Varanasi division

Varanasi division

Varanasi division is an administrative

geographical unit of Uttar Pradesh state of
India. Varanasi is the administrative
headquarters of the division. Currently
(2018), the division consists of districts of
Varanasi, Chandauli, Ghazipur, and
Jaunpur and is loosely equivalent to the
Benares State.

History
In the 18th Century the Mughal Empire
was dissolving, and the eastern portion of
present-day Uttar Pradesh State came
under the control of Saadat Ali Khan I, the
first Nawab of Awadh. In 1722. Saadat Ali
Khan sublet his southern territories,
comprising the present-day districts of
Bhadohi, Chandauli, Jaunpur, Mirzapur,
Sonbhadra, and Varanasi, to zamindar Mir
Rustam Ali. Mir Rustam Ali was deposed
in 1738, and Mansa Ram became
zamindar. On Mansa Ram's death in 1739,
his son Balwant Singh succeeded him, and
established himself raja of Benares
State.[1]. Balwant Singh and added
present-day Ghazipur and Ballia districts to
his territories. Balwant Singh died in 1770,
and the British intervened to get the
Nawab to recognize his son and heir, Chait
Singh, as raja. The Nawab of Awadh ceded
the territory to the British in 1775, and the
British confirmed Chait Singh as ruler.
The British deposed Chait Singh in 1781,
and under his heir Mahip Narayan Singh,
took administrative control over most of
the territory, organizing it into Benares
Division, comprising four districts:
Benares, Ghazipur, Jaunpur, and Mirzapur.
The rajas, later maharajas, of Benares
retained certain administrative rights and
revenues within the division, and directly
governed a portion of the division, known
as the Benares Estate. The rajas' principal
residence was at Ramnagar, across the
Ganges River from Benares.[2] Ballia
district was separated from Ghazipur in
1879.[3]
The Division had an area of 10,431 square
miles, and was part of the United
Provinces of British India. The
administrative headquarters was at
Benares.

The Division's population was 4,395,252 in

1872, 5,178,005 in 1881, 5,368,480 in
1891, and 5,069,020 in 1901. The decrease
from 1991 to 1901 was attributed to an
epidemic of fever following disastrous
floods in 1894, and to famine and
emigration. The 1901 census recorded the
division's population as 91% Hindu, not
quite 9% Muslim, with small populations of
Christians and Sikhs.[4]
In 1911, the Benares Estate, which
included two areas governed directly by
the Maharajas, was separated from the
division to form the Princely State of
Benares.

In 1947 India became independent, United

Provinces were renamed Uttar Pradesh. In
1848 the Maharaja of Benares acceded to
the Government of India, and Benares
State was reintegrated into Benares
division, with the western portion
becoming Bhadohi tehsil and the eastern
portion becoming Chania tehsil of
Varanasi district.
In 1989 the southeastern portion of
Mirzapur district was separated into
Sonbhadra district. In 1996 Bhadohi
district, also called Sant Ravidas Nagar
district, was separated from Varanasi
district. In 1997 Chandauli district was
separated from Varanasi district.[5]

After 2000, Varanasi division was reduced

in size, with the districts of Bhadohi,
Mirzapur, and Sonbhadra separated into
Mirzapur division, and Ballia district made
part of Azamgarh division.

See also
Districts of Uttar Pradesh
References
1. Imperial Gazetteer of India, v. 7, p. 180.
2. Imperial Gazetteer of India, v. 7, p. 178.
3. Imperial Gazetteer of India, v. 6, p. 251.
4. Imperial Gazetteer of India, v. 7, p. 178.
5. "India Districts". statoids.com. Accessed
18 November 2017. [1]

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