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Gaya district | |
|---|---|
 | |
 Location of Gaya district in Bihar | |
| Country |  India |
| State |  Bihar |
| Division | Magadh |
| Headquarters | Gaya |
| Tehsils | 24 |
| Government | |
| • District magistrate | Dr. Thiyagarajan S.M. (IAS) |
| • Lok Sabha constituencies | Gaya |
| • MP/Saansad | Shri Jitan Ram Manjhi (HAM) |
| • MLA/Vidhayak(Gaya Town) | (Shri)Dr. Prem Kumar (BJP) |
| Area | |
• Total | 4,976 km2 (1,921 sq mi) |
| • Rank | 2nd inBihar |
| Population (2011) | |
• Total | 4,359,700 (as per 2,011 census) |
| Demographics | |
| • Literacy | 63.67% |
| • Sex ratio | 932♀/1000♂ |
| Time zone | UTC+05:30 (IST) |
| PIN Code | |
| Major highways | NH 2,NH 82,NH 83 |
| Website | gaya |
Gaya district is one of thethirty-eight districts of the Indian state ofBihar. It was officially established on 3 October 1865. The district has a common boundary with the state ofJharkhand to the south.Gaya city is both the district headquarters and the second-largest city inBihar.
Gaya finds mention in the Hindu epicsRamayana andMahabharata.Rama, along withSita andLakshmana, are stated to have visited Gaya for offeringpinda-dana to their fatherDasharatha. In theMahabharata, the place has been identified as Gayapuri. In theVayu Purana, it is stated thatGaya was the name of a demon (asura) whose body became pious after he performed rigid penance and secured blessings fromVishnu. It was said that the Gayasura's body would continue to be known as Gaya Kshetra.
Gaya has experienced the rise and fall of many dynasties in theMagadha Region. From the 6th century BC to the 18th century AD, about 2300–2400 years, Gaya has been occupying an important place in the cultural history of the region. It opened up with theShaishunaga dynasty founded byShishunaga, who exercised power overPatna and Gaya around 600 BC.Bimbisara, fifth in line, who lived and ruled around 519 BC, had projected Gaya to the outer world. The region was influenced byGautama Buddha andMahavira during the reign of Bimbisara. After a short spell ofNanda dynasty, Gaya and the entireMagadha region came under theMauryan rule withAshoka (272 BC – 232 BC) embracingBuddhism. He visited Gaya and built the first temple atBodh Gaya to commemorate Prince Gautama's attainment of supreme enlightenment.
The period ofHindu revivalism commenced with the coming of the Guptas during the 4th and 5th century A.D.Samudragupta ofMagadha helped to bring Gaya in limelight. It was the headquarters of the Behar district during theGupta Empire.
Gaya then passed on to thePala Empire withGopala as the ruler. It is believed that the present temple ofBodh Gaya was built during the reign ofDharmapala, son of Gopala.
Gaya was in the 12th century invaded byMuhammad Bakhtiyar Khilji. The place finally passed on to the British after thebattle of Buxar in 1764. Gaya district, along with other parts of the country, won freedom in 1947. Gaya is also the birthplace of eminent[1] nationalist and the firstDeputy Chief Minister of BiharDr. Anugrah Narain Sinha.
Gaya formed a part of the district of Behar and Ramgarh till 1864. It was given the status of independent district in 1865.[2] Subsequently, in May 1981,Magadh Division was created by the Bihar State Government with the districts of Gaya, Nawada, Aurangabad and Jehanabad. All these districts were at the level of sub-division when the Gaya district was created in 1865.
Gaya has seen three districts partitioned off from its territory:Aurangabad andNawada in 1976,[3] andJehanabad in 1988.[3]
Gaya district occupies an area of 4,976 square kilometres (1,921 sq mi),[4] comparatively equivalent to the island ofTrinidad.[5]
Headquarters: Gaya
Area:Total 4,976 km2
Temperature: minimum 0.8 (2002 AD) degree C – maximum 49.8 (1996) degree C
Rivers:Falgu
| District | No. | Constituency | Name | Party | Alliance | Remarks | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gaya | 225 | Gurua | Vinay Yadav | RJD | MGB | |||
| 226 | Sherghati | Manju Agrawal | RJD | MGB | ||||
| 227 | Imamganj | Jitan Ram Manjhi | HAM(S) | NDA | ||||
| Deepa Manjhi | HAM(S) | NDA | Won in2024 bypoll | |||||
| 228 | Barachatti | Jyoti Devi | HAM(S) | NDA | ||||
| 229 | Bodh Gaya | Kumar Sarvjeet | RJD | MGB | ||||
| 230 | Gaya Town | Prem Kumar | BJP | NDA | ||||
| 231 | Tikari | Anil Kumar | HAM(S) | NDA | ||||
| 232 | Belaganj | Surendra Prasad Yadav | RJD | MGB | ||||
| Manorama Devi | JD(U) | NDA | Won in2024 bypoll | |||||
| 233 | Atri | Ajay Kumar Yadav | RJD | MGB | ||||
| 234 | Wazirganj | Birendra Singh | BJP | NDA | ||||
The economy is majorly based on Tourism and Agriculture. However Gaya is also call the Manchester of Bihar , because of the textile industry.It is one of the 36 districts in Bihar currently receiving funds from the Backward Regions Grant Fund Programme (BRGF).[6]
Gaya District comprises 4 Sub-divisions and 24 Blocks:[7]
| Sub-divisions | Blocks |
|---|---|
| Gaya Sadar | Sadar Gaya |
| Belaganj | |
| Wazirganj | |
| Manpur | |
| Bodh Gaya | |
| Tankuppa | |
| Fatehpur | |
| Tekari | Konch |
| Tekari | |
| Guraru | |
| Paraiya | |
| Neemchak Bhatani | Khizarsarai |
| Atri | |
| Bhatani | |
| Muhra | |
| Sherghati | Gurua |
| Amas | |
| Banke Bazar | |
| Imamganj | |
| Dumaria | |
| Sherghati | |
| Dobhi | |
| Mohanpur | |
| Barachatti |
In 1976 Gaya district became home to theGautam Budha Wildlife Sanctuary, which has an area of 260 km2 (100.4 sq mi).[8]
| Year | Pop. | ±% p.a. |
|---|---|---|
| 1901 | 791,096 | — |
| 1911 | 829,139 | +0.47% |
| 1921 | 826,039 | −0.04% |
| 1931 | 916,408 | +1.04% |
| 1941 | 1,064,854 | +1.51% |
| 1951 | 1,178,093 | +1.02% |
| 1961 | 1,392,472 | +1.69% |
| 1971 | 1,725,583 | +2.17% |
| 1981 | 2,150,406 | +2.23% |
| 1991 | 2,664,803 | +2.17% |
| 2001 | 3,473,428 | +2.69% |
| 2011 | 4,391,418 | +2.37% |
| source:[9] | ||
According to the2011 census Gaya district has apopulation of 4,391,418,[11] roughly equal to the nation ofMoldova[12] or the US state ofKentucky.[13] This gives it a ranking of 42nd in India (out of a total of640).[11] The district has a population density of 880 inhabitants per square kilometre (2,300/sq mi) .[11] Itspopulation growth rate over the decade 2001–2011 was 26.08%.[11] Gaya has asex ratio of 932females for every 1,000 males,[11] and aliteracy rate of 66.35%. 13.24% of the population lives in urban areas. Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes make up 30.39% and 0.07% of the population respectively.[11]
At the time of the2011 Census of India, 51.36% of the population in the district spokeHindi, 41.37%Magahi and 7.04%Urdu as their first language.[14]
Schools in Gaya are either government run schools or private schools. Schools mainly useHindi or English as the medium of instruction. The schools are affiliated with theBihar School Examination Board, theCentral Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) or theNational Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS).[15] Under the 10+2+3/4 plan, after completing their secondary education, students typically enroll in a school with a higher secondary facility affiliated with the BSEB, the NIOS or the CBSE. Students usually choose from one of three streams — liberal arts, commerce, or science, though vocational streams are also available. Upon completing the required coursework, students may enroll in general or professional degree programmed.[citation needed]
Notable institutions of higher education include:
Notable schools:
{{cite book}}:|last1= has generic name (help)Trinidad 5,009km2
Moldova 4,314,377 July 2011 est.
Kentucky 4,339,367
Places adjacent to Gaya district | |
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24°45′N85°00′E / 24.750°N 85.000°E /24.750; 85.000
| International | |
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| National | |
