Hilsa, Bihar

This article is about the Indian city. For the fish, see Hilsa.

Hilsa
—  city  —
Hilsa Location of Hilsa in Bihar and India
Coordinates	25°19′N 85°17′E
Country	India
State	Bihar
District(s)	Nalanda
Parliamentary constituency	Nalanda (29)
Assembly constituency	Hilsa(175)
Population	162,546 (2001)
Literacy • Male • Female	51.88%  • 61.49% • 41.06%
Time zone	IST (UTC+05:30)
Area • Elevation	• 45 metres (148 ft)
Distance(s) • From Delhi • 1,042 kilometres (647 mi) • From Patna • 45 kilometres (28 mi) • From Kolkata • 550 kilometres (340 mi)
Codes • Pincode • 801302 • Telephone • +06111 • Vehicle • BR-21-?

Hilsa (Hindi: हिलसा, Urdu: ہِلسا) is a sub-division of the Nalanda district in the Indian state of Bihar well-known as a centre of Buddhist knowledge. Located approximately 24 kilometres (15 mi) south-east of the state capital Patna, the area was an important hub during the Indian independence movement and produced many freedom fighters.

Geography

Hilsa is located at 25.32°N 85.28°E / 25.32; 85.28 and has an average elevation of 45 metres (148 ft).

History

Legends say that during the ancient times of Mahabharat Kaal, when Krishna with his brother Balarama arrived in this area during the Journey. Krishna felt thirsty whereupon Balarama dug into the ground looking for a source of water. That location of this well came to be known as "Pakki Taalab" i.e. it is situated at nearby Kaali Asthan. Illegal construction has now encroached on "Pakki Taalab". This pond had plenty of water hence the name Haldharpur (Hilsa).

Demographics

As of the 2001 Indian census, Hilsa had a population of 162,546, 54 per cent of whom were male and 46 per cent female. Hilsa has an average literacy rage of 59.5% with male literacy at 66 per cent, and that for females at 46%. In Hilsa, 17% of the population is under six years of age.

Economy

Banks

• State Bank of India
• Allahabad Bank
• Punjab National Bank
• Nalanda co-operative Bank
• Madhya Bihar Gramin Bank

ATMs

• State Bank of India ATM (Yogipur More)
• Punjab National Bank ATM (Kali Asthan)

Broking Firms

Education

Professional Colleges

ITI college, Hilsa

Polytechnic collage,Indaut, Hilsa (Proposed)

Colleges

• S. U. College (Magadh University)
• Mahanth College (Magadh University)
• S. P. College (Magadh University)

Professional Institute

• Nalanda Computer Education Center (NCEC Hilsa)IT Zone

Schools

1. # * Ram Babu High School
2. # * Mai High School
3. # * Vidyabharti high school
4. # * D.A.V. High School
5. # * Adarsh Vidya Mandir Hostel

Organisations

• Manav samaj seva sabha (Gutkha chhodo aandolan)
• Vidya-kishore cottage
• Manav seva aashram
• Ravi foundation
• Kala prashikshan kendra
• Viklang Kalyan Punaruthan Seva Samiti (VKPSS)
• Jai Mata Di bhakti jagran samiti(suryamandir talaw)

Places of interest

• Kali Mandir
• Varun Tal
• Narmdeshwar Sthan(Daroga Kuan)
• Surya Mandir
• Old Temple of Shiva
• Green Court Campus

Festivals

• Hindu women celebrate Tij, Jitiya, Chhath etc. with great religious fervor.
• Important Hindu festivals celebrated here are Durga Puja, Diwali, Basant Panchami, Shivratri, Holi, Ramnavami and Janmashtami.

Chhath is the most sacred festival in the region. Its importance lies in its defiance of all religious barriers. There is a old mosque in the localility which is said to have been built by a Mughal Emperor.

Transport

Road

The town is served by State Highway 4 and directly connected to places such as Patna, Gaya, Bodhgaya, Nalanda, Bihar Sharif, Rajgir and Jehanabad by road.

Rail

Hilsa is located on the branch line connecting Fatuha and Tilaiya via Islampur. The town is served by a direct daily superfast train to New Delhi (Magadh Express). There are also numerous passenger connections to the state capital of Patna, which is well-connected with the rest of India. The Bakhtiyarpur-Rajgir branch line is connected with this route at Nekpur and Jagdishpur. Extension of passenger services to inter-link Hilsa with Bihar Sharif, Sheikhpura and Gaya is expected in the future. The Patna-Hatia express passes through Hilsa daily.SAMDHINIA local passenger train is also daily run up to ARA via patna.

Airport

The nearest airport is Patna Airport 45 kilometres (28 mi) from Hilsa from where domestic flights to major Indian cities are available. It is categorized as a restricted international airport, with customs facilities to receive international chartered flights.

Gaya Airport is the nearest international airport some 70 kilometres (43 mi) away. As a center important to Buddhism, Hilsa has connections to Bangkok, Singapore, Colombo, Thimphu and Yangon.