Located in the eastern India, the Nadia District is a district in the state of West Bengal, which borders the country of Bangladesh to the east. The district also borders North 24 Parganas and Hooghly districts to the south, Purba Bardhaman to the west and Murshidabad to the north. Spreading over an area of 3, 927 square km, the Nadia District comprises of 4 sub-divisions- Krishnanagar Sadar, Kalyani, Ranaghat and Tehatta. Each subdivision contains community development blocks which in turn are divided into rural areas and census towns. The Nadia District is an emblem of Vaishnava literature, philosophy and beliefs.

History of Nadia District
The historical significance of Nadia is important for the tourism industry of Nadia. Krishnanagar is associated with profound historical importance as is evident from its name, which follows the name of Raja Krishna Chandra Ray. The Rajbari of Krishna Chandra, with its antique collections of rare kind and the exquisite fabrications around the walls of Rajbari is the principal attraction of the tourists in Krishnanagar, which is the birthplace of famous composer and playwright Dwijendralal Roy. The Protestant and the Roman Catholic Church built during the British imperialism in India are immensely important as a visitor`s spot. The clay model of Ghurni is internationally famous in Krishnanagar. Apart from Krishnanagar, there are other places of interests in the district as well.

Nabadwip, Mayapur, Shantipur are some of the significant tourist places of historical importance in Nadia. One of the Indian schools of logic called the Navya Nyaya system was developed in Nabadwip, which produced great logicians in the 15th century. Nabadwip also used to be an important seat of political power in Bengal under Ballal Sen and later Lakshman Sen, kings of the Sena Empire, who ruled from 1159 to 1206 A.D. But the conquering of the Nabadwip district by Bakhtiyar Khilji, a military general of Qutb al-Din Aibak, paved the way for Muslim rule in Bengal.

Several other spots also are of immense interest scattered all over Nadia. The diversified heritage, which Nadia derives from its past history, has endowed the place with immense wealth that helps the tourism industry to prosper in Nadia. The Nadia district is also known to be the birthplace of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.

Demographics of Nadia District
As per the reports of Census India 2011, the total population of the Nadia District is 5, 168,488, out of which the male and female were 2,653,768 and 2,513,832 respectively. The district has a population density of 1,316 inhabitants per square kilometre. The population growth rate of Nadia District over the decade 2001 to 2011 was 12.24 percent. The Nadia District has a sex ratio of 947 females for every 1000 males and the literacy rate of the district is 75.58 percent. The total literate in Nadia District were 3,480,555 of which male and female were 1,878,866 and 1,601,689 respectively. The child sex ratio as per census 2011 was 960 compared to 972 of census 2001. In 2011, children under the ages of 0 to 6 years old formed 10.16 percent of Nadia District compared to 13.17 percent of 2001. The reports also state that, Hinduism is the majority religion of the district followed by 72.15 percent of the total population.

Culture of Nadia District
In the Nadia District, the city of Krishnanagar is renowned for its artists making proportionate human figurines which are famous worldwide. The artists also produce images of Hindu Gods and Goddesses. It is said that initially, it was Raja Krishnachandra who settled a few families of talented clay artists in the Krishnanagar area. Since then the colony has grown and flourished. The place also celebrates Jagadhhatri Puja with great grandeur.

Tourism in Nadia District
One of the oldest districts of West Bengal and the ancient Sanskrit learning centre, Nadia is an inseparable part of the religious and cultural history of the state. The traditional city of Krishnanagar is the headquarters of the Nadia District. And here, apart from tourism, agriculture is also another main source of revenue for the district. The ancient temples, mosques, historic forts and magnificent handicrafts make Nadia District a great tourist destination. Listed below are some of the popular tourist attractions of the district:

Bethuadahari Wildlife Sanctuary: Established in 1980, the Bethuadahari Wildlife Sanctuary is located in the Nakshipara area in the Nadia District. The sanctuary was established to preserve a portion of the central Gangetic alluvial eco-zone. Covering about 67 hectares, the sanctuary has a large population of spotted deer, jackal, Bengal fox, porcupine, common langur. Other species include parakeet, Indian cuckoo, barbets and other smaller birds and reptiles like crocodiles and pythons.

Nabadwip: Located on the western side of the Bhagirathi River, Nabadwip is associated with the birth of Lord Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. It was here that the advent of the Vaishnav religion and Bhakti movement occurred in Bengal. The city of Nabadwip is known for its numerous temples, out of which the Dwadas Shib Mandir built in 1835 with the exquisite floral designs attracts a large number of pilgrims. The images and idols of Lord Sri Chaitanaya in a few other places are also regarded with reverence.

Mayapur: Located near Nabadwip on the banks of the Ganges River, Mayapur is known to house the headquarters of the ISKON Temple, which is considered to be a holy place. The ISKON Temple is of special significance to the followers of Gaudiya Vaishnavism as Chaitanya Mahaprabhu is regarded as a special incarnation of Lord Krishna in the mood of Radha.

Ballal Dhipi: A unique structural complex covering nearly 13,000 square metres, the Ballal Dhipi centres on a mound or dhipi with a height of 9 metres. In the early 1980s, the Archaeological Survey of India started the excavation work here. This complex identifies itself with the Vikramshila Vihar.

The other places of interest in the Nadia District are Shantipur, Palashi also famously known as Plassey, Shiva Niwas, Krishnanagar, etc.

Visiting Information on Nadia District
The railhead of the Nadia District is known as the Nabadwip Ghat station and the closest airport is the Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport, which is about 110 km away from the district.