| Mahishadal | |
| Other Name: | Garh kamalpur |
| Settlement Type: | Town |
| Pushpin Map: | India West Bengal # India |
| Pushpin Label Position: | right |
| Pushpin Map Caption: | Location in West Bengal, India |
| Coordinates: | 22.1833°N 87.9833°W |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: |  India |
| Subdivision Type1: | State |
| Subdivision Name1: | West Bengal |
| Subdivision Type2: | District |
| Subdivision Name2: | Purba Medinipur |
| Unit Pref: | Metric |
| Population As Of: | 1000(nearly) 2011 |
| Population Density Km2: | auto |
| Demographics Type1: | Languages |
| Demographics1 Title1: | Official |
| Demographics1 Info1: | Bengali, English |
| Timezone1: | IST |
| Utc Offset1: | +5:30 |
| Postal Code Type: | PIN |
| Postal Code: | 721628 (Rangibasan) |
| Area Code Type: | Telephone/STD code |
| Area Code: | 03224 |
| Blank1 Name Sec1: | Lok Sabha constituency |
| Blank1 Info Sec1: | Tamluk |
| Blank2 Name Sec1: | Vidhan Sabha constituency |
| Blank2 Info Sec1: | Mahisadal |
Mahishadal is a town in Mahishadal CD block in Haldia subdivision of Purba Medinipur district in the state of West Bengal, India.
David J. McCutchion mentions the Madan Gopala temple as a West Bengal nava-ratna, plain and renovated, measuring about 39’ square.[1]
As per the map of Mahishadal CD block and subsequent alphabetical list of villages in the District Census Handbook, Purba Medinipur, Mahishadal is a part of Rangibasan village.[2]
As per 2011 Census of India Rangibasan had a total population of 2,570 of which 1,321 (51%) were males and 1,249 (49%) were females. Population below 6 years was 231. The total number of literates in Rangibasan was 2,134 (91.24% of the population over 6 years).[3]
Like other Raj families of East Midnapore, Mahisadal Raj also belonged to a Mahishya family(arguably the word Mahishadal itself originated from the word "Mahishya"). It was founded by Bhuiya Ray Mahapatra, whose sixth descendant, Kalyan Ray, could not realize the revenue and had to furnish Janardan Upadhaya, a Brahmin of substance, as his security. The zamindari was held over a century by this Brahmin family till the Permanent Settlement.[4] During the days of Rani Janaki Devi, it reached its zenith in the 18th century.[5] There are two palaces – the old one was built in 1840 and the new one in 1935. One can see stuffed animals, hunting weapons of the 16th and 17th century, paintings and furniture. Gopaljew and Ramjew temples are popular with tourists. The place is half an hours drive from Haldia.[6]
Mahishadal police station has jurisdiction over Mahishadal CD block. Mahishadal police station covers an area of 135 km2 with a population of 182,365. The police station is located at Garh Kamalpur mouza.[7] [8]
The headquarters of Mahishadal CD block are located at Rangibasan.[9]
79.19% of the population of Haldia subdivision live in the rural areas. Only 20.81% of the population live in the urban areas, and that is the highest proportion of urban population amongst the four subdivisions in Purba Medinipur district.[10]
Note: The map above presents some of the notable locations in the subdivision. All places marked in the map are linked in the larger full screen map.
Basulia Rural Hospital located at nearby Basulia (with 30 beds) is the main medical facility in Mahishadal CD block. There are primary health centres at Natsal, PO Geonkhali (with 10 beds) and Rajarampur, PO Geonkhali (with ? beds).[11]
The Mecheda-Tamluk-Haldia Road passes through Mahishadal.[12]
Mahishadal railway station and Satish Samanta Halt railway station are railway stations on the Panskura-Haldia line.[13]