Ghurni

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title: "Ghurni" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["tourist-attractions-in-nadia-district", "indian-dolls", "krishnanagar"] topic_path: "geography/india" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ghurni" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::data[format=table title="Infobox settlement"]

Field	Value
name	Ghurni
native_name
settlement_type	Neighbourhood
image_skyline	File:Krishnanagar Clay Models.jpg
image_caption	Krishnanagar clay models
pushpin_map	India West Bengal # India
pushpin_map_caption	Location in West Bengal, India
coordinates
subdivision_type	Country
subdivision_name	India
subdivision_type1	State
subdivision_name1	West Bengal
subdivision_type2	District
subdivision_name2	Nadia
established_title
unit_pref	Metric
population_as_of	2011
population_density_km2	auto
demographics_type1	Languages
demographics1_title1	Official
demographics1_info1	Bengali, English
timezone1	IST
utc_offset1	+5:30
postal_code_type	PIN
area_code_type	Telephone/STD code
area_code	03472
registration_plate	WB51/52
blank1_name_sec1	Lok Sabha constituency
blank1_info_sec1	Krishnanagar
blank2_name_sec1	Vidhan Sabha constituency
blank2_info_sec1	Krishnanagar Uttar
website
::

Geography

| width=450| height=420| zoom=10 | coord=| float=left|caption=Cities and towns in Krishnanagr Sadar subdivision of Nadia district M: municipal town/ city, CT: census town, R: rural/ urban centre, H: place of historical/ religious interest, T: place of tourist interest. Owing to space constraints in the small map, the actual locations in a larger map may vary slightly |mark-coord1= | label-pos1=right|label1=Chapra | numbered1=CT| mark-title1= Chapra, Nadia (CT)|label-color1=#800000 |label-size1=11| mark-size1=12|shape1=l-circle|shape-color1=#A40000|shape-outline1=white|label-offset-x1=2 |mark-coord2= | label-pos2=right|label2=Sonda | numbered2=CT| mark-title2= Sonda, Nadia (CT) |mark-coord3= | label-pos3=bottom|label3=Baruihuda | numbered3=CT| mark-title3= Baruihuda (CT) |mark-coord4= | label-pos4=right|label4=Paschimbhatjangla | numbered4=CT| mark-title4= Paschimbhatjangla (CT) |mark-coord5= | label-pos5=right|label5=Harindanga | numbered5=CT| mark-title5= Harindanga, Nadia (CT) |mark-coord6= | label-pos6=top|label6=Bamanpukur | numbered6=CT| mark-title6= Bamanpukur (CT) |mark-coord7= | label-pos7=right|label7=Tiorkhali | numbered7=CT| mark-title7= Tiorkhali (CT) |mark-coord8= | label-pos8=top|label8=Bablari |labela8=Dewanganj | numbered8=CT| mark-title8= Bablari Dewanganj (CT) |mark-coord9= | label-pos9=right|label9= Gadigachha | numbered9=CT| mark-title9= Gadigachha (CT) |mark-coord10= | label-pos10=right|label10= Majdia | numbered10=CT| mark-title10= Majdia, Nabadwip (CT) |mark-coord11= | label-pos11=left|label11= Char Maijdia | numbered11=CT| mark-title11= Char Maijdia (CT) |mark-coord12= | label-pos12=left|label12= Char Brahmanagar | numbered12=CT| mark-title12= Char Brahmanagar (CT) |mark-coord13= | label-pos13=left|label13=Mira | numbered13=CT| mark-title13= Mira, Nadia (CT) |mark-coord14= | label-pos14=right|label14=Matiari | numbered14=CT| mark-title14= Matiari, Nadia (CT) |mark-coord15= | label-pos15=top|label15= Jagadanandapur | numbered15=CT| mark-title15= Jagadanandapur (CT) |mark-coord16= | label-pos16=right|label16= Kshidirpur | numbered16=CT| mark-title16= Kshidirpur (CT) |mark-coord17= | label-pos17=right|label17=Krishnanagar |label-size17=13 | numbered17=M| mark-title17= Krishnanagar, Nadia (M)|label-color17=#800000 |mark-coord18= | label-pos18=left|label18=Nabadwip |label-size18=13 | numbered18=M| mark-title18= Nabadwip (M)|label-color18=#800000 |mark-coord19= | label-pos19=right|label19= Bangaljhi| numbered19=R| mark-title19= Bangaljhi (R)| shape-color19=#C40000 |mark-coord20= | label-pos20=top|label20= Krishnaganj| numbered20=R| mark-title20= Krishnaganj (R)| shape-color20=#C40000 |mark-coord21= | label-pos21=bottom|label21= Majhdia| numbered21=R| mark-title21= Majhdia, Krishnaganj (R)| shape-color21=#C40000 |mark-coord22= | label-pos22=left|label22= Gede| labela22= check point|numbered22=R| mark-title22= Gede, Nadia (R)| shape-color22=#C40000 |mark-coord23= | label-pos23=right|label23= Ruipukur|numbered23=R| mark-title23= Ruipukur (R)| shape-color23=#C40000 |mark-coord24= | label-pos24=right|label24= Asannagar|numbered24=R| mark-title24= Asannagar (R)| shape-color24=#C40000 |mark-coord25= | label-pos25=left|label25= Bishnupur|numbered25=R| mark-title25= Bishnupur, Nadia (R)| shape-color25=#C40000 |mark-coord26= | label-pos26=left|label26= Dhubulia|numbered26=R| mark-title26= Dhubulia (R)| shape-color26=#C40000 |mark-coord27= | label-pos27=right|label27= Ghurni|numbered27=R| mark-title27= Ghurni (R)|shape-color27=black| label-size27=13|label-color27=black |mark-coord28= | label-pos28=right|label28= Maheshganj|numbered28=R| mark-title28= Maheshganj (R)| shape-color28=#C40000 |mark-coord29= | label-pos29=right|label29= Kaliganj| numbered29=R| mark-title29= Kaliganj, Nadia (R)| shape-color29=#C40000 |mark-coord30= | label-pos30=right|label30= Debagram| numbered30=R| mark-title30= Debagram (R)| shape-color30=#C40000 |mark-coord31= | label-pos31=left|label31= Nakashipara| numbered31=R| mark-title31= Nakashipara (R)| shape-color31=#C40000 |mark-coord32= | label-pos32=left|label32= Bethuadahri| numbered32=R| mark-title32= Bethuadahri (R)| shape-color32=#C40000 |mark-coord33= | label-pos33=right|label33= Juranpur| numbered33=R| mark-title33= Juranpur, Nadia (R)| shape-color33=#C40000 |mark-coord34=| label-pos34=left|label34= Mayapur| numbered34=H| mark-title34= Mayapur (H) |shape-color34=#AA6666 |mark-coord35=| label-pos35=top|label35= Palashi| numbered35=H| mark-title35= Palashi (H) |shape-color35=#AA6666 |mark-coord36= | label-pos36=bottom|label36=Bethuadahari|labela36=Wildlife Sanctuary| numbered36=T|shape-color36= #74C365| mark-title36= Bethuadahari Wildlife Sanctuary (T) |mark-coord37=|label37= Bhagirathi| label-color37 = #77A1CB| label-angle37=0| label-pos37=top| label-size37=11| mark-size37=0| mark-title37=none |mark-coord38=|label38= River| label-color38 = #77A1CB| label-angle38=80| label-pos38=top| label-size38=11| mark-size38=0| mark-title38=none |mark-coord39=|label39= Jalangi River| label-color39 = #77A1CB| label-angle39=65| label-pos39=top| label-size39=11| mark-size39=0| mark-title39=none |arc-coordA=|arc-textA= BANGLADESH| arc-text-colorA=hard grey| arc-angleA=40| arc-gapA=4.5| arc-radiusA=0.35}}

Location

Ghurni is located at on the banks of the Jalangi River.

It can be reached from Kolkata by either train (100 km) or bus (118 km). Krishnanagar City is part of Kolkata Suburban Railway on the Sealdah – Naihati – Ranaghat – Krishnanagar line. Journey time is 2½ hours and one can return the same day. Cycle rickshaws, buses (town service) are available for travel within the city.

Note: The map alongside presents some of the notable locations in the subdivision. All places marked in the map are linked in the larger full screen map. All the four subdivisions are presented with maps on the same scale – the size of the maps vary as per the area of the subdivision.

History

The old name of Krishnanagar was Rewe. In the early 17th century Bhabananda Majumdar founded the royal family of Nadia. Later, Maharaja Rudra changed the name to Krishnagar. In 1757, Maharaja Krishnachandra (1710–1783) helped the British East India Company against Siraj ud-Daulah in the Battle of Plassey.{{cite news| url = http://www.telegraphindia.com/1050109/asp/calcutta/story_4232294.asp | archive-url = https://archive.today/20130203223913/http://www.telegraphindia.com/1050109/asp/calcutta/story_4232294.asp | url-status = dead | archive-date = 3 February 2013 |title = Next weekend you can be at...Krishnagar | newspaper = The Telegraph|location=India |date= 9 January 2005}}{{Cite web |url=http://www.usu.edu/anthro/museum/collections/1stcollections/collections_begar_doll.html |title=Beggar Doll |access-date=2007-09-09 |publisher=Museum of Anthropology |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070401232102/http://www.usu.edu/anthro/museum/collections/1stcollections/collections_begar_doll.html |archive-date=1 April 2007 |url-status=dead |url=http://www.deccanherald.com/Content/Sep22007/finearts2007083122669.asp |title=Hands of clay |department=Into the Dolls house |work=Deccan Herald |date= 2 September 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071022204134/http://www.deccanherald.com/Content/Sep22007/finearts2007083122669.asp |archive-date=22 October 2007 |url-status=dead

Clay dolls

In an article, the Bangalore-based newspaper Deccan Herald writes, "We have clay dolls, toys and even clay sculptures in different parts of India. But there has been nothing to match the clay doll artisans of Krishnanagar in the Nadia district of West Bengal. The creations of these artists are displayed in most of the handicraft museums of the world. In India, we have a large display of these dolls in the Shankar’s Doll Museum in New Delhi. One look at the clay dolls and we are amazed at the reality with which the artist has displayed the character of the model. A horse rearing to gallop to a placid dog licking its lips after a hearty feed".

Exhibitions of Krishnagar dolls have been held in London, Paris and Boston. Ghurni clay models have won medals and certificates at international exhibitions.

Bronze casts

Some of the Ghurni artists have studied in art colleges in France and Italy, but theirs is a talent passed down through generations. Kartik Chandra Pal prepared clay models of statues of Mahatma Gandhi and Rabindranath Tagore. Based on his clay models bronze castings were made and have found pride of place in Washington DC and Moscow and were inaugurated by Bill Clinton and Mikhail Gorbachev, respectively.

Changing times

The clay modellers of Ghurni have fallen on bad days. The decline of feudal zemindari culture and loss of their patronage have adversely affected them. They are finding new patrons amongst NRIs, many of whom are acquiring clay models in large numbers.

Tastes are also changing. Even ten years ago, the demand was for clay models of the great poets and traditional icons such as Rabindranath Tagore and Kazi Nazrul Islam. Now, they are losing out. The demand has shifted and so have the artists to the 'hottest pin-up idols of cricket', Sourav Ganguly, Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid. Even saints and religious leaders like Ramkrishna Paramhansa, Baba Loknath, and Sai Babas, have lost out in popularity to these cricketers.{{Cite web| url = http://www.thestatesman.net/page.arcview.php?clid=23&id=106566&usrsess=1 |title = Tagore, Nazrul lose out to cricketers | access-date = 2007-09-09 | last = Goswami | first = Biswabrata | work = Bengal plus| publisher = The Statesman, 30 May 2005}}

The flourishing market abroad of fibreglass models, have forced some of the clay modellers of Ghurni to change the base material of their craft, although they lack the infrastructure for making fibre glass models. Fibreglass is more durable and easy to mould.

The number of master craftsmen is decreasing as members of the younger generation are switching over to more lucrative trades or more paying professions. In 2007, the number of master craftsmen staying at Ghurni dwindled to 10, most of them aged.

Other achievements

Ghurni is one of the wards of Krishnanagar municipality which has started receiving piped arsenic-free water from 2006.{{Cite web| url = http://www.thestatesman.net/page.arcview.php?clid=23&id=135201&usrsess=1 |title = Arsenic-free water for eight wards | access-date = 2007-09-09 | publisher = The Statesman, 20 February 2006}}

Women at Ghurni have formed co-operative societies with financial assistance from the funding agencies for the culture of ornamental fishes. Apart from their decorative value, these fishes fight mosquito-borne diseases and there is a potential export market in countries such as the US, Japan and China.

References

"Krishnanagar". Maps of India.
"Krishnanagar Travel Guide". World 66.
Goswami, Biswabrata. "Ghurni artisans turn to fibreglass". [[The Statesman (India).
(October 2010). "Ornamental fish to combat deadly diseases". The Statesman, 10 July 2006}} {{Dead link.

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