Bihiya


Behea or Bihiya is a nagar panchayat town in Bhojpur district in the Indian state of Bihar, as well as an associated sub-district. The sub-district comprises 76 rural villages, along with the town of Bihiya itself and 22 uninhabited villages. As of 2011, the population of the sub-district was 151,722, of whom 26,707 lived in the town of Bihiya itself.

History

A branch of the Harihoban Rajputs once ruled Bihiya. According to tradition, in 1528, the scion of the Bihiya Harihobans, whose name is given as either Ram Pal Singh or Bhopat Deo, raped a local Brahmin woman named Mathin or Mahini, in line with the custom of "taking of dola", which allowed the local Rajput lord to sleep with a lower-caste woman on her wedding night. Mathin then committed suicide, but not before laying a curse upon the Harihobans, who eventually left Bihiya and moved to Ballia across the Ganges. A temple called the Mathin Dai was built in Bihiya in her memory. This legend still resonates with women of the region, especially Dalit women, as it encapsulates the sexual violence long perpetrated by upper-caste men against lower-caste women.
When The Imperial Gazetteer of India was published in 1885, it mentioned the existence of Bihiya as a village of Shahabad district, with a station on the East Indian Railway. Bihiya was mentioned as being a center of local trade. A Bihiya Canal was also described, branching off from the Arrah Canal.
Bihiya was first listed as a nagar panchayat town in the 1980s.

Demographics

As of the 2001 census, the population was approximately 25,000, of which 17% were below age 6. The population was primarily a mix of Hindus and Muslims, and the primary spoken language was Bhojpuri. 59% of the population was reported to be literate, including 41% among females.
The population of Bihiya sub-district in 2001 was 139,374; this increased to 151,722 by 2011. Likewise, the population of the town of Bihiya itself increased by 28.8%, from 20,741 in 2001 to 26,707 in 2011. The district overall had a sex ratio of 918 in 2011. In the 0-6 age group, the ratio was higher: 923 in rural areas, 964 in the town of Bihiya, and 928 overall. Members of scheduled castes formed 16.65% of the sub-district's total population, and 9.09% of the population of the town of Bihiya. Likewise, members of scheduled tribes constituted 1.39% of the total population of the sub-district, and 3.21% of the population of the town of Bihiya. The 3.21% of scheduled tribe members in the town of Bihiya was the highest percentage of towns in Bhojpur district in 2011. The literacy rate of the sub-district as a whole was 67.8% in 2011.
25.66% of the population of Bihiya sub-district, and 24.31% of the population of the town of Bihiya, was engaged in main or marginal work in 2011; both figures were the lowest in Bhojpur district for sub-districts and towns respectively. A plurality of workers in Bihiya sub-district were agricultural laborers who did not own or rent their own land, accounting for 40.79% of the workforce. Cultivators who did own or lease their own land constituted 25.05% of the sub-district's workforce, household industry workers were 4.10%, and other workers were the remaining 29.24%. These figures were all fairly close to the average for the entire district of Bhojpur. Patterns of employment were different in the town of Bihiya, where both categories of agricultural workers combined formed less than 20% of the workforce. Other workers were 70.49%, compared to the 72.55% average for all towns in Bhojpur.

Transport

Behea is served by a railway station and bus stop.

Culture

Important festivals are Holi, Diwali, Durgapuja, Chhath Puja, Id-ul-Fitar and Muharram.

Food

Traditional breakfast foods are jalebi and puri, and many other sweets are available. Litti Chokha is widely available.

Temples

The Mahthin Mai temple is located, which is famous for marriages, A beautiful Sun temple with a beautiful lake is located in the middle of the town. The temple compound hosts a number of fairs. Other temples in Behea include the Sun Temple, Mahavir Mandir and Durga Mata Mandir

Economy

The main occupations are agriculture and commerce. Behea is in a fertile agricultural area where the main crops are wheat and rice. Farmers are independent land owners who raise their own cattle and crops. A small number of Zamindars rent their farms to others. The main water source for irrigation is a tributary of the Ganga river.
Of the total land area in Bihiya sub-district, 71.92% is under cultivation; of the cultivated area, 63.91% is irrigated.
Small-scale industries include an asbestos factory and brick-making.
Behea is a business hub for small-scale traders, who mainly collect agricultural products from farmers to sell elsewhere. Power shortages constrict Behea's economic potential.
The commercial district is the Raja Bazaar on Station Road, which includes shopping complexes such as the Jagdamba Market. Jewelry shops dominate the district.
According to the 2011 Census of India, the main three commodities manufactured in the town of Bihiya are bamboo products, brooms, and biscuits.

Education

+2 High School, Behea, Mahathin Maa College, H D College Bihiya, Girija Devi Polytechnic College, Gautam public school, Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya, Don Bosco Academy, Cambridge Public School, Gyanodaya, Gurukul Gyan Niketan, Vivekanand public school and many more educational institutions are present.

Villages

Apart from the town of Bihiya itself, the sub-district of Bihiya comprises the following 98 villages, of which 76 are inhabited and 22 are uninhabited:
Village nameTotal land area Population
Amiya46804
Amrai3422,033
Andar2191,790
Andauli50253
Bagahin964,653
Banahin3481,841
Bandha792,287
Bankat220 '
Bankat1713,077
Bara1531,938
Baruna1301,035
Basdeopur1221,103
Bela39732
Belauna761,249
Bharsanda Jado873,163
Bharsanda Mangit1041,310
Bhinriya1111,249
Bhoja Chak43316
Bibi Mah Chak42281
Bikrampur260 '
Bikrampur145936
Birpur1362,785
Chakwath4824,964
Chaughara57133
Dalpatpur40960
Dariwan1020 '
Dhanikara280 '
Dharhara50881
Doghra2534,108
Dubauli28224
Dusadhi Chak390 '
English Pur50900
Gajrar130785
Garhatha530 '
Gaudar Chak Tal4560
Gaudar Rudar Nagar2085,015
Ghagha702,126
Hirdepur89294
Itwa1082,207
Jadopur2782,923
Jamua1762,308
Jogibir1971,661
Kaleyanpur2695,923
Kamriaon2514,259
Kanela34841
Kaneli1261,815
Kanhai Geyan Sinh1310 '
Karkhiyan1061,168
Katea5826,329
Kauriya1912,208
Kawalpura600 '
Kewal Patti1291,023
Khakhu Bandh202426
Kharauni1531,373
Kuardah114907
Kundesar3623,141
Mahuaon2913,093
Makhdumpur89946
Maniara2061,565
Marinpur1411,317
Marwatia860 '
Maujhali1713,162
Meha Chak11071
Misrauli531,222
Mohanpur270 '
Moti Rampur27875
Nainagarha350 '
Narayanpur321,297
Narayanpur46546
Nausha Tanr871,019
Nawada1992,058
Nawadih1131,059
Osain4806,308
Pahari Pipra320 '
Parariya400 '
Patkhaulia360 '
Phingi1522,557
Phulai65955
Pipra Jagdis1152,830
Rajaur3090 '
Ramdatahi18321
Ramdubwal740 '
Rampur40520
Rani Sagar1137,711
Rati Dubawal610 '
Rustampur480 '
Sahjauli1801,473
Saho Dih1911,673
Samardah1032,282
Sharaur1832,175
Shiupur2172,653
Sikariya3522,843
Sirampur190 '
Sukhari Chak410 '
Sukrauli670 '
Teghra1303,049
Tetariya99907
Tiar8414,338
Tikhpur1560 '