Guskara
—  town  —
Guskara Location of Guskara in West Bengal and 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(s)	Barddhaman
Parliamentary constituency	Bolpur
Assembly constituency	Ausgram
Population	31,863 (2001[update])
Time zone	IST (UTC+05:30)
Area • Elevation	• 38 metres (125 ft)
Website	bardhaman.gov.in/

Guskara (Bengali: গুস্‌করা) 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[link]

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[link]

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 lossing 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.

Economy[link]

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[link]

As of 2001^[update] 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[link]

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 Mahato. A polytechnic college is established on 2010 "GOBINDAPUR SEPHALI MEMORIAL POLYTECHNIC" Which is recognised from west bengal state council of technical education.

Art[link]

The area is renowned for its dhokra art castings.^[10] In particular, Dariapur village in the area is famous for its dhokra metal craft.^[11] The craftsmen and craftswomen are very poor. Middlemen buys dokra artefacts 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 prospective 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 artefacts 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[link]

v t e Cities, towns and locations in Bardhaman District Cities and Towns Asansol subdivision Amkula Asansol Ballavpur Banshra Belebathan Bhanora Colliery Bhanowara Burnpur Chapui Chelad Chittaranjan Jamuria Jemari Jemari (J.K. Nagar Township) Kenda Kulti Kunustara Murgathaul Pangachhiya Parasia Raghunathchak Raniganj Ratibati Rupnarainpur Durgapur subdivision Andal Bahula Baska Bilpahari Bud Bud Chak Bankola Chhora Dalurband Debipur Dhandadihi Dignala Durgapur Haripur Harishpur Kajora Kanksa Kendra Khottamdi Khandra Konardihi Mahira Mandarbani Nabgram Palashban Panagarh Parashkol Prayagpur Ramnagar, Pandaveswar Sankarpur Sarpi Siduli Sirsha Sukdal Ukhra Bardhaman Sadar North subdivision Bardhaman Guskara Bardhaman Sadar South subdivision Memari Kalna subdivision Dhatrigram Gopinathpur Hatsimla Kalna Patuli Srirampur Uttar Goara Katwa subdivision Dainhat Katwa Panuhat Locations other than cities and towns Barakar Churulia Dihika Dishergarh Dwariapur Masagram Monteswar Nabagram Nadanghat Neamatpur Palsit Purbasthali Ramnagar, Kulti Randiha Saktigarh Sitarampur Waria Related topics Bardhaman topics People from Bardhaman district Villages in Bardhaman district Cities, towns and locations in other districts Bankura Birbhum Cooch Behar Dakshin Dinajpur Darjeeling Hooghly Howrah Jalpaiguri Malda Murshidabad Nadia North 24 Parganas Paschim Medinipur Purba Medinipur Purulia South 24 Parganas Uttar Dinajpur West Bengal portal