Midnapore

Midnapore, also spelled Medinipur, is a city in the Indian state of West Bengal and the headquarters of the Paschim Medinipur district. It stands on the banks of the Kangsabati River, also known as the Kasai, and its urban agglomeration takes in the city proper together with Mohanpur, Keranichati and Khayerullachak. Midnapore and the neighbouring city of Kharagpur form the central core of the Midnapore Kharagpur Development Authority metro area, which spreads across 576 square kilometres. One account says the name comes from Medinikar, said to have founded the city in 1238, while another links it to the local deity Medinimata. The city lies about 23 metres above sea level and had 169,264 residents in the 2011 census.