Discovering DhulianDhulian is a city and a municipality in Murshidabad district in the state of West Bengal, India. It is located between the Ganges and the Hooghly canal. It is about 155 km from Asansol. Tildanga, Farakka and Dariapur are located to the north, Nimtita (7 km) to the east, Pakaur to the west and Suti to the south. Dhulian is located at an average elevation of four meters (13 feet). Dhulian has been mentioned as an inland water transport (IWT) trading point between Murshidabad and the city of Rajshahi in Bangladesh. Low-cost barges can potentially ply the Ganga River, called Padma in downstream Bangladesh, exchanging goods and reducing smuggling. This proposal has not been agreed to yet by the two countries. Farakka Barrage, Nimtita zamindari palace and snake garden are the nearest tourist destinations. Ahiron is a freshwater lake and is located about 30kms south-east of Dhulian. Intensive fishing operations continue round the year though large parts are not disturbed during the peak migratory season. This place is also famous among bird-watchers. The lake is elliptical in shape and placed strategically along the very busy National Highway 34 connecting Kolkata with North Bengal and North-east India. It is fed by the floodwaters of the Ganges river and a tributary of the Ganges. Ahiron is close to Farraka Barrage – an important wintering ground for waterfowl. Many birds seen at Ahiron appear to also use Farraka Barrage as an alternate habitat. There is a stretch of low-lying area opposite the National highway from Ahiron – this area serves as a resting place for many of Ahiron's avian residents and should be brought under the same level of protection as Ahiron. The National Highway 34 passes through Dhulian, providing easy connectivity. Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport serves Dhulian. Dhulian Ganga Railway Station serves this town. Other railway stations nearby are Nimtita Railway Station and New Farakka Junction Railway Station. A small town of Chandpur lies in between Dhuliyan and Pakur. As of 2001, Dhulian had a population of 72,906, with 20 percent of its population under six years of age. __
