Barh is a town and subdivision in the Patna district of Bihar, India. It is located on the southern bank of the Ganga River, a common place for Hindu cremation rituals. The place is well known for Umanath, a Shiva temple on the shores of the Ganga and for the Alakhnath Temple. Lai, a sweet from Barh that looks like Laddu, is renowned for its rich taste.
Etymology
Barh was one of the largest lentil and pulse-producing regions of India during the British Raj. Situated on the southern bank of the Ganges, around east of Patna, the town was a stopover for ships sailing to and from Calcutta where they would ferry grains and lentils. The town's name may have been derived from the Persian word bargah, which means "twelfth" in English, as Barh's position in the order of such stopovers was twelfth. The town is low-lying and was frequently flooded by the Ganges before the Bandh Road was constructed. The Hindi word for a flood is barh, and it has been alternatively suggested as the etymological origin of the name. Other sources suggest that the first sitting of the Bar in India was held here in 1884. Before this event, the name of the town was Umanath Nagar, named after the local Umanath Temple. After the event, the town began to be called Bar, as shown on various maps of India from 1834 to 1896, and later Barh.
Demographics
, Barh had a total population of 316,348 residents, with 162,354 males and 153,994 females. Barh has an average literacy rate of 100%.
Barh has been a prominent trading satellite city in Patna, even in pre-Mughal and British periods. It was an intermediary town between river trade in Patna and Kolkata. Numerous references to Barh were found in travelogues by European visitors, as well as historical chronicles of Islamic historians. Peace Treaty of Barh In 1495 during the pre-Mughal period after the sack of Patna, Sikandar Lodi advanced towards Bengal, but a non-aggression pact was made between the Delhi and the Bengal armies, led by Hussain Shah. It was decided that territory to the east of Barh would be controlled by Bengal's ruler, while those to the west would be controlled by the Delhi empire. Sarai During the Mughal period, as a prominent trading destination, Barh had a large sarai with 200 rooms for travelers/traders built by Sher Shah Suri. These rooms were of fine quality and were mentioned by East Indian company visitor John Marshall during his visit to Bengal in 1671 under the reign of Aurangzeb. Sufi saints Barh was a popular site for Sufi culture. A great Qadri saint of importance was Diwan Syed Muhammad Jafar Binodpuri of Barh who had prominent followers during the 1670-1690s. Resistance to Maratha armies In 1748, Alivardi Khan camped in Barh and defeated the Marathas at Kala Diara near Bakhtiarpur after they had sacked Patna during one of the Maratha invasions of Bengal Mir Qasim After the Battle of Plassey, the British had taken gradual control of Bihar. Mir Qasim executed the Jagat Seth at Barh before going on to raid Patna which had now been occupied by the British. Eventually, he lost the Battle of Buxar and Barh and Patna fell firmly under the dominance of the British Empire. Rennell's Survey In 1776, James Rennell, also called the Father of Indian Geography, carried out a survey of Bengal and listed prominent destinations. Barh is prominently displayed on a 1776 map implying it was a prominent trading destination. Trade Barh was an important transit point for the saltpetre trade, which was widely used in explosives, making glasses, and later in fertilizers. Barh was also known for its high-quality chameli ka tel which was exported. Buchanan travelogues In 1812, botanist Francis Buchanan-Hamilton described 5000 houses in Barh and many respectable Muslim families living there. Barh Dispensary In 1867, a dispensary was opened by the British in Barh. In 1871, around 2500 patients were seen, around 25 per working day. Floods damaged the dispensary in 1871, but it was restored by 1874 where around 3768 patients were seen. Municipality Barh was converted into a full-fledged municipality in 1870. Barh Railway line On 10 November 1877, the Barh railway station was opened to the public. Plague Between the 1890s to 1910, Barh and Patna were afflicted by plague. It is believed that the plague in 1898 came by sea, though it first appeared in the British India Steam Navigation Company's wharf. It was believed the plague were transported by the rats aboard the infected ships as none of the infected people were found near the cities, but appeared near the docks. From Calcutta, the plague was carried into different cities. The two main factors for the spread of the plague were believed to be high presence of rats and dark, dirty houses with bad ventilation. The population of extended Barh subdivision decreased from 408,256 in 1891 to 365,327 in 1901 due to plague. Sati's Incident In 1928, Sampati Kuer, a young widow from Berhna village, committed sati on the funeral pyre of her deceased husband. The British government suspected foul play and sentenced 10 people to prison, including her brother Murlidhar Pande, since sati pratha was outlawed 100 years earlier by the British government. However, villagers see this incident as miraculous, and the relevant site is commemorated as a special place of worship called Sati Sthan at the old Umanath temple in Barh.
Transport
Barh lies on National Highway 31, which connects the town to major cities. The town also has a railway station with the same name. Its major traffic is on Station Road.
