Ballia District

Ballia is a magnificent district located between two holy rivers viz. Ganga and Saryu(Ghaghra). Ballia is a Holy city. Many saints had resided in the place during ancient times, including Bhrigu Muni. There is also a temple known as Bhrigu temple in Bhrigu Ashram. It is situated in the eastern part of Uttar Pradesh and shares border with the State of Bihar.

Due to its significant contribution in the freedom struggle Ballia is also known as Baghi Ballia or rebel Balia. First freedom fighter of India Mangal Pandey was born in Ballia. Well known hero of ‘Quit India movement’, Chittu Pandey was also born in Ballia.

Local people believe in two theories as how the place derived its name. One is that the name is said to be derived from the Rishi Valmiki or Balmiki sage who was a well known poet and also  the author of the Hindu holy book Ramayana. Second belief depends on the geographical conditions of the place. Ballia is situated between two rivers and as a result  is very sandy in nature, locally sand is known as “balu”. Initially the place was known as ‘balian’ which later changed to Ballia.

 
On the west  Ballia is bounded by Azamgarh,  Deoria on the north, on the north-east and south-east by Bihar and on the south-west by Ghazipur. The district lies between 25°33' and 26°11' North latitudes and 83°38' and 84°39' East longitudes. The eastern boundary of the city lies at the junction of the River Ganga and the Ghaghra. Varanasi is just 141 Km from Ballia. Bhojpuri or Balliyavi, a dialect of Hindi Language, is the primary local language.

History of Ballia proves that the city is quiet ancient. Many known Rishis and Sadhus (Indian Saints) said to had their Ashrams in Ballia. Rishi Valmiki, Rishi bhrigu, Rishi Durvasa Rishi Parshuram and Rishi Jamadagni all had stayed in this city. In ancient times the district was the part of Kosala Kingdom. Beauty of the city had always attracted saints of many religions like Muslim and also Budhists.

The history of Ballia as an administrative unit begins with the year 1879.  The Nawab of Awadh, Asaf-ud-Daul, made a formal cession of the independence of the province of Banaras (Varanasi) to the East India Company in 1775.  Till 1794, this region remained in his possession, when Raja Mahip Narayan Singh surrendered its control to the Governor General.

During 1818, the Pargana of Doaba, which had been a part of Bihar, was transferred to the revenue sub-division of Ghazipur which afterwards was separated from Banaras (Varanasi) and became an independent district. At that time it comprised of the whole of Ballia.

In 1832, a redistribution of territory was made, where Sikandarpur, Pargana and Bhadaon were assigned to Azamgarh. Then again in 1837 portions of Kopachit and Kharid were also assigned to the same district. There were no further changes for some time.

Ballia Tehsil comprising of  Doaba, Ballia and Kharid Parganas formed a subdivision of Ghazipur. 1st November 1879 was the date when a new city Ballia was created by adding to the old sub-division Parganas of Lakhnesar and Kopachit from the Resra Tahsil and those of Bhadaon and Sikandarpur from tahsil Nagra of Azamgarh. A new Tehsil was constituted from these Parganas constituted with headquarters at Rasra.

The third tehsil, Bansdih, to which was given the name of Sikandarpur East, was formed on April 10th 1882. The tehsil was formed out of Parganas Kharid and 225 villages of Sikandarpur. A new pargana of Kopachit  East was developed by transferring 212 villages of Kopachit to Ballia.

On 1st April 1883, a further addition was made by uniting Tappa Dhaka of Paragana Zahurabad with Sikandarpur West. Only after one year that is on 18th November, 13 villages of Lakhnesar, lying on the right bank of the river Saryu and surrounded by some villages of Ghazipur, were given back to that district.

The final important change took place on 9th March 1892, on this day 168 villages of Garha Pargana with Saraikota of Muhammadabad, were included in the tehsil Ballia. This transfer was supplemented in July of the same year by extending the boundary of Garha so as to include the large village of Narainpur and two others. On June 9th, 1892 Diara Khawaspur village was transferred from Bhojpur in Bihar to Ballia Uttar Pradesh. In 1931, 39 villages of Pargana Ballia were transferred from Ballia to Bhojpur district of Bihar, when 10 villages were also transferred from district Bhojpur (of Bihar) to Ballia.

In 1951 the village of Kondhia was transferred from tahsil Muhammadabad in the Ghazipur district to tahsil Rasra of district Ballia. According to the history of Ballia district further change took place in 1970, when 31 villages were added to tehsil Bansdih from district Saran of Bihar and 14 villages were transferred from tehsil Bansdih to Saran district Saran.

Asaf-ud-Daula (the Nawab vizier of Awadh), Raja Mahip Narayan Singh, The British are the rulers who ruled the place. The great Freedom Fighter and the hero of First Struggle for Independence, Mangal Pandey, was born here. Chittu Panday, National Hero of "Quit India Movement"  and freedom fighters Pt. Tarkeshwar Pandey, Ram Pujan Singh and Hari Ram were also from Ballia.

Former Prime minister of India Late Chandra Shekhar was a native of Ballia district.  Late Ram Nagina Singh was First M.P.from Ballia 1952. Late Gauri Shankar Rai was a native of Karnai village in Ballia, was member UP Assembly, Legislative council and also Member of Parliament. He also represented Ballia assembly segment in Assembly from 1957 to 1962 and MLC from 1967 to 1976 and MP from Ghazipur parliamentary constituency from1977 till the time of its dissolution. He addressed UN General Assembly in 1978 session along with Former Prime minister Atal Bihari Bajpai, the then foreign minister. Both Of them addressed Gen.Assembly in HINDI for the first time in history of UNO.

 

• Surha Taal (Bird Sanctury)

• Sahid Smarak

• Brigu Mandir

• Dardari Mela (Held In Nov-Dec), it is worlds largest Cattle fair.

• Basant Vihar Jeera Basti, Botanical Garden type

• Sri. Chain Ram baba Temple

• Sri. Khapdia Baba Temple

• Sri. Vigyan Dev Jee Maharaj Temple, Poor Pakdi, Ballia

• Sri. Kameshwar Dham ,Karron , Ballia

• Sri. Jangli Baba mandir

• Mangla Bhawani mandir, Ujiwar, Ballia

• Jai Prakash Nagar Samark, Jai Prakash Nagar, Ballia

Due to its location the land of Ballia is very fertile, major occupatiuon is Agriculture. Apart from that there are many small scale industries in the district. Manair, Ballia is the major manufacturer and supplier of ‘Bindi’ (round sticker which most of the females in India put on their forehead) There is also one government sugar mill and one cotton weaving industry.

By Air: Varanasi Airport is the nearest Airport from District Ballia. Also known as Babatpur Airport or Lal Bahadur Shastri Airport.

By Rail: Ballia is a station on the Indian Railways. There are about 35 trains daily Including two Rajdhani Express  trains.Belthara Road and Rasra are two major Railway stations.

By Road: It is also well connected by road to Varanasi, Gorakhpur, Patna and other major cities of Uttar Pradesh.