Bettiah

Bettiah
—  city  —
Bettiah
Location of Bettiah
in Bihar and India
Coordinates
Country India
State Bihar
District(s) West Champaran
Parliamentary constituency Paschim Champaran
Assembly constituency Bettiah
Population 116,692 (2001)
Sex ratio 53% male : 47% female /
Time zone IST (UTC+05:30)
Area

Elevation


65 metres (213 ft)

Website westchamparan.bih.nic.in/

Bettiah (Hindi: बेतिया, Urdu: بیتیا) is the headquarters of West Champaran district in the state of Bihar, near the Indo-Nepal border, 225 Kilometres north-west of Patna. Bettiah, pronounced as 'Betiya', derived its name from 'baint' (A special type of plant which is similar to cane; used for furniture making and also finds its application during festivities). It was grown here extensively in the past but not at present. [1]

Contents

History

The city inherits a very rich culture. It is the birth place of famous poet Gopal Singh 'Nepali'. Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi started the Satyagraha movement from here in 1917 along with prominent nationalists Rajendra Prasad,Anugrah Babu and Brajkishore Prasad. In 1959, when The Prime Minister Pt. Jawahar Lal Nehru visited Bettiah, said that "This city will be the fifth Metro City of the country.". During The British rule, the entire region surrounding Bettiah was extensively used for indigo plantation. Indigo cultivation yielded quick benefits to the British colonizers but frequent cultivation of indigo even for few years ruined the entire subsoil decreasing the possibility of any further cultivation of any kind. Even now, the regions of Indigo cultivation in the past are barren & have only scrub vegetation in stark contrast. Bettiah Raj was well known for its eighteen hundred square miles of land, yielding a rental of almost 2 million rupees which was second largest in BIHAR. In India the land rental system was termed as zamindari, which was later banned by the government and all the rented land was acquired.

Geography

Bettiah is located at .[2] It has an average elevation of 65 metres (213 ft). Bettiah has hot summers and chilling winters. In summers the temperature goes up to 44-46 degrees Celsius while in winters the temperature goes as low as 2–5 degrees Celsius. It has heavy annual rainfall of about 200–240 cm which often causes floods. Bettiah lies in the alluvial plains of gandak basin. It is located near the River Gandak. A small rainfeeded river name Kohda ( Means Red Pumpkin in Hindi) crosses this city near K R High School. The region faces mild thunders during the change of season. There is a huge forest reserve area near Bettiah which is called 'Udaypur forest area' (Udaypur Jungle), which comes under the tiger saving project called 'Valmiki Vyaghra Pariyojana'.

Prominent places

Bettiah has two notable open fields known as "Bada Ramana"("Ramana" means field in local vernacular) and "Chota Ramana" respectively. Bada Ramana also home to the football stadium known as "Maharaja Stadium" and an orphanage known as "Anathalaya" It borders with a "math"("Math" means spiritual place) known as "Santawan Das Math". Chota Ramana is home to the city centre known as "Town Hall". It is a venue for important meetings and functions. Chota Ramana borders with the "Saat Saheed Sthal"("The Seven Martyrs") and the city library. Notable markets in Bettiah are Meena Bazar and Lal Bazar.Apart from this, Kalibari is the famous temple here where the priests appointed by Bettiah Raj used to worship.This temple is also built by Bettiah Raj.

Demographics

As of 2001 India census,[3] Bettiah had a population of 116,692. Males constitute 53% of the population and females 47%.

Education

Schools
1. Alok Bharti Sikshan Sansthan
2. K.R.(Khrist Raja) High School
3. Assembly of God Church School
4. Saraswati Sishu Vidya Mandir
5. St.Michael Academy
6. St Michael Prep
7. St.Xavier's Higher Secondary School
8. St .Teresa Girls' High school
9. Kidzee
10. Notre Dame Public School
11. Natarhat Public School
12. Raj Inter College
13. Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya
14. Bipin High School
15. Kendriya Vidyalaya
16. National Public High School
17. Amna Urdu High School
18. Madrasa Islamia
19. Yatimkhana Badariya
20. Radha Dulari Saraswati Siksha Mandir
21. Holly Mission Public School
22. Gyanoday Bharti School
23. St. Marry Public School
24. St. Remigious Public School
25. St. Jhon Girls High School
26. Tirwah National Public High School
27. Madrasa Nurul Islam Jagirahan founded in 1976
28. The presidency prep. school
29. Kedar pandey High schooL 30.Shanti Kanya Madhya Vidhyalaya 31.Rajkiya Kanya Madhya Vidhyalaya

Alok Bharti Sikshan Sansthan: It was founded by Late Mr. Hari Babu in 1965. It is well known for Education and Discipline. The alumni of this school have joined the top universities/IITs/NITs/Medical/MBA/C.A/UPSC in India. There are many successful Engineers, Doctors, IAS Officers and NDAs. Some of them are A. Devnath, Sajjad, R.K.Barnawal, Md. Nehal, P.K. Gupta, J.K. Gupta, P.R. Dubey, A.K Pandey and many others.

Assembly of God Church School: The school is well known for its education quality and discipline. Students from here are well placed in almost each of the top university/C.A/IITs/Medical/MBA Colleges in India.

K.R.(Khrist Raja) High School: It was established in the year 1927 and was a boys school till 1998, when co-education started in this school. The alumni of this school have joined almost each of the top universities/IITs/ medical colleges in India. There are many successful Actors, Engineers, Doctors. Some of them are Satrudhan Sinha, Manoj Bajpai, A.K Roy, C.K Gupta, R.C Ram and many others.

St.Xavier's Higher Secondary School: It was established in the year 1999, in the K R High School campus and has emerged as one of the best schools of the town.

Saraswati Sishu/Vidya Mandir: It was built in the year 1989 and is located in Dr. Hedgewar Nagar which is 5 km east of Bettiah. The school has established itself as an important place for learning.

Radha Dulari Saraswati Siksha Mandir: It was built in the year 1998 and is located at Teen Lalten Chowk, Bettiah(Center). The school is well known for its primary education and discipline.

Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya: It is another premier school for learning in the district. It is located in Vrindavan (6 km from Bus Stand).

Amna Urdu High School: It was established by Mr. Aquil Ahmed, Mr.Anwar Karim and Mr. Hashim Raza in 1980's. It was one of the best schools at that time. Earlier it was co-ed, but later the girls section was shifted to Mohalla Quila by the name Urdu Girls High School(Imam-bara).

The presidency prep. school:It was built in the year 2010 and is located in Hariwatika chowk,shiv mandir road Bettiah. The school has established itself as an important place for learning.

Colleges

1. Maharani Janki Kunwar College (named after late Maharani Janki of Bettiah Raj)
2. Ram Lakhan Singh Yadav College (RLSY College, Bettiah)
3. Mahila College (Woman's College)
4. Gulab Memorial collage (named after Shaikh Gulab,a freedom fighter).

Maharani Janki Kunwar College: There is a plan to convert Maharani Janki Kunwar Hospital (biggest hospital in North Bihar) into a Medical college and also to establish engineering and management colleges.

Ram Lakhan Singh Yadav College: This college transformed into a reputed educational institution from small college started from one room in early eighties. It's the first college to offer BCA Degree(Bachelor of Computer Application) in West Champaran.

BANKS

Banks

Due to developing market and business, many banks have come forward to provide with loans and facilities.
Lists of bank currently operating in Bettiah:
1. State Bank of India
2. Canara Bank
3. Axis Bank
4. Punjab National Bank
5. Allahabad Bank
6. ICICI Bank
7. ING Vysya
8. HDFC Bank
9.Bank Of Baroda
10.Union Bank of India /> 11.Central Bank of India /> 12.Uko bank/> 13.Bank of India/>

Notable people

Temples

1. Durga Badi Mandir
2. Durga Bagh Temple
3. Kali Mandir
4. Ram Janki Mandir, Teen Lalten Chowk
5. Shiv Mandir ITI colony
6. Santoshi Mata Mandir
7. Santawan Das Math
8. Joda Shiwalay Mandir
9. Shri Rani Sati Mandir
10. Shiv Mandir Pioni Bagh Imali Chawk
11. Shiv Mandir, Sagar pokhara
12. shiv Mandir, Belbagh bangali colony
13. Sant Ghat temple and math

Masjids

1.Jangi Masjid
2.Madarsa Islamia Masjid
3.Kalibagh Masjid
4.Mansa Tola Masjid<br / 5.Baswaria Masjid
6.Mahawat Toli Masjid
7.Chhawani Masjid
8.Ujjain Tola masjid 9.Ghusukpura masjid/>

Churches

1. Catholic Church of Christian Quarter
2. Catholic Church of K R High School
3. Protestant Church Near Durga Mandir

Gurudwara

1. Gurudwara Near Kaviwar Nepali Path

Ponds

1. Sagar Pokhra
2. Uttarwari Pokhra
3. Haribatika Pokhra
4. Durga Bagh pokhara

Cinema halls

1.Ajanta
2.Janta
3.Urvashi
4.Pitambra

Transportation

Bettiah is well connected by roads and railways and by airplane to all major cities. Railways provide with cheap transport and trade. Due to the opening of broad gauge and new trains, Bettiah has got new lease of life. There is a non - operative airport in Bettiah which was operated in the past during old British time.

See also

References

  1. ^ Yang, Anand A. (1999). Bazaar India: Markets, Society, and the Colonial State in Bihar. University of California Press. pp. 305 (at page 69). ISBN 978-0520211001. 
  2. ^ Falling Rain Genomics, Inc - Bettiah
  3. ^ "Census of India 2001: Data from the 2001 Census, including cities, villages and towns (Provisional)". Census Commission of India. Archived from the original on 2004-06-16. http://web.archive.org/web/20040616075334/http://www.censusindia.net/results/town.php?stad=A&state5=999. Retrieved 2008-11-01. 

External links