Mainaguri

Mainaguri is a Town and a Municipality in the Jalpaiguri Sadar subdivision of the Jalpaiguri district in the state of West Bengal, India. It is known as the "Gateway of the Dooars" and is a regionally significant tourist destination for Jalpesh Temple of Lord Shiva and nearby Gorumara National Park.

The map alongside shows the alluvial floodplains south of the outer foothills of the Himalayas. The area is mostly flat, except for low hills in the northern portions. It is a primarily rural area with 62.01% of the population living in rural areas and a moderate 37.99% living in the urban areas. Tea gardens in the Dooars and Terai regions produce 226 million kg or over a quarter of India's total tea crop. Some tea gardens were identified in the 2011 census as census towns or villages. Such places are marked in the map as CT (census town) or R (rural/ urban centre). Specific tea estate pages are marked TE. 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.

Maynaguri is mainly governed by Mainaguri Municipality. Maynaguri covers 17 wards spread across Madhabdanga I and Maynaguri panchayats and parts of Khagrabari I and Domohoni I panchayats of Maynaguri CD block.

Mainaguri police has jurisdiction over Maynaguri CD block.

Headquarters of Maynaguri CD block is at Mainaguri.

According to the 2011 Census of India, Mainaguri had a total population of 30,490 of which 15,487 (51%) were males and 15,003 (49%) were females. There were 2,951 persons in the age range of 0 to 6 years. The total number of literate people in Mainaguri was 24,408 (88.63% of the population over 6 years). as of 2001 India census, Mainaguri had a population of 27,086. Males constitute 51% of the population and females 49%. Mainaguri has an average literacy rate of 75%, higher than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy is 80%, and female literacy is 70%. In Mainaguri, 11% of the population is under 6 years of age. In 2021, Maynaguri municipality was formed comprising Maynaguri census town and Madhabdanga I and Maynaguri panchayats and parts of Khagrabari I and Domohoni I panchayats of Maynaguri block. The population of the new municipality was 45,045.

According to the District Census Handbook 2011, Jalpaiguri, Mainaguri covered an area of 12.38 km2. Among the civic amenities, it had 28 km roads with open drains, the protected water supply involved overhead tanks, uncovered wells. It had 3,458 domestic electric connections, 518 road lighting points. Among the medical facilities it had 1 hospital, 3 dispensaries/ health centres, 30 medicine shops. Among the educational facilities it had 12 primary schools, 5 middle schools, 5 secondary schools, 5 senior secondary schools. It had 4 recognised shorthand, typewriting and vocational training centre, 24 non formal education centres (Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan), 1 special school for the disabled. Among the social, recreational and cultural facilities it had 1 cinema theatre, 1 auditorium/ community hall, 1 public library. Three important commodities it produced were: furniture, jute yarn, tea. It had branches of 2 nationalised banks, 1 private commercial bank and 1 cooperative bank.

The Jalpesh Temple is approximately 3 kilometres from away Mainaguri , and is dedicated to Lord Jalpeshwar (Siva). The temple was built in a style akin to Islamic architecture. Inside the temple, there is a Shivling called 'Anadi'. Mahashivaratri is the main festival celebrated in this temple, which is 126 feet high and 120 feet wide. Pilgrims come during Sravani Mela in July–August and during the fair of Jalpesh Mela in February–March to offer special puja to Siva. After worshipping, devotees, whose number reach approximately 1.2 million, collect water from River Teesta and walk barefoot 15 kilometres to the temple. Jalpesh Temple was founded by Bisu Singh of Cooch Behar in A. D. 1524. His son, Maharaja Narayan, rebuilt the temple in A. D. 1563. Pran Narayan in turn rebuilt the temple in A. D. 1663

Various festivals are celebrated throughout the year. Kali Puja of Mainaguri is renowned. It also celebrates Eid and Christmas Day with similar pompousness.

Mainaguri has a famous playground (Known as Mainaguri Football Ground) where several football tournaments are held every year. Other than that several fairs like Boishakhi Mela, Mela during Durga Puja, book fair, one yearly cultural function organised by local clubs is also held. This ground is an inseparable part of the people of Mainaguri.

Maynaguri Rural Hospital, with 60 beds at Mainaguri, is the major government medical facility in the Maynaguri CD block.