Contai

Contai (also known as Kanthi) is headquarters of Contai subdivision in Purba Medinipur district, West Bengal, India. There are three community development blocks in Contai. According to the geologists, the present geographical dimension of contai, has formally came into existence, with the great natural disaster of the third century AD (flood) which created Chilka lake out of the Chilka Bay. Kanthi, that is contai, means "Sand-bound reefs" or sand walls. The name Contai may thus be an English expression of the local jargon meaning "sand heaps".

Etymology

In the 15th century, during the visit of Fa-Hien, Contai was uninhabited and had no name for the outside world. In Valentine’s travelogue, a harbour, Kendua by name, was mentioned. This harbour was on the bank of the river, a short distance from the Rasulpur estuary. Later the harbour was shifted to the present site of the Contai Town. However, it is said, the name of the abandoned port was retained for its new location, In foreigners tongue, Kendua is said to have changed first to Cauntee and finally to Contai, whereas in local tongue it has changed to Kanthi (kΛnө׀).

Kanthi (Lok Sabha constituency)

Kanthi (Lok Sabha constituency) (earlier known as Contai (Lok Sabha constituency)) is one of the 543 parliamentary constituencies in India. The constituency centres on Contai in West Bengal. All the seven assembly segments of No. 31 Kanthi (Lok Sabha constituency) are in Purba Medinipur district.

Assembly segments

As per order of the Delimitation Commission issued in 2006 in respect of the delimitation of constituencies in the West Bengal, parliamentary constituency no. 31 Kanthi is composed of the following segments:

Prior to delimitation, Contai Lok Sabha constituency was composed of the following assembly segments:Bhagabanpur (assembly constituency no. 208), Khajuri (SC) (assembly constituency no. 209), Contai North (assembly constituency no. 210), Contai South (assembly constituency no. 211), Ramnagar (assembly constituency no. 212), Egra (assembly constituency no. 213) and Mugberia (assembly constituency no. 214)