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The district is the easternmost part of the State Uttar Pradesh and borders on Bihar State. It comprises an irregularly shaped tract extending westward from the confluence of the Ganga and the Ghaghra, the former separating it from Bihar in the south and the latter from Deoria and Bihar in the north and east respectively. The boundary between Ballia and Bihar is determined by the deep streams of these two rivers. It is bounded on the west by Azamgarh, on the north by Deoria, on the northeast and southeast by Bihar and on the southwest by Ghazipur. The district lies between the parallels of 25º33' and 26º11' North latitudes and 83º38' and 84º39' East longitudes. The district had an area of 3168 sq. km. on June 2000, and occupied the 51st position in the State in respect of area. Jay Prakash Narayan, Chandra Shekhar, Chittu Pandey, Mangal Pandey, Hazari Prasad Diwedi, Acharya Parushram Chaturvedi and Rajvanshi Devi all these famous personalities belonged to this district.

origin og name of destrict': - The origin of the name of the district, Ballia, has long been a matter of dispute. 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 meaningsand). location,boundaries ,area and population': -

location and boundaries': - The district is the easternmost part of the state and borders on Bihar State. It comprises an irregularly shaped tract extending westward from the confluence of the Ganga and the Ghaghra, the former separating it from Bihar in the south and the latter from Deoria and Bihar in the north and east respectively. The boundary between Ballia and Bihar is determined by the deep streams of these two rivers. It is bounded on the west by Azamgarh, on the north by Deoria, on the north-east and south-east by Bihar and on the south-west by Ghazipur. The district lies between the parallels of 25º33' and 26º11' North latitudes and 83º38' and 84º39' East longitudes.  

AREA :- According to the District Statistics Patrica, the district had an area of 3168 sq. km. on June 2000, and occupied the 51st position in the State in respect of area. POPULATION: - According to the census, the district occupied the 26th positon in the State in respect of population which was 2262273 of which 1099966 were females. The rural areas were inhabited by 2038186 persons, 993550 being females and the urban by 224087 (females being 106416) and total sc population is 332220 in the District.

HISTORRY OF DISTRICT AS ADMINISTRATIVE UNIT

The history of the district of Ballia begins with the year 1879. Asaf-ud-Daula, the nawab vizier of Avadh, made a formal cession of the sovereignty of the province of Benaras (Varanasi) to the East India Company in 1775. The tract was included in the zamindari of the raja and remained in his actual possession till 1794, when Raja Mahip Narayan Singh surrendered its control to the governor general. by the agreement of October 27 of that year In 1818 the pargana of Doaba, which had been a part of Bihia in district Shahabad of Bihar, was transferred to the revenue subdivision of Ghazipur which shortly afterwards was separated from Benaras (Varanasi) and became an independent district and then comprised the whole of Ballia also. In 1832 a redistribution of territory was made and pargana Sikandarpur and probably Bhadaon were assigned to Azamgarh and again in 1837 portions of Kopachit and Kharid were assigned to the same district For some time no further changes took place and the Ballia tahsil, comprising the Ballia, Doaba and Kharid parganas, formed a subdivisions of Ghazipur.

On November 1,1879, a new district. that of Ballia, was created by adding to the old subdivision the parganas of Lakhnesar and Kopachit from the Rasra tahsil and those of Bhadaon and Sikandarpur from tahsil Nagra of Azamgarh. These parganas constituted a new tahsil with headquarters at Rasra.

On April 10,1882 a third tahsil, Bansdih, was formed out of pargana Kharid and 225 villages of Sikandarpur, to which was given the name of Sikandarpur East. At the same time 212 villages of Kopachit were transferred to Ballia and made into the new pargana of Kopachit East. On April 1,1883, a further addition was made by uniting tappa Dhaka of paragana Zahurabad with Sikandarpur West and a year later on November 18,13 villages of Lakhnesar, lying on the right bank of the Saryu and surrounded by some villages of Ghazipur, were given back to that district. The last important change took place on March 9,1892, when 168 villages of pargana Garha, together with Saraikota of Muhammadabad, were made over to Ballia and included in the Ballia tahsil. This transfer was supplemented in July of the same year by extending the boundary of Garha so as to include the large village of Narainpur and two others. On June 9,1892 the village of Diara Khawaspur was transferred from Bhojpur in Bihar to Ballia as the Ganga had left it on the left bank and on January 9,1896, a still larger area, including the four villages of Bijapura, Sital Patti, Sheopur and Belsipah, was made over to Ballia from Bhojpur. In 1931, under the deep stream rule, 39 villages of pargana Ballia, 11 of pargana Doaba and 15 of pargana Garga lying on the banks of the Ganga were transferred from Ballia to district Bhojpur of Bihar, when 10 villages were also transferred from district Bhojpur (of Bihar) to Ballia. 
    In 1951 the village of Kondhia was transferred from tahsil Muhammadabad in the Ghazipur district to tahsil Rasra of district Ballia. A further change took place in 1970, when 31 villages were added to tahsil Bansdih from district Saran of Bihar and 14 villages were transferred from tahsil Bansdih to district Saran. At this time 64 villages of district Bhojpur and 3 villages to district Saran.

SUBDIVISIONS,TAHSILS AND THANAS

The district has six subdivisions-Rasra, Bansdih,  Ballia, Bairia, Sikanderpur, Belthra road  each forming a tahsil of the same name respectively. 

TOPOGRAPHY- The district is a level plain, intersected by numerous streams. Though there are no hills, the level surface is varied because of the high banks of the great rivers and the gentle slope from the central waster shed towards the Ganga, the Ghaghra and the Saryu. There are depressions of varying depth and extent in which the drainage water collects, prior to its draining into the main systems of the river.

THE DISTRICT CAN BE DIVIDED INTO TWO NATURAL DIVISIONS

The interior upland and the lowland tract. In area the two divisions are approximately equal. The upland has an average altitude of 64 m. above sea-level and comprises the western half of the district, including the whole of the Bhadaon. Lakhnesar and Kopachit parganas, most of Sikandarpur, the interior portion of Garha and a narrow strip of land extending eastwards into the Kharid and Ballia parganas. Here the boundary is marked roughly on the south by the railway line as far as Sahatwar and then bends back in a direction generally parallel to that of the Ghaghra, close to the town of Bansdih, from which place it curves westwards and then north to Maniar, a town standing on the band of the Ghaghra. There is a second ridge of the same nature near Qutabganj but between these two spots the bed widens out into an extensive alluvial tract. In the west of Qutabganj there is another stretch of low alluvial land. continuing as far as Bilthra, where the high bank touches the river. On the south-west the tracts that are higher terminate in the valley of the Saryu, which has a deep channel of no great width. In the interior the level is only broken by scattered depressions. The soil is for the most part a light loam with a fair admixture of sand. The proportion of sand increases on the higher ridges and the soil becomes very light, though not unfertile. In the depressions the soil is mostly clay and in these tracts paddy is the chief crop. The western portion of the upland is characterized by wide stretched of user, which is very common in the Kopachit, Lakhnesar, Bhadaon parganas and part of the Sikandarpur pargana. The lowland tract comprises the rest of the district but is far from being of a uniform character. The main distinction is between the more recent and the ancient alluvium, the former lying near the banks of the river and the latter including those land which have remained untouched for a long time and are marked by great fertility. The surface of the lowland is usually very uneven. being scored in every direction by irregular depressions marking the old courses of the rivers, some almost resembling tributary streams and others surviving as narrow lagoons. As a rule the level is about 4.5 meters below that of the upland, though it varies from place to place.

RIVER SYSTEM AND WATER RESOURCES

There are only three main rivers in the district : the Ghaghra, the Ganga and the Saryu.

RIVERS Ghaghra: - This is a great river and flows on the northern border of the district. It has its origin in the mountains of Kumaon and is formed of the combined waters of the Chauka, the Kauriala, the Rapti and other smaller streams. During the rains it swells to a great extent and as the current becomes very strong and rapid it causes much damage to the adjoining area. The course of the river is interrupted by kankar reefs at a few places such as Turtipur. Qutubganj and Ailasgarh and the variations in the channel are continuous but the greatest changes are those which occur east of Maniar. In this part of the district the whole tract south of the river is low alluvium which gets submerged during the floods. It includes all the land north of the towns of Bansdih and Reoti. The changes made by the Ghaghra are more sudden and sweeping than those of the Ganga. The Ghaghra is much more unstable, both in its action and effects. It is generally not possible to predict its course as sometimes it confines itself to a comparatively narrow bed, at others it fans out into several channels, sometimes leaves behind it fertile deposits of land and sometimes nothing but barren and sandy waste. Tributaries of Ghaghra- The Ghaghra receives very little drainage in this district and so its tributaries are insignificant. The first, the Haha or Ahar, is a small stream which joins the Ghaghra about 4.8 km. west of Turtipar after forming for a short distance the boundary between this district and that of Azamgarh. It rises in the Ratoi Tal in pargana Natthupar of Azamgharh and its effect on the drainage is very slight. Another tributary is a small stream, the Bahera, which falls into the Ghaghra near Maniar and drains part of Sikandarpur East. It is a small and unimportant stream and flows into the Mundiari Dah lake and then into the Ghaghra to the east of Maniar. Still another tributary is the Tengraha which is actually a backwater of the Ghaghra. It first leaves the Ghaghra a short distance east of Maniar and flowing through the northern pargana of Kharid in a tortuous course, into Doaba and rejoins the main river in the village of Chand Diara. Ganga- The Ganga first touches the boundary of the district in the extreme south of pargana Garha where it flows between Korantadih and Buxar, each for which stands on a high bank of Kankar formation. From there its course lies through alluvial land From Buxar eastwards its course is a succession of loops and bends. The permanent banks, which are not subject to erosion, are about 15 to 30 km. apart but between these limits the course of the river is variable. At one place it encroaches on Ballia and a little further down it sweeps round, cutting into Bhojpur and depositing tracts of new alluvium on the north. The changes are great in pargana Doaba, almost the whole of which is submerged during the rains, the silt deposited being of great fertility . In the district the river flows in a north-easterly direction as far as the town of Ballia and from there it turns towards the south-east and after flowing for some distance it turns north-east. Reaching Majhawa it again bends towards the south and after flowing some kilometers it turns east and flows into district Bhojpur (in Bihar). Saryu- The chief tributary of the Ganga in this district is the Saryu which first touches the boundary of the district in pargana Bhadaon and the for several kilometers separates Ballia from Ghazipur. Near Padhanpur it enters pargana Kopachit West, afterwards flowing in a south-easterly course through Kopachit East and pargana Ballia, and joining the Ganga near Bansthana, about 5 km. west of the town of Ballia. OTHER STRREAMS- The Mangai river unites with the Saryu with the before the latter's junction with the Ganga. It enters pargana Garha from Ghazipur, about 3 km. south of Karaon. It then continues in a north-easterly direction past Narhi and several other large villages, carrying of the drainage of the upland portion of pargana Garha. The Budhi river is another tributary of the Saryu. which joins it near Batagaon. It takes its origin in a chain of jhils (in pargana Sikandarpur West) known as Basnahi Tal. It is not a very significant stream. Another stream is the Katehar Nala which carries of the overflow from Suraha Tal into the Ganga. It leaves the lake on the eastern side and then curves to the south-west, passes to the west, passes to the west of the town of Ballia and then joins the Ganga. Lakes :- Surha Tal- The most important lake in the district is the great Suraha Tal which covers a large area. Its circumference is about 25.6 km. In the deeper parts of the lake, large quantities of the weed called siwar are grown. It is drained or filled by the Katehar which connects it with the Ganga. It also receives a large amount of drainage from teh adjoining area. Two small channels on the west one of which follows the boundary of the Ballia and Kharid parganas and the other known as the Garari, which flows somewhat to the north, drainage a portion of kharid and Kopachit East, pour their water into this lake. Other Lakes- Among other lakes the largest is the Mundiari Dah, which lies between Maniar and Mansdih. It is of a narrow, semi-circular shape, its overflow passing into the Ghaghra. At times the lake is liable to be inundated by the flood water pouring into it from the north. Reoti Dah, which lies to the west of the town of that name, also pours its water into the Ghaghra. A third lake in the Ghaghra lowlands is that of Sikandarpur, a short distance west of the town. In tahsil Ballia there is Kawal Dah to the north-east of the district headquarters. Tahsil Rasra possesses several lakes such as Garha Tal near Ratanpura and Intaura in pargana Bhadaon, about 5 km. to the west. Others are Taliji Tal to the south of Rasra, Goka Tal, a short distance north of Ratanpura, and an extensive lake near Haldi in the north of the tahsil. GEOLOGY- The geology of the district exposes nothing except the ordinary Gangetic alluvium. The mineral products are few being confined to the saline earth from which saltpeter and salt are produced and to the limestone conglomerate known as kankat. Saltpeter is found in the Rasra tahsil, though patches are also found elsewhere Kankar is found in all parts of the district except in Doaba and the lower tracts of pargana Ballia. At some places it is found in masse on the surface, at others at a considerable depth and at some places it exits as a solid and com pact mass but usually it occurs in small nodules, Often it takes the from of block kankar and in this shape it is quarried at Sahachaur on the road from Phephna to Rasra. It is used for road metal, for concrete and for producing lime. SEISMOLOGY- Ballia is situated in the area where earthquakes of slight to moderate intensity have been experienced in the past. The earthquakes which have affected the area are the Rewa earthquake of 1927 and the Bihar-Nepal earthquake of 1934, the maximum intensity experienced during the latter being VII of the Modified Marcally (MM;) SCALE (1931). The occurrence of earthquakes in Ballia district is attributed to various geological and tectonic faults such as the great Himalayan boundary fault, the Vindhyan fault and the Patna fault. In the seismic zoning map of India, Ballia lies in zone III which corresponds to the seismic intensity of VII MM. FLORA:- There are no forests in the district but along the great rivers there are numerous expanses of sandy ground covered with jhau or tamarisk which afford cover to wide pig and other animals. A few patches of dhak (Butea monosperma) are also round in the interior of the district. The other trees which are commonly found in the district are bargad (Ficus bengalensis), mahua(Madhuka indika), neem (Azadirachta indica), pipal (Ficus religosa), bahera (Terminalia bellirica), barhal (Artocarpus lakoocha),bel (Aegle marmelos), gular (Fidcus glomerata), jamua (Syzygiumcumini), aonla (Emblidca officinalis), kathal or jack-fruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus) and shisham (Dalbergia sissoo). The tar or toddy palm is abundant, especially in the western parganas.

FUNA:- Not being endowed with forests, the variety and number of wild animals is limited. The fox (Vulpus bengalensis) and jackal (Canis aurcus) are common. Wide pig (Sus secrofa) is found in the lowlands of the Ganga and Ghaghra and black buck (Antelope carricapra) in the patches of trees found along the banks of the Ganga, particularly in pargana Doaba. The nilgai (blue bull) (Boselaphus tragocamelus) is found in most parts of the district. Birds- A variety of birds is found in the district. The most common among the game birds is the partridge (Francolines podicerionus) which occurs everywhere and is locally known as titar. Other types of partridge, such as kala titar (or black titar) are rare. Among the quails the most common are the bater (Coturnix communis) and the lava (Perdicula asiatica) which are usually found in bushes. Other birds found in the district are kabutar or pigeon (Columbia livia), fakhta or dove (Streptopelia decaoctor), pakia or turtle dove (Streptopelia chinesis), harial (Streptopelia senegalensis), peacock (Pavo cristatus), snipe or chaha (Capilla gallinago), lal sir (Netta rufina), white eyed pochard or khanjan (Aythya rufa), nil sir (Anasplaty rhynchos), seekhpar (Anas adcuta) and jal murgi (Amaurornis phoeonicusns). Reptiles- Different varieties of snakes and other reptiles are found everywhere in the district especially in the rural areas. Some snakes are deadly, such as the cobra (styas mucosus) but the maiority is nonpoisonous. The other reptiles found in the district are the crocodile (Crocodilus palustris), monitar lizard (Varanus monitos) and python (Python molurus). Fish- Fish are found in the rivers, lakes and ponds of the district, the species commonly found being rohu (Labeo rohita). karounch (Labeo calbasu), bata (Lubeo bata), khursa (Labeo gonius), bhakur (Catla catla). nain (Crirrihina mirgala). raiya (Cirrihina rebe), darhi (Barbus sarana), putia (Barbrbus stigma), parham (Wallagonia attu), tengra (Mystus aor), tingan (Mystus vutatus), chengna (Ophicephalus straitus), girai (Ophicephalus gachuwa), batra (Notopeternus notopeternus), moi (Notopeternus chitla), mangur (Clarious mangur), singhi (Heterepneustes fossils), chelwa (Chela bacaila). belgagra (Rita rita) and conch (Bagarious bagarious). Game Laws. - The game laws applicable to the district were governed by the Wild Birds and Animals Protection (U.P. Amendment) Act, 1934, replaced by the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972, which has made game laws more stringent in order to conserve wild life and prevent the extinction of certain species.

The wolf (Canis lupus), crocodile, gharial (Gavialis gangeticus) and peafowl have been declared protected species and certain restrictions have been placed on the shooting of wild pig. nilgai and certain other species. The punishment for infringement of the laws has been made more deterrent CLIMATE:- The climate of the district is moist and relaxing except in the summer and cold seasons. The year may be divided into four seasons: the cold, which lasts from about the latter half of November to February: the hot, from March to about the middle of June; the south-west monsoon season, which constitutes the period from about the middle of June to the end of September: and the post-monsoon or transitional season which covers October and the first half of November. RAINFALL - Records of rainfall in the district are available for four stations for fairly long periods. The details of the rainfall at these stations for the district as a whole are given in Statement I which appears at the end of the chapter. The average annual rainfall in the district is 1,013.1 mm. (39.89"). About 88 per cent of the annual rainfall is received during the south-west monsoon months (June to September), August being the rainiest month. Except for the area around Sikandarpur, which gets less rainfall, the variation in the rainfall from place to place in the district is not much nor is the variation from year to year large.

In the fifty-year period from 1901 to 1950, the highest annual rainfall, amounting to 154 per cent of the normal, occurred in 1911, 1932 being the year with the lowest annual rainfall which was 66 per cent of the normal. In this fifty-year period the annual rainfall was less than 80 per cent of the normal in four years, two of then being consecutive. Considering the rainfall at individual stations, two consecutive years of such low rainfall occurred twice at two of the four stations. The annual rainfall in the district was between 800 and 1,300 mm. (31.50" and 51.18") in 43 years out of the 50 mentioned above.

   On an average there are 50 rainy days (days with rainfall of 2.5 mm. or more) in a year in the district. The number of rainy days is lowest in and around Sikandarpur but does not vary much in the rest of the district. 

Temperature and Humidity - Ballia is the only place in the district where there is an observatory and meteorological records are available for only a short period for this station. The description which follows is based on these records supplemented by the records of observatories in the neighboring districts which have a similar climate. After February there is a steady increase in temperatures. May is generally the hottest month with the mean daily maximum temperature at 41.8ºC. (107.2ºF.) and the mean daily minimum at 25.4º C. (77.7º F.). On individual days the maximum temperature may reach over 47º C. With the onset of the monsoon in the district by about the middle of June, there is an appreciable drop in day temperatures but nights continue to be as warm as during the latter part of the summer. After the withdrawal of the monsoon early in October, temperatures begin to decrease, the drop being more rapid after October. January is usually the coldest month with the mean daily maximum, temperature dropping to 23.9º C. (75.0º F.) and the mean daily minimum to about 9.9º C. (49.8º F.). During the cols season, in association with passing western disturbances, cold waves affect the district and on such occasions the minimum temperature drops to 2º C. (35.6º F.).

   The maximum temperature recorded at Ballia was 47.5º C. (117.5º F.) on June 9,1966. The minimum was 1.6º C. (34.9ºF.) on January 27,1964. 
   The relative humidity is generally high during the south-west monsoon season, being 70 per cent. The relative humidity then starts decreasing. The driest part of the afternoon is less than 30 per cent.      
   The heaviest rainfall in 24 hours recorded at any station in the distinct was 320.0 mm. (12.60")at Rasra on October 3,1884. 

CLOUDINESS - During the monsoon months and for brief spells of a day or two in association with passing western disturbances, skies are generally heavily clouded or overcast. Cloudiness decreases during the post-monsoon months. During the rest of the year skies are mostly clear or lightly clouded. Winds - Winds are generally light with some increase in force during the latter part of the summer and early part of the monsoon season. During the non-monsoon months, winds are mostly from directions between south-west and south-east begin to below and these predominate in the south-west monsoon season. On some days during the mansoon season winds blow from the west or south-west. The average annual wind speed is about 4.0 km. per hour, the maximum being 7.2 km. per hour in May and the minimum 1.6 km. per hour in November. SPECIAL WEATER PHENOMENA - Some of the monsoon depressions from the Bay of Bengal move in a westerly to north-westerly direction and affect the weather of district causing widespread heavy rain and gusty winds. Dust storms and thunderstorms occur during the summer season. Rain in the monsoon season is often associated with thunder. Fog occurs at times during the early part of the cold season.

MODERN PERIOD

The administrative divisions of Akbar's days remained practically unchanged for 15 years or so after Aurangzeb's in 1707. Soon after this the grip of the central and provincial governments in this part of the empire gradually leading to the local Rajput zamindars becoming practically independent. Taking advantage of the chaos, Kunwar Dhir Singh, turbulent Rajput chief of Shahabad (in the State of Bihar) set out with a small force and took possession of a large tract along the banks of the Ghaghra and extended his conquests as far west as Sagri (in Azamgarh). His activities soon attracted the attention of Sarbuland Khan, the governor of Allahabad, who in 1715, aided by he raja of Azamgarh, drove Dhir Singh out almost to Padrauna (in district Deoria where he was killed). When Muhammad Shah became emperor in 1719, he gave Muriaza Khan (one of his courtiers) the bulk if the tract covering the present district of Ballia in jagir together with the rest of the sirkars of Jaunpur and Ghazipur as well as those of Varanasi (Banaras) and Chunar. Murtaza Khan entrusted the management of the these territories to Rustam Ali Khan (a relative) for consideration of five lakhs of rupees annually, the latter having the right to retain the surplus for himself.

As he could not realize the revenue from most of the zamindars, about 1728 Murtaza Khan leased the jagir to Saadat Khan (the nawab of Avadh) for an annual sum of seven lakhs of rupees, who allowed Rustam Ali Khan to continue to manage the estate for eight lakhs of rupees annually. From that time Ballia ceased to be subject directly to the imperial administration and its virtual ruler became the nawab of Avadh. Rustam Ali Khan experienced considerable difficulty in reducing the turbulent Rajputs of the Ballia region to order and in realizing revenue from them. He, therefore, set up a large entrenched camp on the banks of the Saryu in pargana Kopachit East, close to the village of Dumre from where he marched against the Rajput chieftains of Sukhpura in pargana Kharid, who were killed in a pitched battle in village Garwar (in tahsil Ballia). From their skulls, Rustam Ali khan constructed a pyramid which, it is said, now forms an elevated mound in Garwar. He continued in charge till 1738, when he was replaced by Mansa Ram, one of his deputies, a Gautam Bhuinhar zamindar of Gangapur in Varanasi. Mansa Ram secured for himself but in the name of his son, Balwant Singh, the office of nazim of the sirkars of Jaunpur, Varanasi and Chunar. Mansa Ram died within a year and was succeeded by his son Balwant Singh who made over the remaining sirkar of Ghazipur to Sheikh Abdullah (a zamindar of Ghazipur who earned the favour of Saadat Khan, the nawab of Avadh) on an annual rent of three lacks of rupees. 

Sheikh Abdullah died in 1744 leaving four sons, of whom the eldest, Fazl Ali, and youngest, Karam Ullah, had a tussle over the sirkar of Ghazipur and sometimes the former gained charge of it and sometimes the latter. The tussle continued till the death of Karam Ullah in 1748. The sirkar of Ghazipur remained under the charge of Fazl Ali until his expulsion in 1757 for oppression and misconduct and the sirkar of Ghazipur was re-annexed to the other three sirkars and placed under Balwant Singh's management. From this time Ballia formed part of the territories held by Balwant Singh (who became raja of Varanasi) as a feudatory of Shuja-uddaula, the nawab vizier of Avadh. Balwant Singh adopted the policy of destroying the power of the local chieftains. His chief victim in this district was Bhuabal Deo of Haldi, who lost the whole of pargana Ballia. The entire Ballia region (with the exception of pargana Doaba) was placed in the charge of amils, Mir Sharif Ali obtaining Ballia and Kharid; Lakhnesar and Kopachit being given to Balam Das; Shikandarpur to Mudaffar Khan; and Garha and several of the Ghazipur parganas to Bhaiya Ram. On several occasions the local chieftains offered resistance to Baiwant Singh but in only one instance were their efforts successful. This exception was provided by the Sengars of pargana Lakhnesar, who not only treated his demands with contempt but adopted an attitude of open hostility.

Not content with the refusal to pay revenue, they attacked and pillaged his treasuries so that eventually, in 1764, he was compelled to proceed against them in person with a large force. Rasra (in pargana Lakhnesar) was then most inaccessible by reason of the jungle which surrounded it and because the houses the Sengar chieftains were all built with a view to defence. After two day's conflict in which hundreds of lives were lost, Balwant Singh's troops managed to set Rasra on fire, forcing the Sengars to withdraw; but so obstinate was their resistance that Balwant Singh had to enter a compromise, the Sengars being left in possession of their estates at a low but fixed revenue. Balwant Singh was the best administrator that the people of the region had known although his administration was constantly hampered by the strained relations existing between him and Shuja-ud-daula. In spite of his unwillingness, Balwant Singh was compelled to Join Shuja-ud-daula, the emperor, shah Alam, and Mir Kasim in the battle of Buxar which was fought in 1764 against the British. After the defeat of the combined armies, Shah Alam entered into a treaty with the victorious British at Varanasi on December 29,1764, whereby the province of Varanasi, including Ballia, was transferred to the East India Company. On August 12,1765, pargana Doaba (which was then included in the sirkar of Rohtas in the subah of Bihar) came into the possession of the British when the East India Company obtained the grant of the diwani of the provinces of Bihar. Bengal and Orissa. In 1765, the court of directors in England refused to ratify the treaty on December 29,1764, and it was replaced by the treaty of Allahabad (signed on August 16,1765) by which Shuja-ud-daula agreed to restore to Balwant Singh the province of Varanasi so long as he continued to pay the revenue. In spite of the repeated efforts of Shuja-ud-daula to break this engagement, Balwant Singh retained his estate till his death on August 23,1770. He was succeeded by his son, Chait Singh, who continued to govern this tract on the lines laid down by his father. The parganas were leased to amils (petty revenue officials) who were the actual administrators and were responsible only to Chait Singh for the revenue. The parganas of Ballia, Kharid, Sikandarpur, Kopachit and Lakhnesar were then held by Mir Sharif Ali and pargana Garha by Bakht Singh (a relative of Chait Singh). On January 26,1775, Shuja-ud-daula died and was succeeded by his son, Asaf-ud-daula, who was transferred to the East India Company the sovereignty of the district (including Ballia) dependent on Chait Singh under the treaty Signed at Lucknow on May 21,1775. The administrative powers of Chait Singh remained more or less unchanged. In the beginning warren hastings (the governor-general) took keen interest in the affairs of Chait Singh but subsequently strained relations arose between them Hastings asked Chait Singh to pay five lakhs of rupees as an extraordinary subsidy to meet the expenses of the East India Company's army. Chait Singh paid the sum, though with great reluctance, when the demand was repeated and he tried to avoid paying it, Hastings realized the money with the help of the army. Chait Singh now tried to exterminate the power of the British who, when they came to know of this, called in the army from Patna to chastise Chait Singh. He was ultimately deposed in 1781 and was succeeded by Balwant Singh's young grandson, Mahip Narain Singh, a nonentity, the police and judicial administration for all practical purposes passing into the hands of the East India Company though the revenue was still nominally under his supervision. The old system of amils continued to be maintained in its entreaty and the amils were allowed to exact from the cultivators whatever they could collect or extort. Hastings failed to set the affairs of Ballia on a firm basis. He gave jagirs in Ballia to his favorites and to subordinate officials. Thus his private secretary, Kishan Kanth Nandi (popularly known as Kantu Babu) was granted an estate in 1785 comprising the talukas of Hathaunj and Mundiari in pargana Kharid and of Duha Behra in pargana Sikandarpur. Another rent-free estate, known as the Sonwani jagir which comprised 14 villages in pargana Ballia, was conferred by Hastings on his munshi, Shariat Ullah Khan. The maladministration was aggravated by the conduct of the earlier Residents who were political agents appointed by the East India Company for governing their jurisdictions, particularly the notorious Francis Fowke, who imposed several new and illegal cusses for his own benefit. Such was the state of this region when Jonathan Duncan was appointed Resident at Varanasi by (Lord) Cornwallis in July, 1787. In spite of the reformation introduced by Duncan with regard to the settlement of the land revenue and in many other directions, he soon realized that the raja was unfit for the administration of the area. Therefore, in 1794 an agreement was made separating the territories immediately under the British from the raja's family domains. This step was adopted owing to the disorganized state of the region. Continued famines had caused great distress and thrown wide areas out of cultivation and lawlessness was rife in every direction. Of this Ballia afforded several striking examples. In 1789 about 200 Dusadhs from Ballia had attacked and looted the town of Gaya (in Bihar). These Dusadhs were protected by the zamindars because they received a yearly tribute from them for providing them with a refuge in their villages. Occasionally the zamindars themselves followed in the water of these looters and during Duncan's time some traveling merchants were murdered at Maniar (in tahsil Bansdih) and their money divided among the village owners. About this time Jagannath Sing ,the chief of the Bais of Sikandarpur (in tahsil) was wandering about the country with a band of armed followers and levying exactions on the villagers. He had been deprived of his estate by the raja of varanasi . Jagnnath Sing was arrested under Ducan's orders and sent to varanasi but was released at the instance of the Sengars of Lakhnesar (in tahsil Rasra ). The Sengars were considered to be the most independent and turbulent of all the subjects of the East India Company and in 1793 they attacked Duncan's bodyguard when he visited pargana Lakhnesar but Duncan condoned the offence. Duncan endeavored to induce Jagnnath Singh to adopt a peaceful way of living and the eventually demanded the restoration of the entire Sikandarpur pargana. this proved too much for the Sengars who arrested him to Varanasi . there he was again released, this time on the security of the Kausiks (a Rajput clan) of Cithara gagon (in tahsil Ballia); but he became hostile. defied the authority of the British and committed robberies, arson and murder in every direction. Troops were, therefore, sent against him on several occasions but on their approach he invariably retired across the Ghaghra so that in 1795 it became necessary to keep a military force permanently stationed in Ballia . A reward of Rs. 10,000 was offered for his arrest but it was not till 1800 that he was surprised by a party of cavalry when hiding in a jungle some distance from his fort . he was then sentenced to a long term of imprisonment and obtained his release only in 1816 . he was given a pension of Rs. 60 per month and in 1822 (Lord ) Amherst generously restored to him the taluka of parsia .

In 1818 the present pargana of Doaba, which had been a part of Bihia in Shahabad (in Bihar ) was transferred to the revenue subdivision of Ghazipur, which shortly afterwards was separated from Varanasi and became an independent district comprising not only the district of Ghazipur but also the whole of Ballia . In 1832 a redistribution of territory was effected and parganas Sikandarpur and Bhadaon were assigned to Azamgarh . In 1837 pargana Kopachit was also added to Azamgarh . the tahsil of Ballia comprising the parganas of Ballia, Doaba and Kharid, formed a subdivision of the Ghazipur district. In may, 1857 the news of the out break of the freedom struggle at Meerut did not perturb the ghazipur authorities. On June 3, the struggle broke out at Azamgarh and on the same day Ballia rapidly fell in to a disorganized state and general anarchy prevailed there for as time. the landholders whose rights had passed in to the hands of auction purchasers, every where, every where attempted to regain their ancestral holdings. The same day some spays rioted at the time of the dispatch of the treasury to Varanasi and killed an Englishman. The freedom fighters broke open the jail at Sikandarpur (in tahsil Bansdih) and set the prisoners free. They also looted and destroyed the bungalows of the officials and the courts and government offices. The police were helpless and though martial law was proclaimed, it could not be enforced till the arrival of a hundred soldiers from Varanasi. Their presence restored some order but the roads were no longer safe and the turbulent Rajputs of Pargana Ballia could not be controlled. On July 18, the British regained Azamgarh but they son found their position untenable and were compelled to retire with the result that the entire district of Azamgarh was abandoned except for tahsil Nagra (now included in Ballia district). For several months Ballia remained comparatively quiet but the condition of affairs underwent a complete change in March, 1858. The bulk of the British army was then concentrated at Lucknow and all the eastern districts of the State were almost denuded of troops. The opportunity was at once taken advantage of by Kunwar Singh (the famous freedom fighter of Ballia), who crossed the Ganga and marched through Ballia into Azamgarh where he was joined by a large number of freedom fighters. On April 15,1858, he besieged the British troops in Aamgarh but, realizing that he had no hope against the British forces, he left Azamgarh. Though he retreated, he was not defeated his troops retired in good order to Natthupur near the wastern boundary of Ballia district. He was followed by (Brigadier) who reached Natthupur on April 16 and the next day came up with the retiring force at Naghai. At Naghai, Kunwar Singh displayed tactical ability, for while he kept Douglas at bay he secured two lines of retreat for his main column. Naghai seems to have been a place very near Nagra, as the pursuit was taken up again on the following day (April 18) as far as Nagra (in tahsil Bansdih). From Nagra, Kunwar Singh marched to Sikandarpur and from there pushed on to Maniar (in tahsil Bansdih) on April 20. Robert Davies, the officiating magistrate of Azamgarh, wrote to Gubbins, the commissioner of the 5th Division, Varansi, that at Maniar, Kunwar Singh “four himself amongst friends, and the wants of his troops were voluntarily supplied by the villagers who were almost universally in his favour. Through their collusion, our spies were seized and detained and our information delayed.” On the morning of April 21, Douglas, who was encamped at Bansdih, made a surprise attack on Kunwar Singh's troops at Mamiar. The latter dispersed in different direction but re-assembled by evening at Santiwar, as place surrounded by a very thick wood and proceeded during the night to the river at Sheopur Gha, about 16 km. below Ballia. In spite of sustaining personal physical injuries, Kunwar Singh, with a large body of sepoys, crossed the Ganga at Sheopur Ghat that night baffling Douglas, outwitting Cumberlege, the colonel, who with two regiments of Madras cavalry had been dispatched to intercept Kunwar Singh's movements and notwithstanding the various precautionary steps taken by the Company's officers. Thus this gallant fighter retreated through Ballia to Bihar. Referring to his retreat Hall, (a contemporary English writer) observers, “Even his opponents speak of his masterly retreat across the Ganges, when closely pursued by the force under Sir E. Lugard, with respect.” By April 22,1858, Kunwar Singh came back to Jagdishpur (in Bihar) with about 1,000 followers, strongly determined to continue fighting the British though he had lost one arm and was wounded in his thigh. His retreat from the Ballia region did not break the will of the freedom fighters, most of whom had their homes in Ballia. As Douglas was away from Ballia in pursuit, there were no troops available to maintain order, with the exception of the somewhat inactive column under Cumberlege, who was not able to hold Ballia. The result was that Ballia passed into the hands of the freedom fighters. In the middle of May, 1858, Probyn (who was in charge of Ballia) succeeded in persuading in persuading Cumberlege to attack the Kausiks of Baragaon without waiting for a siege train. When at length the force arrived, Baragaon was found empty and after destroying the more prominent freedom fighters, the British troops returned to Ghazipur. Matters continued in the same state till July, 1858, when British forces again marched out to Ballia. The freedom fighters had destroyed a bridge on the road but the British managed to reach Ballia which was occupied by occupied by Sikh troops under them. The remainder of the British troops marched to Bairia (a town in tahsil Ballia) where they were besieged for several days by a large number of freedom fighters. When the Baritish forces reached Bairia, the Indian sepoys moved towards Ballia with the intention of capturing the town but their attack was unsuccessful and they were defeated. From that tie Ballia gradually settled down though it continued to remain hostile to the British till the advent of winter, when Douglas finally defeated the freedom fighters. In the later half of the 19th century, men like Dadabhai Naoroji, S.N.Banerji, G.K.Tilak and Madan Mohan Malaviya made a deep impression not only on all classes of Indians but even on Englishmen and foreigners as visible embodiments of the intellectual and cultural glory of India. Ballia could not remain untouched by these national leaders. In 1908, the district came into prominence as a center of nationalist activities. In that year government prosecuted B.G.Tilak for his patriotic and nationalists writings which were pronounced to be seditious and he was sentenced to six years' transportation and a fine of Rs.1,000. The news led to the closing of shops and to strikes by students is Ballia. When it was rumored that Tilak was released by the government, the students of the government school, took out a large procession celebration the release. When the precisionists reached the kutchery, the police made a brutal lathi charge, maiming many students. About 25 were expelled from school and many willingly gave up their studies and continued their political activities with vigour. An Besant's Home Rule movements of 1916 was also supported by the people of the district . In 1917, when the government of Madras issued orders for the internment of Annie Besant (the organizer of the movement), a storm of indignation swept over Ballia. Protest meetings were held all over the district and many persons joined the movement and at least five persons were arrested in this connection. The infamous Rowlatt Act of 1919, which aimed at drastically curtailing the liberties of the people by giving government unlimited powers to arrest them without a warrant and to detain them without trial, gave vent to feelings of beep resentment and raised a storm of protest all over the district. Mahatma Gandhi's appeal for a complete nationwide hartal in protest against this enactment met with instant response from the people of Ballia who observed a national week from April 6 to April 13 by holding meeting at which resolutions were adopted condemning the Act. At many place business remained suspended for some days. This agitation led to the realization that people had to be properly organized and, as a result, a district Indian National Congress Committee was formed. In 1921, Mahatma Gandhi launched his famous non-co-operation movement and it received enthusiastic response from all sections of the people in the district where a special force of 2,6000 volunteers was also raised for implementing this programme. Ballia subscribed a sum of Rs.13,000 to the Tilak Memorial Swaraj Fund.

Night patrolling by volunteers was introduced to win over the sympathy of the people to the movement, Meetings were organized in every corner of the district and large processions were taken out in Ballia, Sahatwar, Rasra, Dumria and Nagra Liquor shops were picketed and tar (palm) trees (from the juice of which arrack in made) were cut down by the score. British goods were boycotted and foreign goods burnt in public. Khadi and the Gandhi cap became the fashion of the day. Law courts and government offices were also boycotted and normal studies in educational institutions were seriously disrupted left their classes to take part in meetings and processional. Such was the enthusiasm of the people for the movement that many foreign cloth merchants in Ballia and a ganja seller in Rasra willingly burnt their stocks publicly. Alarmed at the mass enthusiasm for the movement, the government reported to ruthless measures to curb it. Meetings and processions were broken up by force and defenseless and unarmed demonstrators were subjected to brutal lathi charges and wholesale arrests not only of Congress volunteers but of even those remotely suspected of national sympathy, were made. Mahatma Gandhi suspended the movement in 1922 as the result of the Chauri Chaura (in district Gorakhpur) incident.But the movement roused the consciousness of the people against alien rule and gave them new confidence and courage to fight the battle for freedom.

On April 4,1922, Janwaharlal Nahru visited Ballia and addressed a meeting of about 3,000 persons. On June 21 and 22, Motilal Nehru and Madan Mohan Malaviya arrived and addressed meetings at Rasra and Ballia. At both the places they were given rousing receptions. They appealed for the promotion of swadeshi particularly the revival of hand spinning and hand weaving and hand weaving, removal of untouchability among the Hindus, promotion of Hindu-Muslim unity and prohibition of the use of alcoholic drinks. Their appeals were crowned with signal success and also led to the establishment of the national school at Bansdih where the pattern of studies followed Mahatma Gandhi's curriculum for national schools. The use of khadi was popularized by distributing spinning wheels in the rural areas of the district. In 1923, Jawaharlal Nehru came to the district again and addressed a large gathering in Ballia. He condemned Mahatms Gandhi's arrest and imprisonment (he was tried at Ahamedabad on March 18,1922, and sentenced to six years' imprisonment) and the district on March 18,1923. That same year some volunteers of the district participated in the Nagpur Jhandha Satyagraha which was directed against the promulgation of Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure against a procession carrying the national flag which was taken out at Nagpur in May 1, the participants in which were arrested and prosecuted. In 1925 the national leaders, Purushottam Das Tandon and Jawaharlal Nehru, visited the district and attended the inauguration of the Gandhi Ashram at Milki. The year 1925 was marked by the visit of Mahatma Gandhi to Ballia. He given a rousing reception by all sections of the people. On October 16, he also addressed a largely attended meeting at the Mahant school grounds. He recalled the district's enthusiastic participation during the non-co-operation movement and applauded its people. In 1928, when the Simon Commission visited India, it was subjected to boycott all over the country. In Ballia all the schools run by the district board (Zila Parishad) were closed and a complete hartal was observed. Protest and demonstrations were also organized. Placards and banners with the words, “Simon, go back,” were displayed and black flags were waved. January 26, 1930, was declared to be Independence Day and thousand in Ballia, as every where else in India. repeated the solemn and inspiring pledge, “We believe that it is the inalienable right of the Indian people to have freedom. We believe, therefore, that Indian must sever the British connection and attain purna (complete) swaraj ”. A procession carrying the tricolour paraded the streets of Ballia. The civil disobedience movement was launched in 1930 and Ballia played an important role in the movement. Large numbers of volunteers were enlisted not only from the town of Ballia but also from the remotest villages to organize the movement of which the salt satyagraha was an integral part. On April 12,1930 the salt law was broken and salt law was broken and salt was manufactured publicly at Ballia, the salt so manufactured being auctioned and the highest bid of Rs.20 being made by a government pleader. This was followed by the manufacture of salt at Reoti, Rasra and Bansdih. In its endeavour to suppress the movement, the government adopted repressive measures, Numerous arrests were made, lathi charges were resorted to and indignities were heaped on the freedom fighters. The Indian National Congress was banned. its offices were sealed and the tricolour torn and dishonoured. But the people kept up their non-violent struggle and the picketing of liquor, foreign cloth shops and schools and government offices continued. O n July 1, 1930, a batch volunteers went the court at Ballia. The police was called in and 19 Augusts were made. In 1931, the civil disobedience movement was temporarily suspended in view of the sitting of the round table conference (in London) but on its failure a hartal was observed in Ballia. The government promulgated Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure. What unnerved the government most was the fact that after their release the political prisoners courted arrest repeatedly and defied the law in Ballia, Rasra, Bansdih, Sikandarpur and Sahatwar. Nearly all the prominent local leaders were put behind the bars.

The governor of U.P. was shown the tricolour on his arrival in Ballia and was greeted with shouts of " Governor, go back". The four leaders who shouted this slogan were taken into custody and dragged to the jail where they were beaten mercilessly. The police combed the district to hunt out political persons and arrested any it pleased on mere suspicion or whim or even to pay off old scores. But the movement continued till 1934. Under the Government of India Act of 1935, the Indian National Congress decided to contest the elections for the Provincial Assembly and both the seats allotted to the district were assembled, Rafi Ahmad Kidwai and Sampurnanand urged the support of the Congress. In the individual satyagraha movement of 1940-41, scores of persons in the district courted arrest. The people of Ballia successfully carried into effect the Quit India movement of August 9,1942. The news of the arrest of the Congress leaders at Bombay reached Ballia the same day. The next day all the schools in Ballia were closed and the students went round in batches shouting patriotic slogans. On August 11, the people and the students took out a procession which ended in a meeting at which the leader called upon the people to accept the challenge of the government and the leader was arrested. On August 12, a students' procession was taken out to demand the closure of the courts. This was stopped by 100 armed constables and in the ensuing lathi charge many were badly wounded. The same day, in a speech in he British Parliament, the Secretary of state for India alleged that the Congress programmes included action like a general strike in industry and trade, the paralysing of the administration and the courts, cutting of telegraph and telephone wires and boycotting army recruitment centres. This speech triggered off further anti-British action and on August 13, the Bilthara Road railway station was attacked and the building was burnt. The currency notes found in the safes were not looted but were burnt. The water pump and the water tank were also smashed. A goods train was looted and the engine was smashed and seed stores, police-stations and post-offices were attacked. On August 16, the Rasra treasury was attacked and two days later the police-station at Bairia was reattacked as the station officer had removed the tricolour which the freedom fighters planted there on August 15, after gaining control of the place. The infuriated mob, numbering about 25,000, raided the police-station and numerous attempts were made to rehoist the flag. Men and women of all ages as well as children took active part in the raid, as in other parts of the district, without fearing reprisal by bullets. The police responded with a volley of shots resulting in the death of at least 20 and injuring about a hundred. A young man of 20 reaching his goal to plant the tricolour, was hit by four bullets and died on the spot. Dharam Das Misra (a local leader) and a boy of 12 years also dropped dead instantaneously while trying to hoist the flag on the police-station. The police kept up the firing for about six hours from about 14 hours. Undeterred by the firing, the deaths and the injuries, people maintained pressure to gain control of the police-station as they were determined to capture the police officer and others responsible for the firing but at dead of night, when it was raining, the police staff slipped away, and the thana was captured the next morning.By this time the freedom fighters had gained control of many other places in the district including the tahsil headquarters of Bansdih, the police-station and the seed store. The indiscriminate firing at the Bairia police-station and at other places compelled the people to take up arms, ignoring altogether the spirit of non-violence which had been their guiding principle till then. The district administrators had become nervous as the district was fast going out of their control and as al their talks of arriving at a compromise with the leaders of the freedom fighters in jail had failed as the latter wanted that the officers of the district administration serve faithfully under local Panchayati government after handing over the charge of the district administration to them. To this the district magistrate is reported to have said that in that event they would be hanged and he would be sacked. On August 19, about 50,000 persons armed with guns, lathies, spears, etc., proceeded towards the jail to free their leaders and other participants.

When the (Indian) district magistrate learnt that the people were approaching in thousands to free their comrades in order to attack the government offices and to loot the treasury, he went to the leaders in jail and met Chittu Pandey, a local leader, and others and offered to release them provided they pacified the crowd. But as the leaders did not agree. he suggested that they should at least take the responsibility of seeing that no harm reached the treasury, the prison and government property. As no guarantee was given to him, he had no option but to release the freedom fighters in the faint hope of saving the treasury and other government property. Before their release they assured him that efforts would be made to maintain peace as far as possible. This not only marked the first victory of the freedom struggle but was a symbol in this small and economically backward district of Ballia of the downfall of the British raj. After their release, the leaders addressed a mammoth meeting at the town hal when Chittu Pandey exhorted the people not to indulge in sabotage or similar activities. But there was a difference of opinion and many opposed this point of view as they had witnessed the brutal killing of their companions and their feelings had been roused vehemently, so sabotage activities continued. A police officer who had the students beaten was caught and belaboured. The residences of government officers and non-officials who had given support to the government were sacked. Shops selling foreign cloth and liquor were attacked. The district magistrate, who was by now certain that the treasury would be looted, directed a deputy collector to burn the currency notes after noting down their numbers. These instructions were carried out but lakhs of rupees were pocketed by the police in the process. On August 20, a police van went round the town firing at passers by indiscriminately contrary to the assurance given to the leaders. In the absence of any planned program, many administrative centres remained to be captured, but they had already ceased to function properly. The freedom fighters constituted separate panchayats for different localities for carrying on the civil administration and Congress volunteers were appointed for the defence of the city, By now the people had acquired complete control of the city so much so much so that they declared 'Independence' for Ballia on August 20, 1942, and a popular government was formed with Chittu Pandey as its first head. According to a government report, seven out of ten police-stations of the district were in the hands of the freedom fighters and Congress raj had been proclaimed.On August 22,1942, Chittu Pandey called a meeting to which he invited the district magistrate who did not appear but sent a notice to be read out at the meeting to the effect that anybody who spread terrorism in the district would be arrested. During the night of August 22-23, military forces entered Ballia and popular government was overthrown.

Then the horrors of the British police and military were let loose upon the people of Ballia, signalized by and orgy of loot and plunder, rape and ravage, beating and shooting, firing and burning.All leaders of the revolution, young and old, were arrested, beaten and tortured. The houses of all those who had helped or were supposed to have helped the fighters, were burnt down. The leaders were made to climb trees and were bayoneted. People arbitrarily imposed and fantastically large amounts were collected. People arrested were first mercilessly beaten, then kept in the lockup and starved. Those prisoners who refused to answer questions were suspended by their legs. More painful and inhuman tortures were inflicted on 'dangerous' prisoners which have few parallels in modern history. The prisons were so crowded with political prisoners that there was not even any space for sitting nor were they provided with any bedding or given other facilities. Instead of the usual jail utensils they were given earthen bowls and once a day were given chapattis made from chaff which caused dysentery. Many contracted diseases by the time they were released but when the Congress was in power in Ballia, government officers were well treated.Between August 1942 and 1944, no one in Ballia dared to were the Gandhi cap as those found wearing it even as a matter of habit, were shot dead. So great was the terror that no lawyer dared to come forward to defend the arrested victims, many of whom were awarded 25 to 30 years' imprisonment. The few who did were arrested on some charge or other. In March, 1944, Feroze Gandhi with his lawyer companion of Allahabad came to Ballia to assess the situation. They proceeded from the railway station to the Chowk. As usual, they were wearing their Gandhi caps which had not been seen for some time and which infused a new wave of confidence, self respect and enthusiasm in the people. All along the way they were surrounded by a growing crowd which became a procession. Many other lawyers came from allahabad to render legal assistance to the freedom fighters of Ballia. This virtually ended the reign of terror let loose by the British administration since the arrival of the British army in Ballia on August 22/23, 1942.The sacrifices of the people earned for Ballia the reputation of 'Revolutionary Ballia' during the Quit India movement of 1942. The conquest of Ballia by the freedom fighters attracted the attention of the British Parliament also. After the suppression of the freedom struggle in Ballia, to allay the nervousness of his superiors, the British officer in charge is reported to have sent a telegram 'Ballia reconquered' to the governor of U.P. (Maurice Hallett). In 1944, the district was also visited by Purushotam Das Tandon and Sampurnanand, two national leaders but as no body was prepared to act as host, the former returned the same evening only after assessing the situation, the latter staying for a night only. His host was subjected to torture and his house looted by the police.

In October, 1945, Jawaharlal Nehru visited Ballia again by when the situation had returned to normal and about 50,000 persons heard his address and were greatly relieved to find that their sacrifice had not been in vain and that they were now under the protection of their national leaders. The Quit India movement showed that there was universal discontent with British rule, an indication that the British could not hold India for any length of time. By 1945, when the Second World War ended, British public opinion had veered round to the granting of complete independence to India.At last on August 15,1947, the Country, and with it the district, was liberated from alien rule and declared to be independent. The Country became free but before the people could fully realise that liberation and victory had become a fact, They woke to find that it had been partitioned. About 333 displaced persons from Pakistan came to settle in the district and were rehabilitated.  This day had since been declared to be one of the three national days of India. The district celebrates Independence Day in a befitting manner. The national flag is unfurled on governmental and other buildings, processions are taken out and other types of celebrations and festivities are held.On hearing the news of the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi (on January 30,1948), the whole district went into mourning, educational institutions, markets, offices, etc., were closed and several processions were taken out and meetings held to mourn the tragic and irreparable loss of the father of the nation.

Though he died, he still lives in the memory of the people and is remembered on October 2, which is celebrated as Gandhi Jayanti, in the district as in other parts of the State. On this occasion meetings, discussions and discourses are organised all over the district to eulogies his great deeds and ideas. The people also take a pledge to serve the nation and follow his way of life. With the enactment and adoption of the Constitution of India on January 26, 1950, India become a sovereign democratic republic. The day was celebrated in the district by taking out processions, holding meetings and illuminating houses, shops and government and other buildings. This day is solemnly observed with enthusiasm every year all over the district as Republic Day. The nation has always venerated those who participated in the freedom struggle. On the occasion of the celebration of the silver jubilee year (1972) of Independence. 616 persons of the district, who had taken part in India's freedom struggle or their dependents, were resented with tamra patra as copper plate inscriptions placing on record the services rendered by them or their forbears.

PLACE TO VISIT

• Surha Taal • Sahid Smarak • Brigu Mandir • Dardari Mela ( In Nov-Dec) • Basant Vihar Jeera Basti, Botanical Garden type • Sri. Chain Ram baba Temple, Sahatvar Ballia • Sri. Khapdia Baba Temple, Lalganj, Ballia • Sri. Vigyan Dev Jee Maharaj Temple, Poor Pakdi, Ballia • Sri. Kameshwar Dham ,Karron , Ballia • Sri. Jangli Baba mandir • Mangla Bhawani mandir, Ujiwar, Ballia • Jai Prakash Nagar Samark, Jai Prakash Nagar, Ballia,JAGO BALLIA near lalganj

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FOR ANY FURTHER INFORMATION IF YOU WANT JAGO WELCOMES .

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KAUSHAL JAGO BALLIA SAWAN CHHAPRA jagoballia@gmail.com