Purnia district

Purnia district is one of the thirty-eight districts of Bihar state, India. The town of Purnia is the administrative headquarters of this district. Purnia district is a part of Purnia Division. The district extends from the Ganges river northwards to the frontier of Nepal.

History

During Mughal rule Purnea was an outlying military province, its revenue was mostly spent on protecting its borders against tribes from the north and east.^[2] Its local governor raised a rebellion against Siraj ud-Daulah in 1757, after the capture of Calcutta. In 1765, along with the rest of Bengal, the district became a British possession.^[3]

Purnea is famous for its uniquely designed Ramakrishna Mission where Durga Puja in the month of April is celebrated with due devotion and honour. Purnea is also famous for the oldest temple of Mata Puran Devi, which is hardly 5 km away from the main city. There is a theory that Purnia got its name from that temple. Some people believe that many years ago Purnea was Purna–Aranya which stands for "complete jungle", and that's why it has got the name Purnea.

Purnia has seen three districts partitioned off from its territory: Katihar in 1976,^[4] and Araria and Kishanganj in 1990.^[4]

Geography

Purnia district occupies an area of 3,229 square kilometres (1,247 sq mi),^[5] comparatively equivalent to the Solomon Islands' Makira Island.^[6] It is a level, depressed tract of country, consisting for the most part of a rich, loamy soil of alluvial formation. It is traversed by several rivers flowing from the Himalayas, which afford great advantages of irrigation and water-carriage. Its major rivers are the Kosi, the Mahananda, the Suwara Kali and the Koli. In the west the soil is thickly covered with sand deposited by changes in the course of the Kusi. Among other rivers are the Mahananda and the Panar. Its major agricultural products are jute and banana.

Economy

In 2006 the Ministry of Panchayati Raj named Purnia one of the country's 250 most backward districts (out of a total of 640).^[7] It is one of the 36 districts in Bihar currently receiving funds from the Backward Regions Grant Fund Programme (BRGF).^[7] Agricultural products include: Paddy, Maize, Pulses and Wheat. Also oil seeds. Roughly one third of the area sown is under rice (paddy). Cash crops such as vegetables and water-melons are also grown

Divisions

Purnia district has two subdivisions: Purnea and Dhumdaha and they are further composed of fourteen blocks namely East Purnea, Krityanand Nagar, Banmankhi, Kaswa, Amaur, Bainsi, Baisa, Dhamdaha, Barhara Kothi, Rupauli, Bhawanipur, Dagarua, Jalalgarh and Srinagar.

Demographics

According to the 2011 census Purnia district has a population of 3,673,127,^[8] roughly equal to the nation of Mauritania^[9] or the US state of Iowa.^[10] This gives it a ranking of 105th in India (out of a total of 640).^[8] The district has a population density of 1,014 inhabitants per square kilometre (2,630 /sq mi) .^[8] Its population growth rate over the decade 2001-2011 was 28.66 %.^[8] Purnia has a sex ratio of 930 females for every 1000 males,^[8] and a literacy rate of 64.49 %.^[8]

Culture

Shrines

The city also has the Darghah of Hazrat Mustafa Jamalul Haque Bandagi, Chimni Baza. The 'Dargah and Khanquah Alia Mustafia' is located hardly 7 km away from main city. It is also famous for spirituality, communal harmony and Suffism. Its history goes 400 years back, when Hazrat Bandagi came from Jaunpur, Uttar Pradesh visiting several Khanqahs and Dargahs from all over India such as the Pandawa Sharif, the Bihar Sharif etc. The Darghah is playing a major role to spread culture, education, kindness, secularism and spiritual spirits in the North East Bihar since its establishment. Deorhi at Garbanili (Purnea) still has the ruins of Kala Bhawan the ancient Darbar (Palace) of Raja Kalanand Singh, where his successor still lives.

References

External links

• Purnia Information Portal