Chapui, West Bengal: Chapui is a census town (minimum population of 5000 people) which falls under Ranigunj (city and municipality) police station of Asansol (coal mining metropolis) sub-division in Barddhaman District of West Bengal State. Such is the proximity of Chapui from Asansol (10 kms) that it is considered as the outskirts of Asansol.
Located at 23°39′33″N 87°01′48″E coordinates, Chapui area comprises undulating landscapes of laterite soils which are rich in Iron and Aluminium which are predominantly formed in hot and wet tropical areas.
The Chapui town falls on the coal-mining belt which has caused displacement of wildlife and its natural habitat and has rendered the once verdant and dense forests of Chapui now empty. 80% coal reserve of Ranigunj (of which Chapui is a part) Coalfield as well as Bihar coalfield are on the Damodar River Basin.
Incidentally, the Ranigunj Coalfields stretch over an area of 1530 square kilometres sprawling across Bardhaman, Birbhum, Bankura and Purulia Districts of West Bengal State. And Chapui is a prominent part of this belt. 22.62 billion tonnes of coal reserves are said to be present in West Bengal State which are mostly around Asansol area of which Chapui is a part - being just 10 kilometres from Asansol.
Chapui is about 10 kilometres southeast of Asansol Junction Railway and about 200 kilometres northwest of the State Capital - Kolkata. Asansol is West Bengal's second largest city after Kolkata.
River Damodar - a ferocious river which originates near Ranchi flows south of Chapui and River Ajay flows on the north of Chapui. Both these rivers run parallel to each other and are 30 kilometres apart with Chapui in between. Owing to the presence of these perennial rivers running in the Chapui area, this area was once densely forested. But ever since coal was discovered in this area of Chapui and Asansol, some of the forests here were cleared and the area was industrialized post the setup of the 'Chaui Khas' Colliery which is operated under River Damodar.
It is said that the last 'Tirthankar' (spiritual leader) of the Jain religion - Mahavira Vardhman (599-527) resided in the Asansol-Chapui area and worked here as well during whose time this area was called Bardhaman which was more than 2500 years ago when there was a significant Jain presence here. Post modernization of town planning, an area by the Damodar River was carved out of Asansol and named Chapui.
Chapui is on the verge of getting onto the River Tourism circuit of West Bengal State as this place has the promise of exciting river activities such as River-rafting, canoeing, boating and fishing.
Chapui has huge tourism potential owing to the fact that it lies sandwiched between the roaring River Damodar and River Ajay. As Chapui is just about 10 kms from Asansol, it would become a weekend getaway destination for the sizeable number of industrial employees of Asansol and the neighbouring places as well.
Besides this, Chapui being on the coal-mining belt is a quiet town whose main occupation revolves around coal-mining in the 'Chaui Kahs Colliery'.
"DurgaPuja" or "Dugotsava' is the primary festival of Chapui during which Hindu Goddess Durga is worshipped. Apart from the Kali Puja - the worship of Goddess Kali during Diwali is also a popular festivity.
Asansol (10 kms northwest), Durgapur (38 kms southeast), Kolkata (200 kms southeast) are the nearest big towns.