Khatangi


Khatangi is a prominent village in Bihar, India. It is situated in Sonbhadra-Bansi-Surajpur Block in Arwal district of the State of Bihar. It is located at 96.1 km distance from Arwal and at 114 km distance from the state capital Patna. It is a very old village with a population of about 5,000 people. The literacy rate is 45.56%, comprising a female literacy rate of 27.3% and a male literacy rate of 62.98%. The people here are very friendly and hospitable. The economy of this village is agro-based and agriculture remains the main source of income.
Khatangi is a Gram Panchayat. The surrounding villages are Majhiawan, Sarbahada, Rapura and Chandaukhar. It has two satellite sub-villages named Deva Bigaha and Mahadeo Bigaha.

Transportation

Khatangi village is connected via road from all the four sides, viz., Gaya town through Mau and Tekari, Jehanabad town through Manikpur and Kurtha, Arwal town through Banshi and also through Kurtha and Kinjer, and Aurangabad town through Konch and Goh. Regular buses fly between Jehanabad and Khatangi and between Gaya and Khatangi. You can go anywhere around the village through auto-rickshaw. The nearest Railway Station is Jehanabad and the nearest Airport is Gaya and Patna.

Institutions

1. SMH School, Khatangi
Saraswati Mandir High School or SMH School, Khatangi is very respected school of the region, in which over a dozen surrounding villages send their wards for study. It is situated at about 2 km east from Khatangi. It has a C-shaped building with a beautiful flower garden in the front and two big fields in the back and side. It houses 5 classes from Std. VI to Std. X with multiple sections. There are 8 - 12 well trained teachers and staffs. The school has produced several well placed, successful and renowned persons, who are serving the society and nation in almost every walk of life.
2. Govt. Middle School, Khatangi
Middle School, Khatangi is situated at about 1 km west from Khatangi. It has a good building with a beautiful flower garden and a playground. It houses 5 classes from Std. I to Std. V. There are 5 - 8 well trained teachers and staffs.
Presently, there is housing one sqadran of anti-naxal sqad in the building of Middle School.
Hence, the school is shifted in a new building constructed at Bhind situated at 500 m east of village.
3. Primary Health Centre, Khatangi
Primary Health Centre, Khatangi is situated at about 1 km west from Khatangi. It has a well equipped building. It houses OPD, Dressing Room, Medicine Store and Staff Quarters. There are well trained Staffs in the Health Centre.
4. Post Office, Khatangi
Post Office, Khatangi is situated in the centre of the village. There are regular Post Master and Post Man in the Post Office. Telephone facility is available in the Post Office apart from Money Order and Registry services. It serves all the communication needs of the village.

Places of interest

1. Garh :
A large Garh is situated at south of the village Khatangi. Several ancient remains have been found in the excavation of the Garh by local people. It is assumed that it is the remains of some ancient colony. The Govt. should exercise scientific excavation of this site in order to discover its importance and to preserve the ancient remains.
2. Phulwari :
There is a big Phulwari situated at the bank of a small river at about 500 m west of the village. Also, there is a Surya Mandir and a small pond in the Phulwari.
3. Surya Mandir :
A very tall Surya Temple is situated in the Phulwari of Khatangi. The temple has an excellent statue of Lord Surya. Chhat Puja is celebrated here in very large scale twice every year. Thousand of surrounding villagers come here for Chhatt Puja. It attracts a large number of visitors in regular manner.
4. Bhind :
There is a big field at about 500 m west of the village. The field is popularly known as Bhind in the village. The middle school is shifted here in a newly constructed building.
5. Pokhara :
A big Pokhara is situated at south of the village. It is used for irrigation.
6. Nadi :
A small river is situated at east of the village. It is a rainy season river and becomes dry in summer.
7. Aahar :
A big Aahar is situated at north of the village. It is used for irrigation and fish farming.
8. Bus Stand:
A Bus Stand is situated at South - East of the village. Buses and Auto-Rikshaw used to connect this village with Gaya, Jehanabad, Arwal, and Aurangabad for Road Communication.

Prominent Villagers

The village has produced several successful and renowned persons, who are serving the society and nation in almost every walk of life. Some of them are: -
1. Umesh Narayan Singh, the Bhumihar Zamindar and owner of the Khatangi Kothi of Gaya was the founder of the ‘Shanichara Club’ where the renowned tawaifs of the day and famous singer of Banaras Siddheshwari, Raoolan, Badi Moti, Rjeshwari, Vidyadhari and others who were equally famous like Begam Akhtar, Kesar Bai, Zohra Bai etc engaged the city’s cognoscenti every Saturday and Thumri strains wafted through the club precincts one upon a time.
2. Shri Bamdeo Sharma:
He had been headmaster of a Govt. Middle School. He is known for his simplicity, idealism and educationist guide for his family and villagers. Under his guidance, his family members succeeded in becoming professor, lawyer-magistrate, engineer etc. Many villagers got inspiration and enthusiasm to choose their career and achieve success.
3. Shri Dev Prasad Singh:
A former principal of renowned Tekari Raj High School, he was the leading light for Khatangi in the field of education and renaissance. He was respected in the region for his academic knowledge and teaching methods. He was a man of principle, integrity and honesty. His students went on to become doctors, engineers, IAS and IPS officers. He was a respected figure and was often called as chief guest in every functions, held in the region. In 50s, he completed double MA, a rare feat during that time. He inspired many more in the region to follow his path.
4. Shri Rama Nand Mehta:
Born-25 July 1928. Died-18 February 2016. He was a permanent resident and respected senior citizen of Khatangi engaged in social services. He was a regular member and dedicated worker of Shoshit Samaj Dal and Arjak Sangh. He was actively associated with the activities of these organizations in the region. He was a genuine motivator and deeply engaged in several remarkable and outstanding social works. Some of which are following: -
He had been motivator and founder of dozens of self-help groups at village level in Arwal, Jehanabad, Gaya, Aurangabad and Patna districts of Bihar, which are providing quality services and guidance to thousands of villagers.
He had been working for scientific agriculture and irrigation, literacy, eradication of blind faiths and un-touchability, health, cleanliness, environment etc. for lifelong.
5. Shri Gaya Prasad Singh:
He was a prominent resident of Khatangi. He was the founder principal of Saraswati Mandir High School, Khatangi. He was very honest, dutiful and caring person.
6. Shri Ashok Kumar:
Shri Ashok Kumar is the elder son of Late Shri Rama Nand Mehta. He has done B. Tech. in Computer Science & Engineering from Birsa Institute of Technology Sindri, Dhanbad and M. Tech. in Information Technology from Jadavpur University, Kolkata. He is working in National Informatics Centre, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, Govt. of India as Senior Technical Director. He is posted at NIC Bihar State Centre, 3rd Floor, Technology Bhawan, Bailey Road, Patna - 800015.
Shri Ashok Kumar is a life member of Computer Society of India and also a permanent member of Kushwaha Abhiyanta Forum.
He has conceptualized, designed, developed and implemented several flagship software applications like PDSSoft, LRCSoft, STAMINA, TACKIS, VICTORY, ServicePlus, http://serviceonline.bihar.gov.in etc. He has been Training Incharge of NIC Bihar. Presently, he is Technical Head of Data Centre of NIC Bihar and Bihar State Coordinator of Web, Cloud, and Networking services of NIC. Also, he is Project Manager of Bihar State Data Centre and Bihar State Service Delivery Gateway Portal Mission Mode Projects and Bihar State Coordinator of e-Panchayat and e-District Mission Mode Projects of National e-Governance Plan, Govt. of India.
7. Late Shri Kapildeo Narain Singh:
He was a prominent resident and leader of Khatangi Village. Great social worker and worked for uplift of poor in the village.
8. Shri Ghanshyam Singh, youngest son of late Raghu Ram. He is a superb teacher at Jehanabad.
9. Chandra Mouleshwar Chandra formerly known as Mantu Kumar son of Hare Ram Sharma.
10. Ritesh Ranjan Formally known as Arun son of Hare Ram Singh.