Purbasthali is a village in the Purba Bardhaman district of West Bengal, India. It is located 120 km north from Kolkata. Also known as Chupi Char, it lies on the banks of a large oxbow lake created by the Ganges river and is only 8 km from the town of Nabadwip. The 2âÂÂ3 km long lake attracts migrants and water birds. The Purbasthali area has a fairly high level of arsenic in the ground water.
As per the 2011 Census of India, Purbasthali had a total population of 4,207 of which 2,128 (51%) were males and 2,079 (49%) were females. Population below 6 years was 379. The total number of literates in Purbasthali was 3,215 (83.99% of the population over 6 years).
Purbasthali lies close on the Tropic of Cancer. Purbasthali is a large block with a number of villages adjoining a large oxbow lake, created by the river Ganga, on its Western bank, in Purba Bardhaman district of West Bengal. It is 120 km north from Calcutta. On the Eastern bank of the river lies the town of Nabadwip. The entire Gangetic Isle complex of Purbasthali extends between the geographical coordinates from 88ð 19' 45" to 88ð 22' E longitude and 23ð 26' to 23ð 26'45" N latitude.
Purbasthali police station has jurisdiction over parts of Purbasthali I and Purbasthali II CD Blocks. The area covered is 180.3 km<sup>2</sup>.
Purbasthali is located on the agriculturally rich alluvial plains between the Bhagirathi, Ajay and Damodar rivers. Temperatures in this region varies from 17-18 ðC in winter to 30-32 ðC in summer.
The oxbow lake of Purbasthali has an area of in the post monsoon winter months. Beyond the lake the river fed eco-system also forms a cluster of larger and smaller islands comprising Purbasthali Gangetic Isle Complex.
Purbasthali railway station is on the Bandel-Katwa Branch Line of Eastern Railway.
Survey Report on Oxbow Lake of Purbasthali, 1998 by Institute of Environmental Studies and Wetland Management.