Asansol 7.09

Asansol is in Paschim Bardhaman district in the Indian state of West Bengal. It is the second largest city in West Bengal after Kolkata and the district headquarters of Paschim Bardhaman district. It is the 39th largest urban agglomeration in India. According to a 2010 report released by the International Institute for Environment and Development, a UK-based policy research non-governmental body, Asansol was ranked 11th among Indian cities. and 42nd in the world in its list of 100 fastest-growing cities.Asansol is classed as a Y-category city for calculation of HRA (House Rent Allowance) for public servants, making it a Tier-II city.Etymology"Asan" a species of tree which generally grows thirty meters tall, are found on the banks of Damodar River. "Sol" on the other hand refers to land. The name "Asansol" is a combination of these two words "Asan" and "Sol". Asansol is a city on the banks of Damodar and its land is rich in minerals.HistoryThe region saw an initial settlement of the Dravidian and the Australoid. Notable Jain activities were exercised around two thousand five hundred years ago in this region which is apparent from the Jain temples are present in Pareshnath hill in neighbouring state Jharkhand. Further, presence of Jain temple at the banks of Barakar River in Begunia and neighbouring Bankura district also confirms this theory. It is believed that Mahavira Vardhamana who was the last Tirthankar of Jain religion used to live and work here. There is a Jain temple present in Asansol, devoted to Vasupujya, the twelfth Tirthankara.