Kachua
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2020}}
{{Use Indian English|date=October 2016}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name = Kachua
| other_name = Kachua Swarupnagar
| settlement_type = Village
| image_skyline = Kachua Lokenath Mission.jpg
| image_alt =
| image_caption = Streets of Kachua, near the Kachua Lokenath Mission
| pushpin_map = India West Bengal#India
| pushpin_label_position = left
| pushpin_map_alt =
| pushpin_map_caption = Location in West Bengal, India
| coordinates = {{coord|22.681261|N|88.725222|E|display=inline,title}}
| subdivision_type = Country
| subdivision_name = {{flag|India}}
| subdivision_type1 = State
| subdivision_type2 = District
| subdivision_type3 = Block
| subdivision_name1 = West Bengal
| subdivision_name2 = North 24 parganas
| subdivision_name3 = Basirhat II
| established_title =
| established_date =
| founder =
| named_for =
| government_type =
| governing_body =
| leader_title1 =
| leader_name1 =
| unit_pref = Metric
| area_footnotes =
| area_rank =
| area_total_km2 =
| elevation_footnotes =
| elevation_m =
| population_total = 8,383
| population_as_of = 2011
| population_rank =
| population_density_km2 = auto
| population_demonym =
| population_footnotes =
| demographics_type1 = Languages
| demographics1_title1 = Official
| demographics1_info1 = Bengali, English
| timezone1 = IST
| utc_offset1 = +5:30
| postal_code_type = PIN
| postal_code = 743424
| area_code_type = Telephone code
| area_code = 03217
| registration_plate = WB26
| blank1_name_sec1 = Lok Sabha constituency
| blank1_info_sec1 = Basirhat
| blank2_name_sec1 = Vidhan Sabha constituency
| blank2_info_sec1 = Basirhat Uttar
| website = {{URL|north24parganas.nic.in/}}
| iso_code = IN-WB
| footnotes =
}}
Kachua (also known as Kachua Swarupnagar) is a village and a gram panchayat in Basirhat II CD Block in Basirhat subdivision of North 24 Parganas district, West Bengal, India.{{Cite book|last=Bhowmick|first=Haripada|title=ত্রিকালদর্শী মহাপুরুষ শ্রী শ্রী লোকনাথ ব্রহ্মচারীর জন্মস্থান প্রসঙ্গে|publisher=Lokenath Mission, Kachua|year=1983|pages=3}}{{cite web|title=Local Body Data: Kachua|url=https://localbodydata.com/gram-panchayat-kachua-107850|access-date=18 August 2023}}{{cite web|title=ABP News|url=https://news.abplive.com/pincode/west-bengal/north-24-parganas/kachua-swarupnagar-pincode-743293.html|access-date=18 August 2023}}{{cite web|title=Government of India (GOI) AQUIFER MAPPING AND MANAGEMENT PLAN IN PARTS OF NORTH 24 PARGANAS, SOUTH 24 PARGANAS & HOWRAH DISTRICTS, WEST BENGAL|url=http://cgwb.gov.in/AQM/NAQUIM_REPORT/WEST-BENGAL/24%20Parganas-west%20bengal.pdf|access-date=18 August 2023}}{{cite web|title=India Growing|url=https://www.indiagrowing.com/West_Bengal/North_24_Parganas/Barasat_II/Kachua|access-date=18 August 2023}}{{cite web|title=Soki India|url=https://soki.in/kachua-basirhat-ii-24-paraganas-north|access-date=18 August 2023}}
Geography
=Location=
Kachua is located 30 km from the state capital city Kolkata.{{cite web|title=West Bengal: 4 killed and 21 injured in stampede-like situation near Kachua temple |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kolkata/west-bengal-4-killed-and-21-injured-in-stampede-like-situation-near-kachua-temple/articleshow/70801399.cms|website=Times of India|access-date=18 August 2023}} It is located in the Basirhat II Block in North 24 Parganas district in the state of West Bengal, India. The surrounding nearby villages and its distance from Kachua are Dhanyakuria 2.4 km, Kholapota 8.6 km.
=Area overview=
According to land area calculations, the Kachua village is approximately 84.5 hectares large. Since Kachua falls under the block of Basirhat II as graded by Ministry of Jal Shakti in 2021, it does not have a water supply scheme. According to the same report, a number of water sources in the village are contaminated by arsenic, and should be analysed before use and crops with low water requirement can be grown in the area.
Demographics
According to the 2011 Census of India, Kachua Swarupnagar had a total population of 8,383, of which 4,300 were males and 4,083 were females.
Civic administration
When it comes to administration, Kachua village is administrated by a sarpanch who is elected representative of the village by the local elections.{{cite web|title=Census 2011 India|url=https://www.census2011.co.in/data/village/319450-kachua-west-bengal.html|access-date=18 August 2023}} The sarpanch of Kachua is Farida Bibi. Kachua falls under the State Legislative Assembly of Basirhat Uttar Constituency headed by Rafikul Islam Mondal and under the Lok Sabha Constituency of Basirhat headed by TMC Member of Parliament Nusrat Jahan.
Religious significance and controversy
Kachua is often referred to as 'Kachuadham' and is considered the birthplace of the Hindu Yogi Lokenath Brahmachari.{{Cite book|last=Basak|first=Tushar Kanti|title=কচুয়া: লোকনাথ-গঙ্গার ত্রিবেনী সঙ্গম|publisher=Lokenath Mission, Kachua|year=2023|pages=6|url = https://archive.org/details/kachua-lokenath-gangar-tribeni-sangam}}{{Cite book|last=Das|first=Jitavati |title=Visuddha Prema|publisher=Notion Press|year=2023|isbn=9798888839744}}{{Cite book|last=Banik|first=Shri Haribhakta|title=বারদীর গোঁসাই: শ্রীশ্রী লোকনাথ ব্রহ্মচারী|publisher=Shri Shital Chandra Pal|year=2013|pages=18}}{{Cite book|last=Bhowmick|first=Bishnupada|title=প্রাণের ঠাকুর বাবা লোকনাথের মহাপ্রয়াণ শ্বরোণে - শ্রদ্ধাঞ্জলি ১২১তম তিরোধন দিবস|publisher=স্বামীবাগ রোড Branch|year=2011|pages=30}} It also consists of the temple compound around the birthplace, a holy pond and the Lokenath Mission - that is responsible for the administration of the temple grounds. Besides the Lokenath Temple, it even has a temple dedicated to Krishna and Radha Gobinda.
On 23 August 2019, on the eve of Janmashtami event, an accident happened, where an old wall broke off leading to a stampede, on devotees of Lokenath Brahmachari, and led to the injury of 16 people.{{cite web|title=কচুয়ার লোকনাথধাম মন্দিরে দুর্ঘটনা, পদপিষ্ট হয়ে আহত অন্তত ১৬ জন|url=https://bengali.abplive.com/video/tv-show/district/north-24-parganas/stampede-in-loknath-temple-kachua-16-injured-610107|website=ABP Ananda (Bengali)|access-date=18 August 2023|language=bn}} According to many reports, three people lost their lives in this incident too.{{cite web|title=Hindustan Times - Three die in stampede near Bengal temple|url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/three-die-in-stampede-near-bengal-temple/story-9k43zXF013noq8QsLboAyO.html|access-date=18 August 2023}}{{cite web|title=The Week - Three killed, 25 injured in stampede near Loknath Dham temple in West Bengal|website=The Week |url=https://www.theweek.in/news/india/2019/08/23/Three-killed-25-injured-in-stampede-near-Loknath-Dham-temple-in-West-Bengal.html|access-date=18 August 2023}} According to a "The Indian Express" article, 5 people lost their lives that day.{{cite web|title=The Indian Express - Janmashtami: 5 dead in Bengal temple|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/kolkata/north-24-parganas-temple-stampede-death-janmashtami-celebrations-death-toll-5932525/|access-date=18 August 2023}}
Further reading
- {{cite web |url= https://www.patrika.com/kolkata-news/loknath-temple-accident-what-happened-that-changed-the-atmosphere-5004834/ |title= लोकनाथ मंदिर हादसा: क्या हुआ ऐसा जो चंद मिनटों में उत्साह का माहौल मातम में बदल गया |author=Ashutosh Kumar Singh |date= 2019|website= Patrika |publisher=Patrika Group |access-date= 18 August 2023}}
- {{cite web |url= https://egramswaraj.gov.in/geotaggedforgpdp.do?planunttypcd=3&gpcode=107850 |title= Kachua: GeoTagged Asset Report 2023 |author= |date= 18 August 2023|website= eGram Swaraj |publisher=Ministry of Panchayati Raj (MoPR) |access-date= 18 August 2023}}
References
{{Reflist}}