Guskara

Guskara গুস্‌করা
Town
Guskara Location in West Bengal, India
Coordinates: 23°30′N 87°45′E / 23.50°N 87.75°E / 23.50; 87.75Coordinates: 23°30′N 87°45′E / 23.50°N 87.75°E / 23.50; 87.75
Country	India
State	West Bengal
District	Barddhaman
Elevation	38 m (125 ft)
Population (2001)
• Total	31,863
Languages
• Official	Bengali, English
Time zone	IST (UTC+5:30)
Lok Sabha constituency	Bolpur
Vidhan Sabha constituency	Ausgram
Website	bardhaman.gov.in

Guskara is a town and a municipality under Ausgram police station^[1] of Sadar subdivision in Barddhaman district in the Indian state of West Bengal.

Geography

Guskara is located at 23°30′N 87°45′E / 23.50°N 87.75°E / 23.50; 87.75. It has an average elevation of 38 metres (125 feet). Guskara is located in the alluvial flood plains of several rivers.^[2] Kunur River flows past it.^[3]

History

The area between the Damodar and Ajay was known as Gopbhum, where the Sadgope kings ruled for many centuries, prior to the advent of the Muslims. The Sur kings also occupy a somewhat mythical position in the region. Adi Sur of this dynasty is credited with having brought the five Brahmins and Kayasthas (two important upper castes in Bengal) from Kannauj in what is now Uttar Pradesh.^[4]

Damage to embankments of the Ajay and consequent flooding was a regular problem in the Ausgram and Mangalkot area. The devastating flood of 1943 caused immense suffering and lead to a mass movement for restoration/ repair of the embankments. A massive meeting was organised at Guskara in 1944, with Udaychand Mahtab, Maharaja of Bardhaman. However, the government did not take any action,. Ultimately, the Communist Party, which had been at the forefront of agitations for some years, provided a huge work force for the purpose and completed the repair work. That laid the foundation for the party’s popularity in the area.^[5] The party attained continual popularity till 2008. Corruption,nepotism,political opportunism crept in after long 32 years in power. Lack of character,debauch personalities in politics caused the fall of the communist empire here. TMC attained power in municipality after Singur,Nandigram blunder. The agrarian people became alienated from the CPM and voted TMC. This was the first beckon of losing popularity of CPM in unassailable red bastion in West Bengal. This was the harbinger of the following results of the later municipal election trend in West Bengal.

Guskhara Airfield

Guskhara Airfield is a former wartime United States Army Air Forces airfield in India used during the Burma Campaign 1944-1945. Guskhara was a photo-recon base for the Tenth Air Force. Several aircraft including Northrop P-61 Black Widow and Lockheed P-38 Lightning operated from this airfield. It is now abandoned.

Economy

Guskara has a wholesale market.^[6] The area thrives on brick kilns, wood craft and cloth sales.^[7] This area depends on agro-based economy. Potato,Paddy,Arum are the main agricultural produce of the area. Arum of this area is famous in its taste. Huge amount of potato and paddy is produced in this area. Farmers of the area cannot prosper as they cannot hold on to their produce for long due to want of cash to run family and repay loans. Middlemen earn the profits. Fishery is the other thriving factor of the economy. Fish cultivation and breeding is gaining popularity here. Poultry farms are becoming another factor in the growing economy of this area.

Demographics

As of 2001 India census,^[8] Guskara had a population of 31,863. Males constitute 52% of the population and females 48%. Guskara has an average literacy rate of 66%, higher than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy is 72%, and female literacy is 59%. In Guskara, 12% of the population is under 6 years of age.

Steady flow of refugees from East Pakistan swelled the population of the area in the fifties.^[9] Recently,influx of people from outskirt villages has increased the population of the area. Increasing number of buildings,lack of drainage system,absence of complete master plan have made the area a mock of a municipality.

Education

Guskara has sixteen primary, one upper primary, one secondary and three higher secondary schools. It also has one college named Guskara Mahavidayalaya. Guskara P. P. Institution is one of the best high schools in this region. The school has got a very good academic record. It got President Medal during the decade of 1950's & was received by formar Head Master of the school Nirod Boron Mahata. A private polytechnic college is established on 2010 "Gobindapur Sephali Memorial Polytechnic" Which is recognised from West Bengal state council of technical education.

Art

The area is renowned for its dhokra art castings.^[10] In particular, Dariapur village in the area is famous for its dhokra metal craft. The craftsmen and craftswomen are very poor. Middlemen buys dokra artifacts from them and sell them in markets. The middlemen earn the profit. The poor craftsmen and women cannot gain much from their produce as they cannot reach prospectihghhggve markets to sell their products themselves. Moreover,the craftsmen and women usually take loans from the nearby grocery shops for their daily needs of sustenance. The grocery or shop owners takes artifacts from the craftsmen and women as mortgage for loans. The craftsmen and women are unable to repay the loan. So,the mortgage items become the items of sale in the grocery or shop owners. The last but not the least of the problem that has beset the craftsmen and women is the lack of health and sanitary consciousness.

References

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