Arrah

According to a Jain inscription found at Masarh village near the town, Arrah is mentioned there as Aramnagar (transl. City of Aramas). That "Aramnagar" later become "Arrah".{{Cite web|url=http://www.heritageuniversityofkerala.com/JournalPDF/Volume5/28.pdf|title=Lion Motif in Mauryan Art: Indigenous or Foreign?|website=heritageuniversityofkerala.com|access-date=11 April 2020}}{{Cite journal|last=Singh|first=Rana|date=September 2019|title=Masarh : A Great Archaeo-Historic Site of Bihar|journal=J. P. University, Chapra|volume=63}}{{Cite book|title=Archaeological Survey of India: Reports 1862–1884, Volumes 3–23}}

According to mythologies, the word "Arrah" or "Ara" is derived from the Sanskrit word Aranya, which means forest. It suggests that the entire area around modern Ara was heavily forested in the old days.{{cite web|url=https://bhojpur.nic.in/history/ |title=History | Welcome To Bhojpur District | India |publisher=Bhojpur.nic.in |date=18 October 2019}}{{cite book |last1=Sinha |first1=Nishi |title=Tourism Perspective in Bihar |publisher=APH Publishing |isbn=9788170249757 |page=77 |year=1999}}

Arrah has also historically been known as Shahabad, a name given to it by Babur in 1529, when he camped here after his victory against the Afghans of Bihar. The name "Shahabad" means "city of the king" and was used in the former Shahabad district.{{cite book |last1=Ansari |first1=Tahir Hussain |title=Mughal Administration and the Zamindars of Bihar |date=2019 |publisher=Routledge |isbn=9781000651522 |pages=34–35 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=iftaR6DVxIAC |access-date=15 August 2020}}

According to the Hindu epic Ramayana, sage Vishwamitra, the Guru of Rama, had his Ashram in the region of Arrah. It is also the area where Rama killed the demonness Taraka. In Mahabharata it was the home of the powerful demon called Bakra, whose daily food was human being supplied either by villages of Bakri or Chakrapur (or Ekchakra), as Arrah was then called. Pandava came to Ekchakra during their wandering and they were entertained by a Brahmin whose turn it was to supply a human for the demon. On hearing this, Bhima decided to go himself to the demon as he has eaten a Brahmin's salt, and killed the demon.{{Cite book|title=Bihar And Orissa Gazetteers Shahabad|pages=151–152}}

File:Masarh lion sculpture.jpg, found at the archaeological site Masarh]]

This place is also described by Xuanzang as the place, where the Demons of the Desert abused their strength and power and feasted on blood and flesh of man.{{Cite book|title=Archaeological Survey of India: Reports 1862–1884, Volumes 3–23}}

In ancient India, it was the part of Magadha. In 684BC Arrah was the part of the region ruled by Haryanka dynasty. During Chandragupta Maurya Arrah was the part of the great Magadh empire. The Pillars of Ashoka are found at the Masarh village in Arrah town.[http://www.heritageuniversityofkerala.com/JournalPDF/Volume5/28.pdf] During 200 CE it was part of Gupta dynasty. Bhojpuri Folktales of Vikramaditya like Singhashan Battishi, Baital pachisi are still famous in the town and other Bhojpuri speaking area. It was also the part of Pala Empire and Chero empire. Bihiya and Tirawan were the capitals of Chief Ghughulia and Raja Sitaram Rai respectively.

File:Babur crossing the river Son.jpg crossing the Son River.{{cite web |url=http://warfare.uphero.com/Moghul/Baburnama/Baburnama.htm |title=Baburnama |date=1590s |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131017192134/http://warfare.uphero.com/Moghul/Baburnama/Baburnama.htm |archive-date=17 October 2013 }}]]

In 14th century Chero lost Western Bihar along with Arrah to Ujjainiya Rajputs under the leadership of Hunkar Shahi.{{cite book|author=Surendra Gopal|title=Mapping Bihar: From Medieval to Modern Times|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=mCZFDwAAQBAJ&pg=PT289|date=22 December 2017|publisher=Taylor & Francis|isbn=978-1-351-03416-6|pages=289–295}} They named the territory "Bhojpur" on the name of their ancestor Raja Bhoja. In 1607, a number of Chero chiefs combined to launch a spirited attack against Ujjaniniyas. One of the descendants of Sitaram Rai, Kumkum Chand Jharap drove out Ujjainiyas from the Bhojpur region and captured major parts of the territory.{{cite book|author1=Surinder Singh|author2=I. D. Gaur|title=Popular Literature and Pre-modern Societies in South Asia|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=QVA0JAzQJkYC&pg=PA77|year=2008|publisher=Pearson Education India|isbn=978-81-317-1358-7|pages=77}} In 1611, Ujjainiyas defeated Cheros and recaptured the lost region again. Sher Shah Suri also defeated Chero during the early 16 century and made Sasaram its capital after defeating the Mughals. In 1604 Chieftain Narayan Mal got a land grant from Jahangir. After that Raja Horil Singh shifted the capital to Dumrao and established Dumraon Raj. Babur pitches his camp in Arrah in 1529 A.D and took control over it.{{Cite book|title=Bihar District Gazetteer: Shahabad|publisher=Secretarial Press|year=1966}}

File:Def-of-arrah-1857-ILN.jpg (1857)|300px]]

After the Battle of Buxar the British took control over Arrah. Arrah was one of the centres of revolt in 1857.

During the Indian rebellion of 1857, a group of 18 British civilians and 50 Indian soldiers was besieged in the Little House at Arrah, by a band of 2500–3000 armed soldiers and around 8000 others under the command of 80-year-old Veer Kunwar Singh, the Zamindar of adjacent Jagdishpur. A British regiment, dispatched to their assistance from Danapur, was repulsed,{{Cite EB1911|wstitle=Arrah|volume=2|page=642}} but the group withstood the siege for eight days until they were relieved by other East India Company troops.{{cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/twomonthsinarrah00hallrich|quote=arrah.|title=Two months in Arrah in 1857|first=John James|last=Halls|date=7 July 1860|via=Internet Archive}}

In 1911 the king of England George V visited Arrah and prayed at the Holy Saviour Church.{{cite news |title=जार्ज पंचम की प्रार्थना को ले बना था होली सेवियर चर्च |url=https://m.jagran.com/lite/bihar/bhojpur-the-request-was-made-to-the-holy-saviour-church-george-13350561.html |access-date=21 August 2020 |work=Dainik Jagran |language=hi}}{{Cite book|title=Bihar and Orissa District Gazetteer: Shahabad|year=1924|pages=37}} Between 1901 and 1911 the town suffered severely due to Plague. As a result, the population in 1911 became 38,549 which was 46,170 in 1901.{{Cite book|title=Bihar And Orissa Gazetteers Shahabad|isbn=8172681224|pages=151|last1=O'Malley|first1=L. S. S.}}

Arrah is located at the elevation of 192 m from the sea level at the bank of Son river, Ganga River and Gangi River.{{cite web|url=https://bhojpur.nic.in/about-district/ |title=About District | Welcome To Bhojpur District | India |publisher=Bhojpur.nic.in |date=18 October 2019 |access-date=28 October 2019}} Arrah lies at the confluence of the Ganga and the Son River, other small rivers that flow in the town are Gangi River, Badki Nadi and Chhotki Nadi.

The Ganga river acts as northern boundary of the town and due to alluvial deposit the area is very fertile and considered as best wheat growing area of Bihar. The eastern boundary of the town is the Son river which separates and Bhojpuri and Magahi speaking regions of Bihar.{{Cite web|title=Geographical Structure|url=https://bhojpur.nic.in/geographical-structure/|access-date=20 August 2020}}

During the British Raj Arrah was the part of Bengal presidency. The land of the city is fertile and most used for cultivation with very low forest cover. The main crops that are grown here are rice, mango and mahuaa.

The climate is characterised by relatively high temperatures and evenly distributed precipitation throughout the year. The Köppen Climate Classification sub-type for this climate is "Cwa" (Humid Subtropical Climate).{{cite web|url=http://www.weatherbase.com/weather/weather-summary.php3?s=120541&cityname=Arrah,+Bihar,+India&units=|title=Arrah, India Köppen Climate Classification (Weatherbase)|website=Weatherbase}}

{{Weather box|width=auto

|location = Arrah

|single line = Yes

|metric first = Yes

|Jan high F = 73

|Feb high F = 78

|Mar high F = 90

|Apr high F = 99

|May high F = 100

|Jun high F = 96

|Jul high F = 91

|Aug high F = 89

|Sep high F = 90

|Oct high F = 89

|Nov high F = 82

|Dec high F = 75

|year high F = 88

|Jan low F = 51

|Feb low F = 55

|Mar low F = 64

|Apr low F = 74

|May low F = 78

|Jun low F = 80

|Jul low F = 80

|Aug low F = 80

|Sep low F = 79

|Oct low F = 73

|Nov low F = 61

|Dec low F = 52

|year low F = 69

|Jan precipitation inch = 0.6

|Feb precipitation inch = 0.7

|Mar precipitation inch = 0.4

|Apr precipitation inch = 0.3

|May precipitation inch = 1.4

|Jun precipitation inch = 7.1

|Jul precipitation inch = 11.6

|Aug precipitation inch = 13.1

|Sep precipitation inch = 8.6

|Oct precipitation inch = 2.3

|Nov precipitation inch = 0.3

|Dec precipitation inch = 0.2

|year precipitation inch = 46.7

|Jan precipitation days = 1.4

|Feb precipitation days = 1.7

|Mar precipitation days = 1

|Apr precipitation days = 0.7

|May precipitation days = 3

|Jun precipitation days = 10.1

|Jul precipitation days = 14

|Aug precipitation days = 15.1

|Sep precipitation days = 8.1

|Oct precipitation days = 4

|Nov precipitation days = 0.8

|Dec precipitation days = 0.6

|year precipitation days = 60.5

|source 1 = Weatherbase

{{cite web

|url =http://www.weatherbase.com/weather/weatherall.php3?s=120541&cityname=Arrah%2C+Bihar%2C+India&units=|publisher=Weatherbase

|title=Weatherbase.com

|year=2013

}}

Retrieved on 31 July 2013.

|date=July 2013

}}

{{see also|List of cities in Bihar}}

As per the 2011 census, Arrah Municipal Corporation had a total population of 261,099, out of which 139,319 were males and 121,780 were females. It had a sex ratio of 874. The population below 5 years was 34,419. The effective literacy rate of the 7+ population was 83.41 per cent.{{cite web| url = http://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011-prov-results/paper2/data_files/India2/Table_2_PR_Cities_1Lakh_and_Above.pdf | title = Cities having population 1 lakh and above |work= Provisional Population Totals, Census of India 2011 |access-date = 16 April 2012}}

{{Pie chart| thumb = right| caption = Languages in Arrah (2011 census){{Cite web |url=https://censusindia.gov.in/nada/index.php/catalog/10236/download/13348/DDW-C16-TOWN-STMT-MDDS-1000.XLSX |title=C-16 City: Population by mother tongue (town level) |website=censusindia.gov.in |access-date=12 July 2022}}

|label1=Bhojpuri |value1=77.16

|color1=Yellow

|label2=Hindi |value2=12.51 |color2=Orange

|label3=Urdu |value3=9.96 |color3=Green

|label4=Others |value4=0.37 |color4=Pink

}}

Hindi is the official language with Urdu being the additional official. Bhojpuri is the most commonly spoken language, followed by Hindi and Urdu.

The Arrah sub-division (Tehsil) is headed by an IAS or state Civil service officer of the rank of Sub Divisional Magistrate (SDM).

The Arrah Tehsil is divided into 8 Blocks, each headed by a Block Development Officer (BDO). List of Blocks is as follows:

1. Arrah
2. Agiaon
3. Barhara
4. Koilwar
5. Udwant Nagar
6. Sandesh
7. Sahar
8. Garhani

Arrah is the headquarters of the Bhojpur district. On 1 June 1865, the town constituted into a municipality which later became municipal corporation, which currently divides the city in 45 wards.{{Cite book|title=Bihar And Orissa Gazetteers Shahabad|pages=151}} Each ward elects its ward commissioner and, the Mayor is chosen through indirect election in which ward commissioners from respective wards cast their votes.

Police in Arrah is headed by a Superintendent of Police, who is an Indian Police Service (IPS) officer.

The city has industry area located near Koilwar. The mineral which is abundant here is sand of Son river. The alluvial deposits of Ganga river is considered suitable for brick making, the city mainly produces the revenue through building materials like sand and bricks. In last three year, 300 million tonnes of sand has been mined which has produced a royalty of ₹2800 crores.{{Cite web |title=District survey report of Bhojpur, Bihar|url=http://mines.bih.nic.in/DSR/MM/DSR-MM-Bhojpur.pdf&ved=2ahUKEwjM0s_XxKjrAhWPzTgGHRqFBdgQFjAdegQICBAB&usg=AOvVaw0QHaBcHyhxoeMzkGNmzCrF&cshid=1597884941394|website=Department of Mines & Geology, Government of Bihar Vikas Bhawan New Secreteriat, Patna}}{{failed verification|date=August 2020}}

File:Gangi River, Arrah.jpg]]

Arrah's native language is Bhojpuri. Bhojpuri cuisine includes Litti-Chokha, Makuni (Paratha stuffed with roasted gram flour), Dal Pitthi, Pittha, Aaloo Dum, Jaaur (Kheer). The main snack and sweets are Khurma (sweets made of Chhena), Thekua, Pudukiya, Patal ke Mithai, Anarsa, Gargatta and Laktho. Some of the drinks are Satuā, Amjhor, Taadi and Māthā.{{Cite news|title=Bihar's sweet cuisines gourmet's delight|work=Times of India|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/patna/Bihars-sweet-cuisines-gourmets-delight/articleshow/53308602.cms|access-date=12 October 2020}}

File:Arrah House.jpg

Arrah is a holy place for Jains and there are 44 Jain temples in the city.{{Cite book|title=Bhāratīya saṃskr̥tike vikāsameṃ Jaina vāṅmayakā avadāna, Volume 2|publisher=Akhila Bhāratavarshīya Digambara Jaina Vidvatparishad|year=1983}} There is a centuries-old Jain temple of Parashanatha in the Masarh village. Some notable places of Arrah are:

This is a temple of Aranya Devi (Forest Goddess). She is said to be the deity goddess of Ara town. Here one statue is of Adi Shakti and the second is established by the Pandavas. The temple is very old and draws many devotees every day. It is situated at the top of stone boulders.{{cite web|url=https://bhojpur.nic.in/tourism/ |title=Tourism |publisher=Bhojpur.nic.in |date=18 October 2019 |access-date=3 March 2020}}{{Cite book|last=Tilak|first=Sudha G.|title=Temple Tales: Secrets and Stories from India's Sacred Places|publisher=Hachette UK}}

This Masjid was built in the 18th century by John Deane, the collector of Shahabad. He had a Mohammedan wife with whom he lived 20 years with 6 children.Ghosh, Durga, Sex and the family in colonial India: The Making of Empire, Cambridge University Press, 2006, page 123 After his death in 1817, he was buried in the outer garden of Maulabagh Mosque (called as Bibi Jaan ke Hata or Handa) where his tomb can still be seen.{{Cite book|title=Bihar And Orissa Gazetteers Shahabad|isbn=8172681224|pages=156|last1=O'Malley|first1=L. S. S.}} This mosques is also mentioned by British officers in their writings.{{Cite book|title=Two months in Arrah|last=Halls|year=1860}}

Koilwar Bridge, also known as Abdul Bari Bridge, is a 1.44 km long, 2-lane wide rail-cum-road bridge built in 1862 over Son River connecting the city of Arrah to Patna.

Ramna Maidan is a park with 60 acres of land, one of the largest urban parks in Arrah.

File:Arrah- Chhapra Bridge, Ara (Bihar).jpeg]]

Arrah–Chhapra Bridge, also known as Veer Kunwar singh Setu, connects Arrah and Chhapra. It is the world's longest multi span extradosed bridge in the world with a length of 1920m.{{cite web|title=Arrah-Chhapra Bridge |url=https://structurae.net/en/structures/arrah-chhapra-bridge|website=Structurae|access-date=1 November 2019}}

Masarh is a village 10 km from Arrah. Lion capitals of Mauryan period have been found here. Masarh has been identified with Mo-ho-so-lo of the Chinese pilgrim Huen Tsang.

Arrah House is a small British building in the premises of Maharaja College.

File:Holy saviour church.jpg

Holy Saviour Church is a church in Arrah, built by the British in 1911, when King of United Kingdom George V visited the city.

The Arrah city is very well connected by roads, highways and Rail routes to various cities like Patna, Danapur, Bihta, Buxar, Sasaram and Chhapra in Bihar; and Ghazipur, Mughalsarai and Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh.

• Patna-Arrah-Buxar (NH-922)
• Arrah-Dinara-Mohania (NH-319)
• Arrah-Chhapra Bridge
• Arrah-Bikramganj-Sasaram (SH-12)

• Arrah Junction: ARA (0 km)
• Koilwar railway station: KWR (14 km)
• Udwantnagar railway station: UWNR (5 km)
• Bihiya railway station: BEA (21 km)

• Patna Airport (50 km)
• Bihta Airport (30 km)

The Varanasi-Howrah high-speed rail corridor (HSR) is proposed to pass through Bhojpur district with a

Bullet train station at Udwant Nagar. It will cross the Sone River near Jalpura Tapa and enter Patna district.{{cite news |last=कश्यप |first=देवेन्द्र |date=19 January 2025 |url=https://navbharattimes.indiatimes.com/state/bihar/patna/bullet-train-in-bihar-passing-through-38-villages-of-bhojpur-big-update-on-compensation/articleshow/117368244.cms |title=बिहार के लिए बुलेट ट्रेन का रूट जारी, भोजपुर के इन 38 गांवों से गुजरेगी, मुआवजे को लेकर आया बड़ा अपडेट |work=Navbharat Times |lang=hi |access-date=23 January 2025}}{{cite news |last1=Kishire |first1=Kanchan |last2=Agnihotri |first2=Divya |date=19 January 2025 |url=https://www.jagran.com/bihar/bhojpur-bihar-bullet-train-will-pass-through-bhojpur-38-villages-know-about-compensation-process-23869272.html |title=Bihar Bullet Train: भोजपुर वालों की बल्ले-बल्ले, इन 38 गांवों से गुजरेगी बुलेट ट्रेन; मुआवजे को लेकर भी आया बड़ा अपडेट |work=Dainik Jagran |lang=hi |access-date=23 January 2025}}

Schools in Arrah are either government-run or private schools. Schools are affiliated by Central Board of Secondary Education and Bihar School Examination Board. Veer Kunwar Singh University is located here. Harprasad Das Jain College, Maharaja Collage, and Jagjiwan College are some of the premier institutions for higher education. Jain Siddhant Bhawan is a Jain Library in Arrah which is illustrious for collecting centuries older manuscripts in various languages.{{Cite book|last=Gottschalk|first=Peter|title=Religion, Science, and Empire: Classifying Hinduism and Islam in British India|publisher=OUP USA|year=2013|isbn=978-0195393019}}

In 2018, Bihar government has opened Government Engineering Colleges in each district of Bihar under the Department of Science and Technology. Government Engineering College, Bhojpur located south of Ramna Road, beside Maharaja College.{{Cite web|url=http://dst.bih.nic.in/|title=Official Website of Department of Science & Technology, Govt. Of Bihar : Home Page|access-date=12 October 2020}}

{{Further|Dharmatma Inter College, Arrah}}

Cricket is the most popular sport, however other sports such as volleyball, basketball, and athletics are also played.

Veer Kunwar Singh Stadium is the stadium situated in the Ramna Maidan which hosts various cricket, football, and hockey tournaments. Other grounds in the town are Ramna Maidan, Maharaja college ground, Airport Ground, and Jain College Ground.

From 5–7 December 2019, East Zone Inter University Kabaddi championship took place in the premises of Maharaja College in which 47 universities of 12 different states participated.{{Cite web|url=https://m.jagran.com/lite/bihar/bhojpur-eastern-regional-inter-university-kabaddi-contest-inaugurated-today-19815903.html|title=Jagran Josh|access-date=12 October 2020}}

File:Defence-of-Arrah-House.png

• There is a very famous Bhojpuri saying about this place, Ara jilā Ghar Ba ta, kawana bāt kē dar bā" (trans. If you belong to Arrah, there is nothing to fear).{{Cite book|last=Desai|first=Akshayakumar Ramanlal|title=Agrarian Struggles in India After Independence|publisher=Oxford University Press|year=1986|isbn=9780195616811|pages=276}}{{Cite book|last=Guha|first=Ranjit|title=Subaltern Studies: Writings on South Asian History and Society, Volume|publisher=Oxford University Press|year=1983}}
• Arrah also has mentions in many Bhojpuri Folk songs like Arrah Hile Chhapra Hile Baliya Hilela.
• The famous bhojpuri song "Tu lagawelu jab Lipistic, hilela Arrah district" sung by Pawan Singh.

• Some shots of the feature film Gandhi were shot in Arrah near the Koilwar bridge.{{Cite web|url=https://www.rediff.com/money/report/must-see-indias-oldest-railway-bridges/20170306.htm|title=The ancient heritage behind our railway bridges|website=Rediff}}
• Shots of the first Bhojpuri film Ganga Maiyya Tohe Piyari Chadhaibo were shot at Arrah railway station.{{citation needed|date=July 2019}}
• The story of the Bollywood film Anaarkali of Aarah was based on a dancer of Arrah and her confrontation with the Vice-chancellor of Bir Kuber University (originally Veer Kunwar Singh University).{{cite news|url=https://www.deccanchronicle.com/entertainment/movie-reviews/250317/anarkali-of-arrah-movie-review-bold-beautiful-and-endearing.html|title=Anarkali of Arrah movie review: Bold, beautiful and endearing|first=Arnab|last=Banerjee|date=25 March 2017|work=Deccan Chronicle|access-date=22 February 2021}}

File:Koor Sing, 'The Rebel of Arrah,' and his attendants.jpg

• English book Two Months In Arrah, written in 1857, by a surgeon in British army named J.J. Halls, is an account of the Siege of Arrah.{{Cite book|title=Notes on Books: Being an Analysis of the Works Published During Each Quarter by Longmans, Green, and Company, Volume 2|publisher=Longmans, Green|year=1865}}

{{Main|List of people from Arrah}}

Arrah block contains the following 115 villages:{{cite web |title=Census of India 2011: Bihar District Census Handbook – Bhojpur, Part A (Village and Town Directory) |pages=260–307|url=https://censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/BiharA.html |website=Census 2011 India|access-date=12 August 2020}}

• Arrah House
• Arrah Lok Sabha constituency

{{Reflist}}

• [http://gov.bih.nic.in Official Website of Bihar State]

{{Patna Division}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:Cities and towns in Bhojpur district, India