- published: 17 Mar 2013
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Barrackpore or Barrackpur (Bengali: ব্যারাকপুর) is headquarters of Barrackpore subdivision in North 24 Parganas district in the Indian state of West Bengal. The town was a military and administrative center under British rule, and was the scene of several acts of rebellion against Britain during the 19th century. It is a part of the area covered by Kolkata Metropolitan Development Authority.
The name Barrackpore may have originated from the word the English word barracks as the site of the first cantonment of the British East India Company. Barrackpore was known as `Chanak` and is mentioned by that name in the `Manasa Vijay` written by Bipradas Pipilai (1495). According to another source which is most acceptable, the name originates from " BARBAKPUR". This is mentioned in "Ain-e-Akbari" written by Abul Fazal (1596–97).
The earliest references to the Barrackpore region are found in the writings of the Greek navigators, geographers, chronicles and historians of the 1st century BC to the 3rd century A.D. These authors generally referred to the country of a people variously called the Gangaridae, Gangaridai, Gandaritai etc.