Ballia

Ballia Baghi Ballia
city
Country	India
State	Uttar Pradesh
Elevation	159 m (522 ft)
Population  (2011)
• Total	3,223,642
• Density	1,081/km2 (2,800/sq mi)
Languages
• Official	Hindi
Time zone	UTC+5:30 (IST)
PIN	277001
Telephone code	(+91-5498)
Vehicle registration	UP 60
Website	www.ballia.nic.in

Ballia (Bhojpuri: बलिया, Hindi: बलिया) is a city with a municipal board in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. The eastern boundary of the city lies at the junction of the Ganges and the Ghaghara. The city is situated 141 km from Varanasi. Bhojpuri, a dialect of Hindi, is the primary local language.

Ballia is also known as Baghi Ballia (Rebel Ballia) for its significant contribution in India's freedom struggle. During the first Independence War of India in 1857, Ballia came in picture in front of the world and Shree Mangal Pandey was that first freedom fighter of that war who was born in village Nagwa Ballia district of India. During the Quit India Movement of 1942 Ballia gained independence from British rule for a short period of time when the district overthrew the government and installed an independent administration under Chittu Pandey.

History

Ballia is an ancient city. Many saints and sages of India had their ashrams in Ballia, including Valmiki, Bhrigu, Durvasa, Parashara muni and Jamadagni. Ballia was a part of the Kosala Kingdom in ancient times. It also came under the Buddhist influence for some time. Earlier the district was a part of Ghazipur district, but later it was created as an independent district.

Sahatwar, Sheikhpur and Sikanderpur are also very old towns of Ballia, populated during the reign of Feroze Shah Tughlaq where famous Muslim saints came and inhabited the area and served Muslims and non-Muslim alike.

Origin of the name Ballia

It is locally said to have been derived from the name of the sage Valmiki, the celebrated Hindu poet and the author of Ramayana, who resided here and the place was commemorated by a shrine, which has long been washed away. Another belief about the origin of the name is that it has been derived from the sandy nature of the land of the place, locally known as "Ballua" ('balu' meaning sand). It was initially named as 'balian', later transformed to Ballia.

Geography

Ballia is located at 25.45°N 84.10°E / 25.45; 84.10. The eastern boundary of the city lies at the junction of the Ganges and the Ghaghara.

Geographic features

Suraha Tal Lake. Its circumference is about 25.6 km. Junction of Ganges and the Ghaghara rivers mark the eastern boundary of Ballia. The fairgrounds is at this point.

Demographics

As per provisional data of 2011 census, Ballia urban agglomeration had a population of 3,223,642 out of which males were 1,667,557 and females were 1,556,085 . The literacy rate was 86.65 per cent.

See also: List of cities in Uttar Pradesh

At the 2001 Indian census, Ballia had a population of 102,226. Males constituted 54% of the population and females 46%. It had an average literacy rate of 65%, higher than the national average of 59.5%, with 58% of the males and 42% of females literate. Eleven percent of the population was under six years of age.

Transportation

Ballia is a station on the Indian Railways with about 35 trains daily (including 2 Rajdhani express) Major railway stations include Belthara Road and Rasra. Belthara Road is connected with Gorakhpur by several trains like Dadar Express, Chauri Chaura Express, Gorakhnath Express etc. It is connected to Varanasi, Gorakhpur and Patna by road.

Many road roundabouts in Ballia feature statues of leaders of the Indian Independence Movement.

Dadri Mela (fair)

Dadri Mela is the second largest cattle fair of India which is located at 5 KM from Ballia town nearby NH 31 and 3 KM from Bus station of Ballia city. The fair starts on full moon of Kartik Poornima (October–November) with Holy dip in Ganges. This fair is held annually in the honour of Dadar Muni, the disciple of Maharishi Bhrigu.

This fair is celebrated for more than one month and is organized in two phases. The first phase starts before 10 days of Kartik Poornima in which traders bring some excellent hybrids of cattle from across India for sale/purchase. On or after Kartik Poornima, various cultural programs are organized and one can find shops of different items at one stop during the next Fortnight.

Notable places

Notable temples:

• Maa Bhagwati Mandir- in Uchera Village & very close to Margupur village, Ram Navami Mela is organised in April
• Vrittikut Ashram(H. H. Sadguru Sadafaldeo Ji Maharaj Mahamandir,Samadhi Sthali,Brahmavedi and Brahmacoop)
• Pachrukha Devi Mandir in Ghaighat Village, 25 Km from Ballia. Annually there is a Mela (fair) on the Occasiono of Ram Navami in April Month for two days and this fair know Navami Mela.
• Maharshi Bhrigu Mandir in the heart of the city
• Jangli baba temple - 16 km from Ballia in Garwar.
• Shri Baleshwer Mandir
• Habib Manzil
• Chain Ram Baba mandir is in Sahatwar
• Nath Baba temple at Rasra.
• Panchmandir at village Sahatwar.
• Sri Sahajanand Baba Dev Sthan at village Chandpur at the bank of holy river Saryu (25 KM North-East from Ballia City)
• Narhari Das Kuti (Temple) - Guru of famous Poet Tulsi Das in Sitabdiyara
• Shri Jangli Baba Mandir (Temple) place at Garwar (Fair of Dhanteras before one day Diwali)
• Hanuman Mandir, 4 KM from Ballia city.
• Parashurama Temple in Maniyar (Only few temples of Parashurama)
• Kameshwar Nath Dham (Shiv Mandir), Karon, Ballia (U.P.)
• Mata Kapilashweri Bhwani Mandir (Temple), In Kapuri Village Made By Kapil Muni, Between Phephena & Sagarpali Town, Ballia (UP)277503
• Shahid Smarak, Sukhpura is dedicated to our freedom fighters and situated beside the Sukhpura Inter College's entrance.
• Bramani mata temple is situated about 6k.m. from Ballia
• KEVAL BABA temple is located in Hanshnagar

• Lakhnesar, first republic of the Sengars having no kings to rule over.
• Swami Maharaj Baba Temple in Milki Village Near RaniGanj Bazar Bairia Ballia.
• Jalpa mata Temple in Sikanderpur, Ballia.
• Lal Ji Barham Baba is a small temple in Nandpur village (Near Haldi) on Ballia- Bairia road which is visited by more than thousands from across India.
• Thakuri Baba temple is a very famous temple in karan Chhapra village. There is big statue of "Bajrang bali" has been made by local villagers.
• Mangala Bhawani Temple [Divya Shakti Sthan] 35 km from Ballia near Ujiyar Bharouli,7 km from Buxar.

Area villages

• Sukhpura, 12 km from Ballia is a village where a famous temple named "Jati baba".
• Sahatwar is a famous town for CHAIN RAM BABA temple located in 20 km from Ballia railway station .
• Tengarhin village is located at Bairia - Ballia Road on Distance 36 km from Ballia .
• Uchera village is Famous for Maa Bhagwati Temple located in west 22 km from Ballia Railway Station & 12 km from Rasra Railway Station
• Kapuri Village Famous For (Kapileshwari Bhawani Mandir ) On NH, at 10 km from Ballia city ,
• Ghaighat a village towards Reoti at 25 km stone on Ballia-Reoti-Bairiya Road.PIN 277209.
• A village named Dharnipur is located 9 km from Ballia.
• Aamghat Village is 7.7 km far from its District Main City Ballia.
• A village Aundi (via Piyaria)is 20 km (west) from Ballia city / 10 km from Phepana Junction.- located on Ballia-Mau road.
• A village called Majhuan (24 km far from Ballia city). It is situated on the bank of the Ganges river.
• A village named Akhar famous for its wrestlers located 6 km East from Ballia town.
• A village named Dubhar village which is having 30 thousand population with 40% literacy and 9 km far from Ballia.famous for its literacy .
• A village named Khejuri is located 15 km from Ballia.
• A village named Shahpur near Garwar police station is located 19 km from Ballia.
• Bansdih located 18 KM far from Ballia. It is having population more than 50,000.
• Tengarhin village is located at Bairia - Ballia Road on Distance 36 km from Ballia.
• Hanshnagar is small village that is located 17 km from Ballia and 3 km far from Haldi.
• Mirdha (tahsil Bansdih), is located 16 km.far from ballia 2 km. from Suraha Tal Lake
• There is also three worship place in village Mudiyari of district Ballia under police station Maniar namely RAMJEE RA BABA. GORYA BABA AND THIRD NETUA BABA this worship place ar very famous in district and a mela is also organise on saptami of srawan Hindi month in shuklapach this mela is oganise annually
• Hanumnganj is the famous market & village of district of Ballia.
• Bhagwanpur, 3km from Ballia is a village which is on Ballia- Garwar Road
• Karan Chhapra, 35km from Ballia is village which has given so many politicians like Manoj Singh, Bharat Singh

Notable personalities of Ballia

• Mangal Pandey
• Jyoti Singh Pandey, Damini, India's Daughter (2012 Delhi gang rape case victim)
• Chittu Pandey
• Hazari Prasad Dwivedi
• Jayaprakash Narayan
• Chandra Shekhar Singh - 9TH Prime Minister of India
• Murli Manohar - Politician
• Dr. Ganesh Prasad - Mathematician
• Kedarnath Singh - Hindi poet
• Dr. Sandeep Pandey - Ramon-Magsasy Award Winner, Social Activist and Founder of "Asha for Education"
• Janeshwar Mishra(Chhote Lohiya) - Politician

Education

Major Educational Institutions:

• Devasthaly Vidyapeeth, Devasthaly, Sanwara, Ballia (U.P.)
• Holy Cross School, Amritpali, Ballia(U.P)
• St. Xavier's School - Dharahara, Ballia (U.P.)
• Sacred Heart School, Saharaspali, Ballia (U.P.)
• Town Polytechnic, Tikhampur Road, Ballia (U.P)
• Naga ji Saraswati Vidya Mandir Maldepur, Ballia (UP)
• Shri Jangli Baba Inter College (JBIC), Garwar, Ballia (UP)
• Gandhi Inter College Chilkahar, Ballia (UP)
• Bansi Bazar Inter College (BBIC), Navanagar, Ballia (UP)
• Pachrukha Devi Inter College (PDIC), Gaighat (Reoti), Ballia (U.P.)
• Modern Convent School, Gaighat (Reoti), Ballia (U.P.). This is 22 years old school and established in 1989.
• Oracle Institute of Management & Information Technology, Sankat Mochan Colony, Civil Lines, Ballia (U.P.)
• Kunwar Singh Degree College, Ballia (U.P.)
• Kendriya Vidyalaya ballia
• Satish Chandra Degree College, Ballia (U.P.)
• Murli Manohar Town Degree College, Ballia (U.P.)
• Gandhi Degree College in Mirdha village, Ballia (U.P.)
• Kendriya Vidyalaya, Ballia (U.P.)
• Gyan Peethika Sr. Sec. School, Zeerabasti, Ballia (U.P.)
• MG Inter College, Dalan Chhapra, Ballia (U.P.)
• Sukhpura Inter College, Sukhpura, Ballia (U.P)
• Sri Haribansa Baba Inter College, Pur, Ballia (U.P.)
• Ratsar Inter College, Ratasar, Ballia (U.P.), This is 65 years old school and established in 1947.
• Sri Nath Inter College, Garhmalpur Sahulai, Ballia (U.P.), This is 67 years old school and established in 1945.
• Sri Ram Baba Sanskrit Mahavidyalaya, Akwari-Bisukia, Ballia (U.P.)
• Sri Swaminath Singh Surendara Mahavidyalya Mahathapar, Ballia (U.P.)
• Shikhar Computer Institute, Reoti-Ballia (U.P.)
• Reoti Inter College Reoti, Ballia (U.P.)
• Amar Shahid Bhagat Singh Inter College Rasra, Ballia (U.P.). Formerly Known as King Gorge Silver Jubly Inter College Rasra, Ballia (U.P.).
• St Marys School.Abhanpur Rasra Ballia
• PMHS parasia bisouli Ballia U.P.
• CB Inter college sahatwar ballia U.p.

• Neelam Devi Degree college is a very new college in karan chapra area, which cover so many villages and completing the educational needs of l
• Jawahar navodaya Vidyalaya , Sinhachawar - Ballia (UP)

External links

• Official Website
• Ballia directory
• VSP Education In Ballia
• Silent killer arsenic poisons lives in Ballia (on The Times of India)