Social, Environmental & Economic
Sustainability
Our analysis of the rank of the district
Backwardness :166
Sex Ratio Rank : 123 (Rank one is least sex ratio - Cenus 2001)
HIV Category District : C (HIV Sentinel Surveillance 2004 -2006)
Disability : 37 (Census 2001)
Literacy Ratio : 531 (Census 2001)
Minority : Yes
Brief About Barabanki District
ORIGIN OF NAME OF DISTRICT
The district of Barabanki also known as the 'Entrance to Poorvanchal',
has the privilege of being the penance ground to numerous saints
and ascetics. There are several ancient sayings to the naming
of this district. The most popular among them is that, due to
the reincarnation of 'Bhagwan BAARAH' on this poise land, this
place came to be known as 'BAANHANYA' which in course of time
got corrupted to Barabanki. The headquarters of the district was
at Dariyabad until 1858 AD, which was later shifted to Nawabganj
in 1859 AD the other popular name of Barabanki.
As the saying goes, in ancient times this district was part of
the kingdom ruled by Suryavanshi kings, whose capital was Ayodhya.
King Dashrath and his famous son, Lord Ram were of this dynasty.
Guru Vashisht was their Kulguru, and he preached and taught the
young royal princes of the dynasty at Satrikh, initially known
as Saptrishi.
This district was under the rule of the Chandravanshi kings for
a very long period. During the Mahabharat era, it was part of
the 'Gaurav Rajya' and this part ofland was known by the name
Kurukshetra. Pandav along with their mother Kunti had spent some
time on the banks of river Ghaghra during their exile.
'Parijaat ' world's unique tree, Kunteshwar Mahadev temple, and
its extremely ancient Shivling, Kunteshwar (Kintur) on the poise
banks of Ghaghra, Bazaar Dharam Mandi (Dhamedi), and the famous
Lodheshwar Mahadeva's Shivling etc. are proof enough that this
region had an important place even five thousand years ago during
the Mahabharat period. As per the historical documentation available,
in 1030 AD this region was attacked by Sayyed Salar Masood, brother
of Mahmood of Ghazni. In the same century Qutubuddin Gaha of Madina
annexed the Hindu princely states, thereby establishing the Muslim
dominance then on. During the reign of the great Mughal emperor
Akbar this district was dividedly under the sirkars of Awadh and
Manikpur.
Many kings and princes opposed the expansion of British rule
into this district by waging wars againstthem. During the British
Raj, several kings fought for their independence and laid down
their lives doing so, the great revolutionaries ! Raja Balbhadra
Singh Chehlari along with about 1000 revolutionaries sacrificed
their lives for independence from the British rule.The last battle
of the First War of Indian Independence was fought in December
1858 AD here in this district.
During the middle of the nineteenth century the revolutionaries
put up their last front at 'Bhitauli ' which proved unsuccessful
in comarison to the strong British forces. Leaving behind the
Bhitauli front the independence fanatics along with Begum Hazrat
Mahal, Nana Saheb entered into the territory of Nepal to continue
their freedom struggle from there.
In 1921 AD Gandhiji started the Non-cooperation Movement, thereby
igniting the flame of independence once again. Here too, the district
leading from the front, opposed the arrival of Prince of Wales
to India. As a result, protests were organised and large number
of freedom fighter courted arrests at the Government High School,
Nawabganj, Shri Rafi Ahmad Kidwai was also arrested. During 1922
AD Khilafat Movement, 1930 AD Salt Movement, and in 1942 AD the
Quit India Movement, the people of this district actively participated
in these movements thereby giving sleepless nights to the British
Raj. As a result, the District Congress Office was sealed. But,
the local leaders continued their protests remaining underground.
The Haidergarh Post office was looted on 24th August 1942 as a
mark of protest by the revolutionaries. Similar incidents took
place at the GPO Barabanki and Satrikh.
The people of this district enthusiastically respond to the call
of Satyagraha and large numbers courted arrest. At last, on August
15,1947, the country achieved its long-awaited independence. Every
home in Barabanki along with the rest of the country celebrated
the occasion with great enthusiasm.
Road and Rail Map of district Barabanki
The land of Barabanki district possesses a rich heritage
in keeping with its glorious past. This district since its inception
has been the meditorium for numerous saints and ascetics, sanctum
sanctorum of 'Sadhna' for the literary intellectuals and battlefield
for the freedom fighters. For bringing the whole world under one
umbrella, Sufi Saint Haji Waris Ali Shah of international fame,
motivated people through the message of JO RAB WAHI RAM i.e. the
supreme power, God is One, is the flower of this fertile land.Satnami
Saint Shri Jagjiwan Das and Saint Malamat Shah lit the torch of
communal harmony for the countrymen at large. The place of pilgrimage
of the KANWARIYAS' Mahadeva, the Kurukshetra of Mahabharat and
the Parijaat tree - the animate symbols of Mahabharat era are
also present as mile stones of the spiritual tilt of this sacred
land of Barabanki district.
DISTRICT AS AN ADMINISTRATIVE ENTITY
District Barabanki was known as Dariyabad with its headquarters
at Dariyabad town established by an officer in the army of Mohammed
Shah Shariqi by the name Dariab Khan. It remained the district
headquarter till 1858 AD. The district headquarter was shifted
to Nawabganj in 1859 AD now known as Barabanki. This was done
during the expansion of the district by the British, when Kursi
from district Lucknow and Haidergarh from district Rae Bareli
were added to the, then Dariyabad district
