Dinapur Cantonment
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Danapur Cantonment | |
|---|---|
City | |
  Danapur Cantonment Location in Bihar, India | |
| Coordinates: 25°38′04″N 85°01′35″E / 25.63444°N 85.02639°E | |
| Land |  Indien |
| State | Bihar |
| District | Patna |
| Established | 1765 |
| Population (2001) | |
| • Total | 28,149 |
| Languages | |
| • Official | Hindi |
| Time zone | UTC+5:30 (IST) |
| ISO 3166 code | IN-BR |
| Vehicle registration | BR-01 |
| Website | patna |
Danapur Cantonment or Danapur Cantt is a cantonment town in Patna District in the state of Bihar, India. Danapur is a category II Cantonment, established in 1765.[1] The board consists of 14 members including 7 elected members.[2] Danapur cantonment located on the outskirts of Patna is the second oldest cantonment in India, after Barrackpur Cantonment, West Bengal.[3] Danapur is the regimental centre of Bihar Regiment (BRC). It was earlier called Bankipore Cantonment. Initially, it was set up at Bankipore but later set up in Danapur area (then known as Dinapore) in 1766–67.[4]
History
Danapur was known as Dinapur during the British time. The word 'Dinapur' means the 'City of Grains', being located in the fertile Gangetic plains. Established in 1765, Danapur Cantonment happens to be the second oldest cantonment in the country after Barrackpore in West Bengal which was established in the 17th Century. It was the only White Cantonment of the East India Company at one point of time and the largest military cantonment in Bengal which stationed two Artillery Batteries, a European and native Infantry Regiment. located on the Southern banks of the Ganga, Danapur was perhaps chosen due to the availability of inland water route to Calcutta through the Ganga.
On 10 May 1857, sepoys posted at Meerut rebelled and started India's First War of Independence, which the British termed as Sepoy Mutiny. This freedom struggle spread to Danapur on 25 July, 1857. Danapur happened to be the second important center in the country in the country, which influnced Eastern Uttar Pradesh, Bengal and Orissa. At that time, the British had their epicenter in Calcutta; therefore the uprising in Danapur was more important to the British than the uprising in the North India. On 25 July, mutiny erupted in the garrisons of Dinapur. Mutinying sepoys from 7th, 8th, and 40th Regiments of Bengal Native Infantry quickly moved towards the city of Arrah and were joined by Babu Kunwar Singh and his men. The seige of Arrah was eventually crushed on 03 August 1857 by Major Vincent Eyre (The 5th Fusiliers) and his men.
The garrison was used by the British during World War II as an Administrative base. This garrison was to provide transit facilities to British Expeditionary from Calcutta towards Northern Provinces of India. It has a War Cemetry to commemorate those who laid their lives on the Burma front. Today, the Arrah Barracks, St Luke's Church, Havlock Church, the Flag Staff House, Military Hospital, Supply Depot and The Bihar Regimental Centre etc stand testimony to the rich history and heritage of Danapur Cantonment.
A Category II Cantonment, Danapur Cantt is spread across an area of approximately 848.40 acres.
Demographics
As of 2001[update] India census,[5] Danapur Cantonment had a population of 28,149. Males constitute 56% of the population and females 44%. Danapur Cantonment has an average literacy rate of 71%, higher than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy is 77% and, female literacy is 63%. In Danapur Cantonment, 13% of the population is under 6 years of age.
See also
References
- ^ "Book, scheduled to hit stores next month, will throw light on how the military establishment came into being".
- ^ Danapur Directorate General Defence Estates
- ^ "Danapur cantt hosts 6K migratory birds this year". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 19 July 2013. Retrieved 26 October 2012.
- ^ "Danapur cantt celebrates 250 yrs".
- ^ "Census of India 2001: Data from the 2001 Census, including cities, villages and towns (Provisional)". Census Commission of India. Archived from the original on 16 June 2004. Retrieved 1 November 2008.
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