampore

Berhampore (), also known as Baharampur ([ˈbɔɦoˌrɔmpur]), is a city and a municipality in the state of West Bengal, India. Berhampore is the administrative headquarters of the Murshidabad district. As of the 2011 census, Berhampore is the seventh largest city in West Bengal. It is located about 186 km (116 mi) from Kolkata, the state capital. Berhampore is one of the most important business, administrative, educational and political hubs of Bengal as well as of India. It is one of the most popular urban agglomerations of West Bengal state. Berhampore was the first centre of the East India Company in India. Not only the British but also the Dutch and the French established their companies in this city, and, as a result, it grew as a production hub of India. It is famous for sweets such as chhanabora, monohara, and rosogolla. The city is divided into five administrative regions: Gora Bazar, Khagra, Indraprastha, Cossimbazar, Haridasmati. Berhampore was a part of the Sepoy Mutiny of 1857 which took place at Berhampore Cantonment region (Barrack Square). The city was used by many foreign traders as their production hub. Before becoming a city many janpadas such as Saidabad, Farasdanga, Kalikapur had become famous. Cossimbazar had also become world famous for its muslin clothes. This city used to be the headquarters of Rajshahi administrative region till 1875.