| Voice of Mirzapur :
Dinesh Kumar Diwedi
Mirzapur District
Area, Population & Sex Ratio
Geographical Area : 4522.0 Km2
Population in Mirzapur (Census 2011)
Total Population
Total : 2494533
Male : 1312822
Female : 1181711
Under 6 population
Total : 392230
Male : 206168
Female : 186062
Disabled
population
Total disabled population : 33476
In seeing : 15135
In speech : 2980
In hearing : 1272
In movement : 11189
Mental : 2900
Rank ( VoiceOfBharat.org Analysis
)
Backwardness : 180
Sex Ratio Rank : 149
(Rank one is least sex ratio - Cenus 2001)
HIV Category District : C
(HIV Sentinel Surveillance 2004 - 2006)
Disability : 271 (Census 2001)
Literacy Ratio : 450 (Census 2001)
Minority : Does not figure in MCD
Brief About Mirzapur District
According to the tradition,the name of this town,after which the
District itself is named was GIRZAPUR, which in terms derives its
name from the goddess Parvati (Girija) who sacrified herself here
in a vajna. Mirza, Vindhyavasini and Lakshmi are the other names
of the goddess whose temple exists at Vindhyachal.The present name
of the district is derived from goddess Lakshmi who emerged from
the sea. The word Mirza is formed from two words; Mir meaning sea
and ja meaning outcome,with the additional pur standing for town.
It is also locally believed that the town was founded by raja Nanner
and was known as Girijapur,but later on it came to know as Mirzapur
The earliest mention of the town is found in the writings of Tieffenthaler,who
drew up his description of the country between 1760 and 1770. He
mentioned it, under the name of Mirzapur specially as a great mart.
In the records of Jonathan Duncan,who was resident of Varanasi,frequent
mention is made of the place as Mirzapur
History
The District of Mirzapur, with the exception of the Villages
namely Mowat, Merolatand, Mahespur, Durjanipur, Mangarahi Deohat,
Katra and Bamsaur received from Allahabad in 1861, falls entirely
within the tract of country once known as the province of Benaras.
The sovereignty of this was formally ceded to the East
India Company in 1775 by the Nawab-vizir of Avadh; but the tract
itself was included in the zamindari of the raja of Benares and
remained in his actual possession until 1794, when Mahip Narayan
Singh surrendered its control of the Governor General of India by
the agreement of 27th october of that year. It is not until 1830
that Mirzapur became a separate revenue jurisdiction of its own
,because until that year it had been included in Varanasi.
Mirzapur was then placed under a local collector
of customs, the subdivisions assigned to new collectorate being
tappas Chaurasi , Chhiyanve, Upraudh, Kon and Sakteshgarh of pargana
Kantit and other paragnas, Bhagwat Bhuili, Haveli, Chunar, Quriat,
Sikhar, Agori, Barhar and Bijaigarh, Bhadohi, Kon and Majhwa were
restored to Varanasi on the protest of raja but were afterwards
re-annexed to Mirzapur. At present Agori, Barharand Bijaigarh are
in Sonbhadra District. However Bhadohi is in Sant Ravidas Nagar
District.
There has been no change in the territorial limits
of Mirzapur since 1833, when the revenue and judicial administrations
were made to coincide throughout the Benares province; but several
alternations have been made in the sub-divisional boundries since
the tract came in to the possession of the British. In 1801 every
pargana and tappa, with a few exception had a separate Tehsildar.
In 1804 it was resolved to abolish the office of
Tehsildar in the Benares Province. In 1806, tahsildars were established
for tappas Chaurasi, Upraudh, Chhiyanvey Sakteshgarh and Bhagwat
at Chaurasi ; and for pargnas Agori-Barhar and Bijaigarh
(at present lies in Sonbhadra District) at Kusancha.
The first of the two tahsils created in 1809 corresponds
to a great extent with the present Mirzapur tahsil. Saketeshgarh
and Bhagwat have been taken may from it and kon and Majhwa added
. To the tahsil which had its headquarters in 1809 at Kusancha,
Singrauli and Dudhi were added and the whole was for some time known
as the Shahganj tahsil ( Now all these are in Sonbhadra District).
History
The history of Mirzapur dates back to Mughal times when,
at the time of the Mughal king Akbar, carpet weaving began in the
Jaunpur and Allahabad districts of Uttar Pradesh. During the course
of time, these weavers migrated to Mirzapur. Even today carpets
are a big industry in the region.
There are many lovely structures that still exist in Mirzapur today,
albeit in a dilapidated state.
Havelis, colonial structures and natural beauty combine to make
Mirzapur an interesting
place to visit.
Location
Mirzapur is located between latitude 23.52º to 23.32º and longitude
82.72º to 83.33º. It is spread over an area of 4952.5 sq. km. It
is surrounded by Varanasi and Sant Ravidas Nagar on the north, Allahabad
on the west, and towards south east its boundaries are contiguous
with Varanasi district, Sonebhadra and the state of Madhya Pradesh.
The district measures 64 km from east to west and 32 km. from north
to south.
Topography
The land in the district is mostly uneven. The landscape is dotted
with hills, mountains, plateaus, waterfalls and rivers. The Vindhya
mountains range rises in Mirzapur district and extends to the south
west. And the most beautiful waterfalls in the district are at Tanda,
Windham. Ganga and Belan are the two major rivers flowing through
the district.
The soil is generally red and the terrain generally rocky in the
district. The district has 4,50,169 hectares reported area. The
forest coverage is 98,353 hectares (28.1% of total reported).
Climate/Natural Resources
Mirzapur’s climate is subtropical. Average rainfall is 11 cm/year.
The Vindhya range has a dense forest cover. The most important forest
produce is Tendu leaves.
Stone mines are found in many blocks of the district. This is a
major industry.
Chunar is famous for its potteries.
Demographic Features
According to 1991 census the total population of the district is
16.57 lakhs (8.79 lakhs males and 7.77 lakhs females).
The urban population is 2.28 lakhs and rural population is 14.28
lakhs.
The sex ratio is 884 females for every 1000 males.
The density of population per square km is 336. The scheduled caste
population is 4.61 lakhs. The district has a very negligible population
of scheduled tribes.
Literacy
The total number of literates in the district is 5.11 lakhs which
is 39.68% of the total population. Male literacy rate is 54.75%
as compared 22.32% for females. Literacy rate amongst scheduled
castes is well below the district average. A concerted effort is
required in the field of girl child education and extension of primary
education to weaker sections of the society, particularly scheduled
caste population.
Socio-Economic Structure
Due to its hard rocky terrain, low soil fertility and poor industrial
investment, Mirzapur has not broken away from its feudal past. There
still exists a very strong caste system effecting socio-economic
structure.
The reorganization of the district has seen most
of the active industrial sector go to Sonebhadra. Present day Mirzapur
is left with extremely low level of state and central government
public investment. The carpet industry of the district is flourishing
and is world famous.
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