Ben: চাকদহ cākadaha
‘Meandering River’ Town, West Bengal
From Ben/Skt: cāka/cakra, ‘wheel’; and Ben: daha, ‘deep or whirling part of a river’.
Chakdaha (Chakradaha) is situated on a ever-changing series of twists and turns of the Hooghly river which has created and destroyed the boundaries of the town many times over the last few hundred years. The modern Chakdaha dates back to the 19thC when it was rebuilt following a catastrophic flood which washed away indigo plantations and factories.
Also, according to a less than convincing mythological derivation, when King Bhagirathi wanted to bring the Ganges down from the heavens, the wheel (chaka/chakra) of his chariot got stuck (probably in the tidal river bed) and from then on the place became known as Chakdaha.
Chakdaha is the home town of Jhulan Goswami, former Indian women’s cricketer.
