Barbigha

The name "Barbigha" is believed to be derived from two Hindi words, Barah and Bigha, meaning twelve bighas (approximately 3 hectares). This suggests that the town originally encompassed this area at the time of its founding.

The earliest known historical mention of Barbigha dates back to 1812, when Francis Buchanan referred to it as Barabigha, a spelling variation of the name. At that time, it was noted to consist of nearly 1,000 households, similar to its divisional headquarters, Sheikhpura.{{Cite book |last=Buchanan |first=Francis |author-link=Francis Buchanan-Hamilton |url=https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.63009/2015.63009.An-Account-Of-The-Districts-Of-Bihar-And-Patna-Vol-i?q=barabigha |title=An Account Of The Districts Of Bihar And Patna in 1811-12 |date= |year=1812 |volume=1 |page=178 |chapter=Topography of the divisions : Sheykhpurah |quote=Barabigha contains 1000 houses,}} Another Account of 1838 notes it to be a marketplace.{{Cite book |last=Martin |first=Montgomery |author-link=Robert Montgomery Martin |url=https://archive.org/details/historyantiquit01martgoog/page/n685/mode/1up?q=barabigha |title=The history, antiquities, topography, and statistics of eastern India .. |date=1838 |publisher=W. H. Allen and Co. |others=}} Data from 1867 to 1872 reported the population of Barbigha as 6,362.{{Cite book |url=https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_kSccAAAAMAAJ/page/n176/mode/2up?q=barbigha |title=Die Bevölkerung der Erde |date= |publisher=Perthes' Geographical Institute |others= |year=1876 |location=Gotha |page=101 |language=de |trans-title=The Population of the Earth |chapter=Ortsbevölkerung: Britisch Indien |trans-chapter=Local Population: British India}}{{Cite book |url=https://archive.org/details/encyclopaedia-britannica-9ed-1875/Vol%2016%20%28MEN-MOS%29%20193479089.23/page/740/mode/1up?q=barbigha |title=The Encyclopædia Britannica |publisher=Adam and Charles Black |year=1883 |edition=9th |volume=16 |location=Edinburgh |page=740 |access-date=28 January 2025}} The Census of India in 1881, conducted by Emil Jung, recorded the population as 7,904.{{Cite book |last= |url=https://archive.org/details/zeitschrift28berlgoog/page/261/mode/1up?q=barbigha&view=theater |title=Zeitschrift der Gesellschaft für Erdkunde zu Berlin |date=1853 |others=University of Michigan |editor-last=Koneb |editor-first=Dr. W |volume=21 |page=261 |language=de |trans-title=Journal of the Society for Geography in Berlin |chapter=Der Census von Indien im Jahre 1881. Von Emil Jung. (Schluss) |trans-chapter=The Census of India in the Year 1881. By Emil Jung. (Conclusion).}}

There are mentions of a post office as early as 1894{{Cite book |last=Khandekar |first=G.H. |url=https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.62152/page/n686/mode/1up?q=barbigha |title=The Indian Companion |date= |year=1894 |location=Poona |page=196 |quote=Barbigha. — Town with post office}} and a police station as early as 1901 in historical records related to Barbigha.{{Cite book |last= |url=https://archive.org/details/indianmuseumnote05indiuoft/page/167/mode/1up?q=barbigha&view=theater |title=Indian museum notes |date= |publisher=Calcutta |others= |year=1903 |editor-last=Superintendent |volume=5 |location=Calcutta |page=167 |issue=4}}{{Cite book |url=https://archive.org/details/lbg.agriculturalledgvol-ciii.1902.0000unse/page/83/mode/1up?view=theater&q=barbigha |title=The Agricultural Ledger 1901 |date= |publisher= |others= |year=1902 |volume=8 |location=Calcutta |page=83 |quote=From Barbigha police-station three varieties were received at the same time — |orig-year=}} In the same year, the Sheikhpura and Barbigha police stations were transferred from the Jamui subdivision to the Monghyr subdivision.{{Cite book |last=O'malley |first=L S S |author-link=Lewis Sydney Steward O'Malley |url=https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.281287/page/n229/mode/1up?q=barbigha |title=Bihar And Orissa District Gazetteers: Monghyr |date=1905 |edition=Revised |location=Gulzarbagh |pages=217-218 |chapter=Jamui-Jaynagar |quote=The Sheikhpura thana, which then formed part of it has since been transferred, with jthe Barbigha outpost, to the Monghyr subdivision,}} The same Barbigha police station reported the discovery of a hoard of 96 treasure trove coins of the Sultans of Delhi during the period of 1919-1920. A report from 1903 mentions the ongoing construction of the district road to Sheikhpura to serve as feeder of South Bihar Railway.{{Cite book |last= |url=https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.38830/page/n117/mode/1up?q=barbigha&view=theater |title=Report On The Administration Of Bengal (1902-03) |date=1904 |location=Calcutta |page=81 |chapter=Miscallanrous Public Development |quote=District roads from Barbigha to Sheikptim, from Serari to Ohowiiali, and from Jainiangla to Seniri station, in tho Jfonghyr district, wt're under construction, 'rheso roads will servo as feeilers to tlio South Uiliar Railway, and the Dintrict Board will contribute one-third of tludr cost.}}

According to the 2011 Census, Barbigha had a population of 136,167, more than double that of its district headquarters, Sheikhpura. The town comprises 21,797 households, with 65.94% of the population living in rural areas. The population includes 70,611 males and 65,556 females, with 22.3% classified as Scheduled Castes or Scheduled Tribes. The sex ratio is 928 females for every 1,000 males, slightly above the state average of 918, while the child sex ratio is 945, compared to the Bihar state average of 935.{{Cite web |title=Population finder {{!}} Government of India |url=https://censusindia.gov.in/census.website/data/population-finder |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250105112305mp_/https://censusindia.gov.in/nada/index.php/catalog/42559/download/46185/2011-IndiaStateDistSbDistTwn-0000.xlsx |archive-date=5 January 2025 |access-date=2025-01-28 |website=Office of the Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India}}

Barbigha has grown to become the biggest town market of the Sheikhpura district, serving as a commercial market for the surrounding villages. Sri Krishan Singh (First Chief Minister of Bihar) was from Barbigha and Rastrakavi Ramdhari Singh Dinkar served as headmaster of a high school in Barbigha.

== Education ==

• S.K.R College : A constituent unit of Munger University, previously affiliated with Bhagalpur University.{{Cite web |title=About College |url=https://skrcollege.ac.in/pages/about |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240714161034/https://skrcollege.ac.in/pages/about |archive-date=14 July 2024 |access-date=2025-02-13 |website=S.K.R. College}}
• R. Lal College : Affiliated with Patliputra University.{{Cite web |title=Home |url=http://rlalcollege.com/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240923160005/http://rlalcollege.com/ |archive-date=23 September 2024 |access-date=13 February 2025 |website=राजेश्वर लाल महाविद्यालय |language=hi}}

• Sundar Singh College, Mehus
• Neemi College
• Sai College
• C.N.B College, Hathiyama

• Government Polytechnic College
• Government ITI College

Source:https://saras.cbse.gov.in/SARAS/AffiliatedList/ListOfSchdirReport

• Gyan Niketan Residential School
• Divine Light Public School
• St. Mary's English School
• Vikas International Public School

• SPS Public School
• G.I.P Public School
• Adarsh Vidya Bharti
• Barbigha Central School
• Mount Litera Zee School
• Golden Era English School

• Raj Rajeshwar +2 School
• Ram Prasad Bhagwati Charan adarsh High School
• Barbigha Town High School
• Tailik Balika Inter School
• High School Kutaut
• Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya, Kutaut
• +2 School, Mehus
• Sri Satya Sai Vidya Mandir, Bhadarthi

{{Cn|date=February 2025}}

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{{cite web | url=https://www.livehindustan.com/bihar/biharsharif/story-final-notification-issued-9-villages-in-sheikhpura-nap-and-7-villages-in-barbigha-3919235.amp.html |title= अंतिम अधिसूचना जारी: शेखपुरा नप में 9 तो बरबीघा में 7 गांव शामिल| access-date=2021-03-17 |publisher= }}

{{Sheikpura district}}

{{Munger Division}}

Category:Cities and towns in Sheikhpura district