From around the 7th century AD till around the advent of British rule, for around a millennium, history of Bankura district is identical with the rise and fall of the Hindu Rajas of Bishnupur.

First, the Maharaja of Burdwan seized the Fatehpur Mahal, and then the Maratha invasions laid waste their country.

[1] 106 districts spanning 10 states across India, described as being part of the Left wing extremism activities, constitutes the Red corridor.

In West Bengal, the districts of Paschim Medinipur, Bankura, Purulia and Birbhum are part of the Red corridor.

[2] The CPI (Maoist) extremism which started in the district in the mid-nineties was mainly concentrated in five police station areas of Khatra subdivision – Sarenga, Barikul, Ranibandh, Raipur and Simlapal.

[3] The Lalgarh movement, which started attracting attention after the failed assassination attempt on Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, then chief minister of West Bengal, in the Salboni area of Paschim Medinipur district, on 2 November 2008 and the police action that followed, had also spread over to these areas.

Although the epi-center of the movement was Lalgarh, it was spread across 19 police stations in three adjoining districts – Paschim Medinipur, Bankura, and Purulia, all thickly forested and near the border with Jharkhand.

Simlapal CD block is located in the south-eastern part of the district and belongs to the hard rock area.

[9] According to the 2011 Census of India Simlapal CD block had a total population of 143,038, of which 135,832 were rural and 7,206 were urban.

[10] Large villages (with 4,000+ population) in Simlapal CD block are (2011 census figures in brackets): Lakshmisagar (5,304).

[10] Other villages in Simlapal CD block are (2011 census figures in brackets): Dubrajpur (3,162), Machatora (667), Bikrampur (1,709) and Parsala (2,689).

[10] See also – List of West Bengal districts ranked by literacy rate Primary Census Abstract Data

[13] Others include Addi Bassi, Marang Boro, Santal, Saranath, Sari Dharma, Sarna, Alchchi, Bidin, Sant, Saevdharm, Seran, Saran, Sarin, Kheria,[14] and other religious communities.

It includes factory, mining, plantation, transport and office workers, those engaged in business and commerce, teachers, entertainment artistes and so on.

[22] There were 59 fertiliser depots, 18 seed stores and 48 fair price shops in the CD block.

[23] In 2013-14, persons engaged in agriculture in Simlapal CD block could be classified as follows: bargadars 5.62%, patta (document) holders 17.78%, small farmers (possessing land between 1 and 2 hectares) 5.85%, marginal farmers (possessing land up to 1 hectare) 18.27% and agricultural labourers 52.48%.

[23] The handloom industry engages the largest number of persons in the non-farm sector and hence is important in Bankura district.

The handloom industry is well established in all the CD blocks of the district and includes the famous Baluchari saris.

[31] In 2014, Simlapal CD block had 1 rural hospital and 3 primary health centres with total 50 beds and 8 doctors.