Jalangi River, is a branch of the Ganges river in Murshidabad and Nadia districts in the Indian state of West Bengal. It flows into the Bhagirathi river and strengthens its lower channel, the Hooghly. The river below the point where the Jalangi meets the Ganges is known as Hooghly and the course above it from the point of its separation from the main flow of the Ganges to its confluence with the Jalangi, it is called Bhagirathi. Ghurni, a neighbourhood of Krishnanagar, a centre for the production of clay dolls, often referred to as Krishnanagar clay dolls, is located on the banks of the Jalangi. Mayapur, the birthplace of Sri Chaitanya, is located at the confluence of the Jalanagi and Bhagirathi.
Changes in the course of rivers
The Jalangi is a modern stream, but its age is not known. Apparently it opened up long after the Bhairab River ran as a strong stream in a south easterly direction. Although it is generally believed that the river has opened up within the last few hundred years, there is no direct evidence of this. It is shown in Van den Brouck’s map. The Bhairab once flowed from the Ganges, across the present beds of the Jalangi, and further eastwards towards Faridpur. The Bhairab is no more a very active river. The Mathabhanga is a younger stream than Jalangi and it was not till very recently that the river completed its junction with the Hooghly by adopting the Churni for its main course. Earlier most of the water of the Mathabhanga ran off to the east down the Kumara, Chitra, Coboduk, and Ichamati, but all these escape routes have been shut off, except a small amount for the Ichamati. The point to note is that while earlier the rivers in the region flowed in a south-easterly direction, but later some force pulled the Jalangi and the Mathabhanga in a south-westerly direction. The inference is that it occurred because of a local subsidence, which was active for some period prior to 1750 and which has since become inactive.
Erosion
Erosion of the banks is not only a problem for the more turbulent rivers such as Padma and Bhagirathi, but also comparatively smaller rivers such as Jalangi. In 2006, the state government sanctioned Rs. 7 crore for anti-erosion work in the Jalangi River.
Bridge
State Highway 14 runs over it through Dwijendralal Setu, connecting Palashipara and Shyamnagar village in Nadia district. NH 12 also runs over through 'Dwijendra' Setu connecting Krishnangar and Bahadurpur. Another bridge across the Jalangi River connecting Radhanagar village of Nadia district and Patikabari village of Murshidabad district is now under construction. Besides connecting the districts of Murshidabad and Nadia, the proposed bridge would be an alternative connection to National Highway 34, which links North Bengal with Kolkata.
Bengali poetry
The Jalangi is emotionally referred to by the modern Bengali poetJibanananda Das in his poem abar asibo phire: Lyricist Sagar Chattapadhyaya and folk singer Bablu Halder's song is well known regarding the Jalangi river as 'O Amar Jalangi Nadi, Tor Kolete Roilam Ami, Janamo Abodhi'
