View source for Achkoda

{{Infobox settlement
| name                           = Achkoda
| native_name                    =  <!-- Please do not add any Indic script in this infobox, per Wikipedia:INDISCRIPT policy -->
| native_name_lang               = 
| other_name                     = 
| nickname                       = 
| settlement_type                = Village
| image_skyline                  = 
| image_alt                      = 
| image_caption                  = 
| pushpin_map                    = India West Bengal # India
| pushpin_label_position         = right      
| pushpin_map_alt                = 
| pushpin_map_caption            = Location in West Bengal, India  
| coordinates                    = {{coord|23.6385|N|86.6378|E|display=inline,title}}
| subdivision_type               = Country   
| subdivision_name               = {{flag|India}}   
| subdivision_type1              = [[States and territories of India|State]]
| subdivision_name1              = [[West Bengal]]
| subdivision_type2              = [[List of districts of India|District]]
| subdivision_name2              = [[Purulia district|Purulia]]
| established_title              = <!-- Established -->
| established_date               = 
| founder                        = 
| named_for                      = 
| government_type                = 
| governing_body                 = 
| unit_pref                      = Metric
| area_footnotes                 = 
| area_rank                      = 
| area_total_km2                 = 
| elevation_footnotes            = 
| elevation_m                    = 
| population_total               = 1178
| population_as_of               = 2011
| population_rank                = 
| population_density_km2         = auto
| population_demonym             = 
| population_footnotes           = 
| demographics_type1             = Languages
| demographics1_title1           = Official
| demographics1_info1            = [[Bengali language|Bengali]], [[English language|English]]
| timezone1                      = [[Indian Standard Time|IST]]
| utc_offset1                    = +5:30
| postal_code_type               = [[Postal Index Number|PIN]]
| postal_code                    = 723145
| area_code_type                 = Telephone/[[Subscriber trunk dialing|STD]] code
| area_code                      = 03251
| registration_plate             = 
| blank1_name_sec1               = [[Lok Sabha]] constituency
| blank1_info_sec1               = [[Bankura (Lok Sabha constituency)|Bankura]]
| blank2_name_sec1               = [[Vidhan Sabha]] constituency
| blank2_info_sec1               = [[Raghunathpur, Purulia (Vidhan Sabha constituency)|Raghunathpur]]
| website                        = {{URL|purulia.gov.in/}} 
| footnotes                      = 
}}
'''Achkoda''' (sometimes spelled Anchkoda) is a village in the [[Neturia (community development block)|Neturia]] [[Community development blocks in India|CD block]] in the [[Raghunathpur subdivision]] of the [[Purulia district]] in the state of [[West Bengal]], [[India]].

==Geography==                     
{{OSM Location map
| width=450| height=300| zoom=10
| coord={{coord|23|35|0|N|86|41|0|E}}| float=left|caption='''Places in Raghunathpur  subdivision in Purulia district'''<br/>M: municipal town, CT: census town,  R: rural/ urban centre, H: historical/ religious centre, T: tourist centre<br/>Owing to space constraints in the small map, the actual locations in a larger map may vary slightly
|mark-coord1={{coord|23|36|0|N|86|28|19|E}} | label-pos1=right|label1= Santaldih| numbered1=CT| mark-title1= [[Santaldih]] (CT)|label-color1= #800000 |label-size1=11| mark-size1=12|shape1=l-circle|shape-color1=#A40000|shape-outline1=white|label-offset-x1=2
|mark-coord2={{coord|23|35|5|N|86|28|34|E}} | label-pos2=right|label2=Kanki| numbered2=CT| mark-title2= [[Kanki, Purulia]] (CT)
|mark-coord3={{coord|23|32|50|N|86|31|5|E}} | label-pos3=right|label3=Dubra| numbered3=CT| mark-title3= [[Dubra, Purulia]] (CT)
|mark-coord4={{coord|23|29|52|N|86|33|43|E}} | label-pos4=left|label4=Chapari| numbered4=CT| mark-title4= [[Chapari]] (CT)
|mark-coord5={{coord|23|28|56|N|86|31|32|E}} | label-pos5=left|label5=Shankara| numbered5=CT| mark-title5= [[Shankara, Purulia]] (CT)
|mark-coord6={{coord|23|37|12|N|86|28|19|E}} | label-pos6=left|label6=Nabagram| numbered6=CT| mark-title6= [[Nabagram, Purulia]] (CT)
|mark-coord7={{coord|23|40|48|N|86|48|15|E}} | label-pos7=left|label7=Saltore| numbered7=CT| mark-title7= [[Saltore]] (CT)
|mark-coord8={{coord|23|40|30|N|86|49|10|E}} | label-pos8=top|label8=Hijuli| numbered8=CT| mark-title8= [[Hijuli]] (CT)
|mark-coord9={{coord|23|40|26|N|86|50|15|E}} | label-pos9=right|label9=Parbelia| numbered9=CT| mark-title9= [[Parbelia]] (CT)
|mark-coord10={{coord|23|38|18|N|86|38|16|E}} | label-pos10=right|label10=Achkoda| numbered10=H| mark-title10= [[Achkoda]] (H)|shape-color10=black| label-size10=13|label-color10=black <!-- make the subject of the article stand out with black colors -->
|mark-coord11={{coord|23|28|48|N|86|33|37|E}} | label-pos11= right|label11=Anara| numbered11=R| mark-title11= [[Anara, Purulia]] (R) |shape-color11=#C42222
|mark-coord12={{coord|23|37|1|N|86|33|10|E}} | label-pos12=right|label12=Cheliyama| numbered12=R| mark-title12= [[Cheliyama]] (R) |shape-color12=#C42222
|mark-coord13={{coord|23|35|40|N|86|45|31|E}} | label-pos13=left|label13=Gobag| numbered13=R| mark-title13= [[Gobag]] (R) |shape-color13=#C42222
|mark-coord14={{coord|23|31|17|N|86|27|5|E}} | label-pos14=left|label14=Haraktor| numbered14=H| mark-title14= [[Haraktor]] (H) |shape-color14=#AA6666
|mark-coord15={{coord|23|36|29|N|86|47|57|E}} | label-pos15=left|label15=Harmadih| numbered15=R| mark-title15= [[Harmadih]] (R) |shape-color15=#C42222
|mark-coord16={{coord|23|39|40|N|86|49|30|E}} | label-pos16=right|label16=Nituria| numbered16=R| mark-title16= [[Nituria]] (R) |shape-color16=#C42222
|mark-coord17={{coord|23|30|42|N|86|31|12|E}} | label-pos17=right|label17=Para| numbered17=H| mark-title17= [[Para, Purulia]] (H) |shape-color17=#AA6666
|mark-coord18={{coord|23|38|50|N|86|48|30|E}} | label-pos18=right|label18=Sarbari| numbered18=R| mark-title18= [[Sarbari]] (R) |shape-color18=#C42222
|mark-coord19={{coord|23|36|45|N|86|31|25|E}} | label-pos19=left|label19=Usir| numbered19=R| mark-title19= [[Usir]] (R) |shape-color19=#C42222
|mark-coord20={{coord|23|36|10|N|86|33|31|E}} | label-pos20=right|label20=Banda Deul| numbered20=H| mark-title20= [[Banda Deul]] (H)| shape-color20=#AA6666
|mark-coord21={{coord|23|37|30|N|86|46|20|E}} | label-pos21=left|label21= Garh Panchkot| numbered21=H| mark-title21= [[Garh Panchkot]] (H)| shape-color21=#AA6666
|mark-coord22={{coord|23|39|58|N|86|36|23|E}} | label-pos22=right|label22=Telkupi| numbered22=H| mark-title22= [[Telkupi]] (H)| shape-color22=#AA6666
|mark-coord23={{coord|23|34|46|N|86|45|42|E}} | label-pos23=left|label23=Ramkanali| numbered23=R| mark-title23= [[Ramkanali Junction railway station]] (R) |shape-color23=#C42222
|mark-coord24= {{coord|23|36|40|N|86|50|21|E}}| label-pos24=right|label24=Murulia| numbered24=CT| mark-title24= [[Murulia]] (CT)
|mark-coord25= {{coord|23|30|23|N|86|41|37|E}} | label-pos25=right|label25=Arra| numbered25=CT| mark-title25= [[Arra, Purulia|Arra, India]] (CT)
|mark-coord26={{coord|23|29|10|N|86|39|45|E}} | label-pos26=right|label26=Kantaranguri| numbered26=CT| mark-title26= [[Kantaranguri]] (CT)
|mark-coord27={{coord|23|30|10|N|86|40|12|E}} | label-pos27=left|label27=Adra| numbered27=CT| mark-title27= [[Adra, Purulia]] (CT)
|mark-coord28={{coord|23|25|19|N|86|39|43|E}} | label-pos28=right|label28=Lapara| numbered28=CT| mark-title28= [[Lapara, Purulia]] (CT)
|mark-coord29={{coord|23|32|50|N|86|40|12|E}} | label-pos29=top|label29= Raghunathpur| numbered29=M| mark-title29= [[Raghunathpur, Purulia]] (M) |shape-color29=#800000
|mark-coord30={{coord|23|34|30|N|86|50|40|E}} | label-pos30=right|label30=Baranti| numbered30=T| mark-title30= [[Baranti]] (T) |shape-color30=green
|mark-coord31={{coord|23|26|10|N|86|41|0|E}} | label-pos31=right|label31= Kalloli| numbered31=R| mark-title31= [[Kalloli]] (R) |shape-color31=#C42222
|mark-coord32={{coord|23|26|11|N|86|40|13|E}} | label-pos32=left|label32=Kashipur| numbered32=H| mark-title32= [[Kashipur, West Bengal]] (H) |shape-color32=#AA6666
|mark-coord33={{coord|23|38|0|N|86|52|30|E}} | label-pos33=left|label33=Madhukunda| numbered33=R| mark-title33= [[Madhukunda]] (R)|shape-color33=#C42222
|mark-coord34={{coord|23|35|20|N|86|49|27|E}} | label-pos34=right|label34=Muraddi| numbered34=R| mark-title34= [[Muraddi]] (R) |shape-color34=#C42222
|mark-coord35={{coord|23|34|45|N|86|48|24|E}} | label-pos35=bottom|label35=Ramchandrapur| numbered35=R| mark-title35= [[Ramchandrapur, Purulia]] (R) |shape-color35=#C42222
|mark-coord36={{coord|23|31|44|N|86|51|50|E}} | label-pos36=left|label36=Santuri| numbered36=R| mark-title36= [[Santuri, Purulia]] (R) |shape-color36=#C42222
|mark-coord37={{coord|23|32|53|N|86|43|35|E}} | label-pos37=right|label37=Bero| numbered37=R| mark-title37= [[Bero railway station]] (R) |shape-color37=#C42222
|mark-coord38={{coord|23|31|10|N|86|40|51|E}} | label-pos38=right|label38=Joychandi Pahar| numbered38=R| mark-title38= [[Joychandi Pahar]] (R) |shape-color38=#C42222
|mark-coord39={{coord|23.6556|N|86.7486|E}}| label39= Panchet |labela39= Hill| label-color39 = #C42222 | label-angle39=-50| label-pos39=bottom| label-size39=10| mark-size39=0| mark-title39 =none
|mark-coord40={{coord|23.6736|N|86.6886|E}} |label40=Panchet Dam|labela40= Reservoir| label-color40 = #77A1CB| label-angle40=0| label-pos40=top| label-size40=10| mark-size40=0| mark-title40 =none
|mark-coord41={{coord|23.6102|86.9303}}| label41=Damodar River| label-color41 = #77A1CB| label-angle41=5| label-pos41=top| label-size41=10| mark-size41=0| mark-title41 =none
|arc-coordA={{coord|23|40|0|N|86|33|0|E}}|arc-textA= JHARKHAND| arc-text-colorA=hard grey| arc-angleA=-50| arc-gapA=3.5| arc-radiusA=0.43}}

===Location===
Achkoda is located at {{coord|23.6385|N|86.6378|E|display=inline}}.

===Area overview===
Purulia district forms the lowest step of the [[Chota Nagpur Plateau]]. The general scenario is undulating land with scattered hills.<ref>Houlton, Sir John, ''Bihar, the Heart of India'', 1949, p. 170, Orient Longmans Ltd.</ref> [[Raghunathpur subdivision]] occupies the northern part of the district. 83.80% of the population of the subdivision  lives in rural areas. However, there are pockets of urbanization and 16.20% of the population lives in urban areas. There are 14 census towns in the subdivision.<ref>{{cite web |url = http://wbpspm.gov.in/publications/District%20Statistical%20Handbook |title = District Statistical Handbook 2014 Purulia |work = Tables 2.1, 2.2 |publisher = Department of Planning and Statistics, Government of West Bengal |access-date = 12 January 2020 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20190121045803/http://www.wbpspm.gov.in/publications/District%20Statistical%20Handbook |archive-date = 21 January 2019 |url-status = dead }}</ref> It is presented in the map given alongside. There is a coal mining area around [[Parbelia]]<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.easterncoal.gov.in/contactus/cugtel/sripur.pdf | title = Area wise Closed User Group (CUG) Telephone Numbers | work =Sodepur Area | publisher = Eastern Coalfields Limited | access-date = 11 August 2018}}</ref> and two thermal power plants are there – the 500 MW [[Santaldih Thermal Power Station]]<ref name=santaldih>{{cite web |url = http://stpswbpdcl.n-stars.org/ |title = Santaldih Thermal Power Station - WBPDCL |publisher = WBPDCL |access-date = 2011-08-24 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20100111024838/http://stpswbpdcl.n-stars.org/ |archive-date = 2010-01-11 |url-status = dead }}</ref> and the 1200 MW [[Raghunathpur Thermal Power Station]]. The subdivision has a rich heritage of old temples, some of them belonging to the 11th century or earlier. The [[Banda Deul]] is a [[List of Monuments of National Importance in West Bengal|monument of national importance]].<ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.asikolkata.in/purulia.aspx | title = Old temple at Banda (locally known as deul)| publisher = ASI, Kolkata Circle |access-date =  23 January 2020}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://asi.nic.in/alphabetical-list-of-monuments-west-bengal/|title=List of Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains of West Bengal - Archaeological Survey of India|publisher= ASI|work= Item no. 134|access-date=25 January 2020}}</ref> The comparatively more recent in historical terms, [[Panchkot Raj]] has interesting and intriguing remains in the area.<ref>{{cite web| url = http://asianheritagealertiaah.blogspot.in/2011/10/capital-in-shambles-garh-panchakot.html |title = Capital in shambles: Garh Panchakot, Purulia  | publisher= Heritage in Peril| access-date = 1 December 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.trekearth.com/gallery/Asia/India/East/West_Bengal/Garpanchkot/photo900506.htm |title = Historical ruins| publisher= Trek Earth | access-date = 1 December 2016}}</ref>

<small>Note: The map alongside presents some of the notable locations in the subdivision. All places marked in the map are linked in the larger full screen map.</small>

==Demographics==
According to the [[2011 Census of India]], Achkoda had a total population of 1,178, of which 596 (51%) were males and 582 (49%) were females. There were 582 persons in the age range of 0-6 years. The total number of literate persons in Achkoda was 640 (62.75% of the population over 6 years).<ref name=census2011>{{cite web| url = http://censusindia.gov.in/pca/cdb_pca_census/Houselisting-housing-WB.html |title = C.D. Block Wise Primary Census Abstract Data(PCA) | work= West Bengal – District-wise CD Blocks|publisher= Registrar General and Census Commissioner, India  | access-date = 28 January 2020}}</ref>

==Culture==
Achkoda, like [[Cheliyama]], showcases aatchala-style temples with terracotta work on the walls. However, while there has been restoration at Cheliyama, Achkoda remains untouched. Achkoda “seems to be at least five centuries old. Its panels are smaller in size (than those at Cheliyama) and some of them depict tribal life.”<ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.outlookindia.com/outlooktraveller/explore/story/68984/rediscover-purulias-timeless-heritage | title = Rediscover Purulia’s Timeless Heritage | first= Amitabha | last= Gupta| publisher =  Outlook traveller, 22 August 2018 |access-date =  28 January 2020}}</ref>

==Achkoda picture gallery==
<gallery widths="230px" heights="180px">
File: Chala temple of Anchkoda in Raghunathpur PS in Purulia 02.jpg|Charchala temple 
File:Ruined temple in Achkoda at Purulia.jpg|Ruined atchala temple
File:Back wall of Achkoda temple.jpg|Trracotta on the back wall
</gallery>
===Terracotta carvings===
<gallery widths="230px" heights="180px">
File: Close up of Terracotta Work On Achkoda Temple.jpg
File:Terracotta panel of the Aat Chala temple of Anchkoda, Raghunathpur, Purulia. 05.jpg
File:Chala temple of Anchkoda in Raghunathpur PS in Purulia 07.jpg
File:Chala temple of Anchkoda in Raghunathpur PS in Purulia 15.jpg
</gallery>
<small>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons category}}

{{Purulia District}}
{{Temple towns in West Bengal}}

[[Category:Villages in Purulia district]]
{{Purulia-geo-stub}}