Sant Kabir Nagar district
| Sant Kabir Nagar district संत कबीर नगर जिला |
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|---|---|
| — District of Uttar Pradesh — | |
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| Country | India |
| State | Uttar Pradesh |
| Administrative division | Basti |
| Headquarters | Khalilabad, India |
| Government | |
| • Lok Sabha constituencies | Sant Kabir Nagar, Khalilabad |
| Area | |
| • Total | 1,659.15 km2 (640.60 sq mi) |
| Population (2011) | |
| • Total | 1,714,300 |
| • Density | 1,000/km2 (2,700/sq mi) |
| Demographics | |
| • Literacy | 69.01 per cent |
| • Sex ratio | |
| Website | Official website |
Sant Kabir Nagar district (Hindi: संत कबीर नगर जिला) is one of the 72 districts of Uttar Pradesh state in northern India. Khalilabad town is the district headquarters. Sant Kabir Nagar district is a part of Basti Division. District Sant kabir nagar was created on September 5, 1997 from district Basti. including 131 villages from tahsil Basti, and 161 from tahsil Bansi of district Siddharth Nagar. The district is bounded on the north by Siddharthnagar and Maharajganj districts, on the east by Gorakhpur district, on the south by Ambedkar Nagar district and on the west by Basti district. The district occupies an area of 1659.15 km2.
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Etymology [edit]
The district is named after the 15th century mystic poet Kabir, who lived in Maghar town in the district. One popular legend of his death, which is even taught in schools in India (although in more of a moral context than a historical one), says that after his death his Muslim and Hindu devotees fought over his proper burial rites. The problem arose since Muslim custom called for the burial of their dead, whereas Hindus cremated their dead. The scene is depicted as two groups fighting around his coffin one claiming that Kabir was a Hindu, and the other claiming that Kabir was a Muslim. However, when they finally open Kabir's coffin, they found the body missing. Instead there was a small book in which the Hindus and Muslims wrote all his sayings that they could remember; some even say a bunch of his favourite flowers were placed. The legend goes on to state that the fighting was resolved, and both groups looked upon the miracle as an act of divine intervention. In Maghar, his tomb or Dargah and Samādhi Mandir still stand side by side.
History [edit]
Sant Kabir Nagar district was created on September 5, 1997. The new district comprised 131 villages of erstwhile Basti tahsil of Basti district and 161 villages of erstwhile Bansi tahsil of Siddharthnagar district. Before September 5, 1997 it was the tehsil for Basti District.
Places of Interest [edit]
Bakhira
It is situated on the road from Mehndawal to Khalilabad in Lat. 26 55' N. and Long. 83 5' E., 16 km. north of the tehsil headquarters and about 18 km. from the district headquarters. Other roads lead to Gorakhpur in southeast and to Bansi and Rudhauli in northeast. Bakhira is particularly known on account of the great lake, Moti Jhil (or Badhanchh Tal), which extends to a few kilometers to the east. The name Moti Jhil is said to have been bestowed upon it by Nawab Saadat Ali Khan, who frequently resorted here for hunting. Bakhira is a market village, but the name is commonly applied to the bazar of Baghnagar, practically, an adjoining site, and the two are always treated as one, Bakhira was formerly the capital of a large domain granted by raja Sarbjit Singh of Bansi to an illegitimate son. In course of time the Babus of Bakhira acquired an independent position. In Buchanan's time their fort was strongly defended by a mud rampart, with a ditch and bamboo hedge. In the freedom struggle Babu Ram Pratap Singh made himself conspicuous by attacking and destroying the Bakhira police-station; and for this and other offences he was hanged and his lands forfeited to the government. According to the census of 1971 it had a population of 294 persons and covered area of 70.01 ha. Market is held here twice a week, the main article of trade being agricultural produce, generally food-grains, brought by cultivators, the arrival of wheat in the busy season being in the range of 100 to 150 quintals per market day. Bakhira is also noted for the brass and bronze metal work. The wholesale dealers from Mirzapur, Varanasi and Moradabad visit this place and generally purchase new utensils against old scrap.
Hainsar
Hainsar lies in Lat. 26 33' N. and Long 83 3' E., at a distance of about 4.8 km east of Dhanghata and about 32 km from district headquarters. The Ghaghra flows at some distance to the south. At the time of the first freedom struggle Hainsar (Hardo) belonged to a Suryavansi named Lal Jagat Bahadur. On account of his active participation in the struggle, his property was confiscated and bestowed on loyal to the rulers. A weekly market is held here on every Tuesday and Friday and considerable business is done in food-grains, cloth, and the blankets which are manufactured here. Its importance had grown on account of the river born traffic which passed through it. The place had a population of 2766 and covered an area of 91.4 ha. It has a post-office, a junior Basic school, a senior Basic school and a dispensary. It falls under Dhanghata police-station and is the head-quarters of the development block of the same name.
Khalilabad
Khalilabad lies in Lat. 26 47'N. and Long. 83 4' E., on the road from Faizabad to Gorakhpur. It is the headquarters of this new district Sant Kabir Nagar. The town is small but has a history which can be traced back to Mughal emperors. The place derives its name from its founder, Qazi Khailil-ur-Rahman, who was appointed chakladar of Gorakhpur about 1860. Khalil-ur-Rahman was sent to suppress revolts by Rajputs from the near-by villages. Notable amongst them were two brothers named Jai Singh and Vijay Singh. Vijay Singh was killed in a battle by Aurangjeb's forces and Jai Singh was forced to convert to Islam. Jai Singh took the name Jasim Khan and settled with his kin and relatives in a nearby village called 'PachPokhri'.
At present this place is more famous for its handloom cloth market, popularly known as Bardahia Bazar. The tehsil building, situated to the south of the road to Gorakhpur, is an imposing structure created after the first freedom struggle in 1857 in which the place was sacked.
Maghar
The town is situated in Lat. 26 45'N. and Long. 83 8'E., on the main road from Gorakhpur to Faizabad at a distance of about 7 km southwest of the district headquarters. Maghar, a place of considerable antiquity, is not of much present day importance, except as a place of pilgrimage. It is celebrated as containing the cenotaph and shrine of saint poet Kabir.
Tama(Tameshwar Nath)
The village of Tama is situated in Lat. 26 degree 42' N. and Long. 83 degree 7' E., at a distance of about 8 Km from district headquarters. It is famous for its Mahadev temple(Tameshwar Nath), the idol of which is said to have suddenly sprung up in the forest near the village. It was discovered by herdsmen and has since been an object of peculiar sanctity. A fair is held here on the occasion of Shivratri, which is attended by about 31,000 persons.
Samay Mai Temple
There is a small fortress in the town, a part of which is being used as Police Headquarters. Facing this fort is a small temple of Samay Mai(Goddess of Time). This goddess is in form of an elephant statue. It is said that Qazi Khalilurehman was facing problems in construction of the fortress. Every time he build the walls, they used to collapse all of sudden. Then, he consulted some tantriks who suggested him that, "if you can bring the Goddess of Time and get a temple made in front of your fortress, your problems will vanish". Qazi did so and succeeded in making of the fortress.
Economy [edit]
In 2006 the Ministry of Panchayati Raj named Sant Kabir Nagar one of the country's 250 most backward districts (out of a total of 640).[1] It is one of the 34 districts in Uttar Pradesh currently receiving funds from the Backward Regions Grant Fund Programme (BRGF).[1]
Divisions [edit]
Sant Kabir Nagar is one of the three districts of Basti Division. The Division is under the charge of Commissionary with headquarters at Basti. For the purpose of effective administration, collections of land Revenue and maintenance of Law and Order, the district has been divided into three tehsil namely Khalilabd, Menhdawal and Dhanghata. For further development works these thhsils are divided into various blocks, they are: Santha, Menhdawal, Belhar Kalan, semeriyawan, Baghauli, Khalilabad,Nath Nagar, Hainsar Bazar, Pauli. There are three Vidhan Sabha constituencies in this district: Khalilabad, Mehdawal and Dhanghata. All of these are part of Sant Kabir Nagar Lok Sabha constituency.
Demographics [edit]
According to the 2011 census Sant Kabir Nagar district has a population of 1,714,300,[2] roughly equal to the nation of The Gambia[3] or the US state of Nebraska.[4] This gives it a ranking of 283rd in India (out of a total of 640).[2] The district has a population density of 1,041 inhabitants per square kilometre (2,700 /sq mi) .[2] Its population growth rate over the decade 2001-2011 was 20.71%.[2] Sant Kabir Nagar has a sex ratio of 969 females for every 1000 males,[2] and a literacy rate of 69.01%.[2] As per 2001 census, Muslims account for nearly 24% of the districts population, the remaining being Hindus. Muslims are numerous in the densely populated Semeriyawan Block.
References [edit]
- ^ a b Ministry of Panchayati Raj (September 8, 2009). "A Note on the Backward Regions Grant Fund Programme". National Institute of Rural Development. Retrieved September 27, 2011.
- ^ a b c d e f "District Census 2011". Census2011.co.in. 2011. Retrieved 2011-09-30.
- ^ US Directorate of Intelligence. "Country Comparison:Population". Retrieved 2011-10-01. "Gambia, The 1,797,860 July 2011 est."
- ^ "2010 Resident Population Data". U. S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2011-09-30. "Nebraska 1,826,341"
External links [edit]
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Sant Kabir Nagar district |
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Siddharthnagar district | |
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| Basti district |  |
Gorakhpur district | ||
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| Ambedkar Nagar district |
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Coordinates: 26°46′48″N 83°03′36″E / 26.78000°N 83.06000°E
