Ballia City
Information of Ballia
Ballia 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 76 KM from Ghazipur and 150 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 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 Of Ballia
Ballia is an ancient city. Many great saints and sages of India had their ashrams in Ballia, including Valmiki, Bhrigu, Durvasa,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 to be in District.
It is locally said to have been derived from the name of the sage Valmiki, the celebrated hindu poet and the author of RAMAYAN, whose having resided here 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).
Geography
Ballia is located at 25°27′N 84°06′E / 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.
Demographics
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.
Local Events
An annual fair, the Dadari-Mela, is celebrated on a fairground at the junction of the Ganges and the Ghaghara, on the city's eastern boundary. Regular connectivity with nearby districts as Mau, Azamgarh, Deoria, Ghazipur and Varanasi exists by means of Railway and Roadways. Held on the full moon of Kartik (October-November) it is said to attracts about one million people.
Worth visiting is also the Suraha Tal Lake. Its circumference is about 25.6 km.
Notable Figures
Ballia is the birth place of Mangal Pandey,Chittu Pandey,Hazari Prasad Dwivedi,Jayaprakash Narayan.Some other notable figures from the Quit India Movement include Pt. Tarkeshwar Pandey and Murli Manohar. Chandra Shekhar (Former PM of India) was also from Ballia,as well as the famous mathematician Dr.Ganesh Prasad. The Hindi poet Kedarnath Singh also belongs to this place.
