| Purnia district | |
| Settlement Type: | District of Bihar |
| Total Type: | Total |
| Coor Pinpoint: | Purnia |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: |  India |
| Subdivision Type1: | State |
| Subdivision Name1: | Bihar |
| Subdivision Type2: | Region |
| Subdivision Name2: | Mithila |
| Subdivision Type3: | Division |
| Subdivision Name3: | Purnia |
| Established Title: | Established |
| Established Date: | 14 February 1770 |
| Seat Type: | Headquarters |
| Seat: | Purnia |
| Parts Type: | Tehsils |
| Parts Style: | para |
| P1: |
|
| Area Total Km2: | 3229 |
| Population As Of: | 2011 |
| Population Total: | 3,264,619 |
| Population Density Km2: | auto |
| Demographics Type1: | Demographics |
| Demographics1 Title1: | Literacy |
| Demographics1 Info1: | 72.09 per cent |
| Demographics1 Title2: | Sex ratio |
| Demographics1 Info2: | 921 |
| Demographics1 Title3: | Major ethnolinguistic group |
| Demographics1 Info3: | Maithils[1] |
| Leader Title: | District Magistrate |
| Leader Name: | Mr. Kundan Kumar, IAS[2] |
| Leader Title1: | Lok Sabha constituencies |
| Leader Name1: | Purnia, Katihar, Araria and Kishanganj |
| Leader Title2: | Vidhan Sabha constituencies |
| Leader Name2: | Amour, Baisi, Kasba, Banmankhi, Rupauli, Dhamdaha, Purnia, |
| Demographics Type2: | Language |
| Demographics2 Title1: | Official |
| Demographics2 Info1: | Hindi[3] |
| Demographics2 Title2: | Additional official |
| Demographics2 Info2: | Urdu |
| Demographics2 Title3: | Regional Languages |
| Demographics2 Info3: | Maithili |
| Demographics2 Title4: | Other |
| Timezone1: | IST |
| Utc Offset1: | +05:30 |
| Registration Plate: | BR-11 |
| Blank Name Sec1: | Major highways |
| Blank Name Sec2: | Major Railway Lines |
| Blank Info Sec2: |
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Purnia District is one of the thirty-eight districts of the Indian state of Bihar. The city of Purnia is the administrative headquarters of this district. The city of Purnia has continued its tradition of hoisting the national flag at 12:07 am on every Independence Day since 1947. Purnia district is a part of Purnia Division. The district extends northwards from the Ganges river.
Purnia is part of the Mithila region.[4] Mithila first gained prominence after it was settled by Indo-Aryan peoples who established the Mithila Kingdom (also called Kingdom of the Videhas).[5]
During the late Vedic period (c. 1100–500 BCE), Videha became one of the major political and cultural centers of Ancient India, along with Kuru and Pañcāla. The kings of the Videha Kingdom were called Janakas.[6] The Videha Kingdom was later incorporated into the Vajji confederacy, which had its capital in the city of Vaishali, which is also in Mithila.[7]
During the Mughal rule, Purnea was an outlying military province, and its revenue was mostly spent on protecting its borders against tribes from the north and east.[8] After the capture of Calcutta in 1757, Purnia's local governor raised a rebellion against Siraj ud-Daulah. In 1765, the district became a British possession, along with the rest of Bengal.[9] On February 14, 1770 the district of Purnia in modern history was formed by the East India Company.[10]
Purnia is known for its uniquely designed organization, Ramakrishna Mission, where the festival Durga Puja is celebrated in October. Another attraction in the city of Purnia is the oldest temple of Mata Puran Devi which is 5 km away from the main city. It is theorized that Purnia received its name from this temple. Other theories also describe how Purnia received its name; which is, that in the past Purnia was named Purna - Aranya, which stands for "complete jungle."
Three districts were partitioned off from Purnia district: Katihar in 1976,[11] Araria and Kishanganj in 1990.[11]
Purnia district occupies 3229km2,[12] comparable to the Solomon Islands' Makira Island.[13] It is a depressed tract, consisting for the most part of a rich, loamy alluvial soil. 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, the Kari kosi, the Saura and the Koli. In the west, the soil is thickly covered with sand deposited by changes in the course of the Kosi. Among other rivers are the Mahananda and the Panar. Its major agricultural products are jute, maize and banana.
Purnia district has four subdivisions: Purnea Sadar, Banmankhi, Baisi and Dhamdaha.
They are further divided into fourteen blocks:
These contain 246 panchayats with 1,450 villages.
According to the 2011 census Purnia district has a population of 3,264,619,[14] roughly equal to the nation of Mauritania[15] or the US state of Iowa.[16] This gives it a ranking of 105th in India (out of a total of 640).[14] The district has a population density of 1014PD/sqkm.[14] Its population growth rate over the decade 2001-2011 was 28.66%.[14] Purnia has a sex ratio of 930 females for every 1000 males,[14] and a literacy rate of 58.23%. 10.51% of the population lives in urban areas. Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes make up 11.98% and 4.27% of the population respectively.[14]
Hindus are the majority community, but Muslims are majority in the eastern blocks.[17]
| Block | Hindu % | Muslim % | Other % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Banmankhi | 86.19 | 13.33 | 0.48 | |
| Barhara | 90.37 | 9.11 | 0.52 | |
| Bhawanipur | 75.48 | 24.07 | 0.45 | |
| Rupauli | 89.20 | 10.57 | 0.23 | |
| Dhamdaha | 84.32 | 14.55 | 1.13 | |
| Krityanand Nagar | 67.07 | 32.03 | 0.9 | |
| Purnia East | 68.52 | 30.26 | 1.22 | |
| Kasba | 41.63 | 58.08 | 0.29 | |
| Srinagar | 65.91 | 33.69 | 0.4 | |
| Jalalgarh | 53.41 | 46.28 | 0.31 | |
| Amour | 22.58 | 76.93 | 0.49 | |
| Baisa | 27.76 | 71.94 | 0.3 | |
| Baisi | 22.37 | 77.32 | 0.31 | |
| Dagarua | 37.17 | 62.55 | 0.28 |
At the time of the 2011 Census of India, 33.68% of the population in the district spoke Hindi, 18.62% Urdu, 10.72% Maithili, 8.73% Surjapuri, 4.51% Bengali and 2.50% Santali as their first language. 18.53% spoke languages recorded as 'Others' under Hindi on the census.[18]
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Recently, Oil and Natural Gas Corporation has started exploring Purnia basin for crude oil and Natural gas reserves. Estimations show that there might be about 465 million tonnes of reserves in the basin.[19] [20]
Some major Hindu temples of Purnea are Puran Devi temple; which is sometimes credited for the name of the city, the Kali Mandir of old Purnia city on the bank of Saura river, the Maata Asthan in Chunapur, Panchmukhi Temple in line bazaar, the Rani Sati Mandir in Kasba, Prahlad Stambh in Banmankhi, and Dhima Shiv Mandir in Dhima, Banmankhi. The city also has the Darghah of Hazrat Mustafa Jamalul Haque Bandagi, Chimni Bazar. An "Urs" in the form of Mela (village fair) is organized on the 7th day after Eid-Ul-Azha and continues up to 3 days every year. The 'Dargah and Khanquah Alia Mustafia' is located 7 km away from the main city. It is famous for spirituality, communal harmony and Sufism. Its history extends for 400 years, when Hazrat Bandagi came from Jaunpur, Uttar Pradesh visiting several Khanqahs and Dargahs across 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 Northeast Bihar since its establishment. Deorhi at Garbanili (Purnea) hosts the ruins of Kala Bhawan the ancient Darbar (Palace) of Raja Kalanand Singh, where his successor still lives.
The Jalalgadh Fort is a place of historical importance situated in Jalalgadh division.
Purnia District in the Indian state of Bihar is primarily drained by two major rivers:
These rivers play a crucial role in the agricultural and ecological dynamics of Purnia District and are essential water sources for the local population.
List of Freedom Fighters of Purnea District
1. Shri Jibatsh Sharma 'Himanshu' native of Kajha Village, Block Krityanand Nagar, District Purnea
2.Fuleshwar Prasad Yadav,Native of Rikabganj Village Block Krityanand Nagar District Purnia
