Purnia Pūrniyan | |
|---|---|
| Purnea | |
 Tricolour hosted at Jail Chowk Purnia  Purnia Skyline  Maa Puran Devi Mandir, Purnea City | |
| Nicknames: Mini Darjeeling, Makhana Capital of India[2] | |
  Purnia Location in Bihar, India Show map of Bihar Purnia Location in India Show map of India | |
| Coordinates:25°46′41″N87°28′34″E / 25.778°N 87.476°E /25.778; 87.476 | |
| Country |  India |
| State |  Bihar |
| Region | Mithila[1] |
| Subregion | Kosi-Seemanchal |
| Division | Purnia |
| District | Purnia |
| Established | 14 February 1770 |
| Named after | Goddess Puran Devi or Sanskrit wordPurn Aranya |
| Government | |
| • Type | Municipal Corporation (India) |
| • Body | Purnia Municipal Corporation |
| • Mayor | Bibha Kumari |
| • MP | Pappu Yadav |
| • MLA | Vijay khemka |
| Area | |
| 92 km2 (36 sq mi) | |
| • Urban | 60 km2 (23 sq mi) |
| • Rank | 2nd in Bihar |
| Elevation | 36 m (118 ft) |
| Population | |
| 496,830[3] | |
| • Rank | 4th in Bihar |
| • Urban | 496,830 |
| Language | |
| • Official | Hindi |
| • Additional official | Urdu |
| • Regional | Maithili,Bengali,Surjapuri andAngika |
| Time zone | UTC+5:30 (IST) |
| PIN | 854301, 854302 (Main City), 854303 (South-West Suburbs &Purnia Airport), 854304 (North-West Suburbs), 854305 (Khuskibagh &Purnia Railway station), 854326 (Eastern Suburbs), 854330 (Northern Suburbs &Kasba) (Purnia)[4] |
| Telephone code | +91 6454 |
| Vehicle registration | BR-11 |
| Literacy | 74.09% |
| Lok Sabha constituency | Purnia |
| Website | purnea |
Purnia (pronunciationⓘ; alsoromanized and officially[5] known asPurnea) isthe fourth largest city of Bihar and is emerging as the largest economic hub inNorth Bihar. It serves as the administrative headquarters of bothPurnia district andPurnia division in theIndian state ofBihar. It is well known for its favourable climate likeDarjeeling and has an abundance of resources for human settlements and economic activities.[citation needed]
The total geographical area of Purnia Urban Agglomeration is 92 km2 (35.52 sq mi) which is next only to Patna. The population density of the city is 3058 persons per km sq. making it the4th largest city of Bihar by population.[3] It is nearly 315 km fromPatna, as well as 171 km fromSiliguri, 90 km fromBhagalpur. It is 640 km fromGuwahati (approximately) and 450 km fromKolkata, the capital of the adjacent state ofWest Bengal and the largest city inEast India. Purnia district covers 3202.31 sq. km of the state ofBihar. TheIndian Army,Indian Air Force, and three of five branches of India'sCentral Armed Police Forces – theBorder Security Force (BSF), theSashastra Seema Bal (SSB), and theIndo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) – have bases around the district.
Several possible origins for the namePurnia have been proposed. The name may originate from theSanskrit wordPurna–Aranya, which means "complete jungle".[6]Purnia could also be an altered form of the old namePurania, derived from the wordpurain orLotus, which is said to have grown on theKosi andMahananda rivers.
The city's name is alsoromanized as Purnea.
Purnia is part of theMithila region.[7] Mithila first gained prominence after being settled byIndo-Aryan peoples who established theMithila Kingdom (also called Kingdom of the Videhas).[8] During the late Vedic period (c. 1100–500 BCE), Videha became one of the major political and cultural centers ofSouth Asia, along with Kuru and Pañcāla. The kings of the Videha Kingdom were calledJanakas.[9] The Videha Kingdom was later incorporated into theVajjika League, which had its capital in the city ofVaishali, which is also in Mithila.[10]
In the 17th century, the rulers of Purnia were involved in wars with theKings of Limbuwan.
At the beginning of British rule, many people from Europe came to Purnia and settled here. At that time, Purnia was a complete 'Purania', meaning jungle. In the early days of colonization, Europeans settled around theSaura river in the middle of the city, now known as Rambagh area. Later, Europeans started coming west from the Saura river and making their own 'Kothi'. The civil lines existing throughout India, were also in Purnia.
Among the most active European zamindars in Purnia were Alexander John Forbes and Palmer. Alexander John Forbes bought the Sultanpur pargana from Mahajan Babu Pratap Singh ofMurshidabad in 1859 and became a Zamindar. Forbes city (Forbesganj) in the Sultanpur pargana was named after him, but Forbes lived in the city of Purnia. Forbes built the race course and various other clubs. Alexander Forbes and his wife Diana died of malaria in 1890. The Forbes family sold the Sultanpur estate to the country's business house J. K. Singhania, because of the ongoing jute cultivation.
Another Englishman who lived in Purnia was Palmer. He bought the zamindari of a king and settled in Purnia. Palmer's only daughter, Mrs. Downing, was his heir. Mrs. Downing had two heirs - her son C. Y. Downing and daughter Mrs. Hays. Today, the grand residence of Hez Saheb is the main building of Purnia College. There is a dyke in Purnia, which protects the city from floods. In Baghmara, one area in the frontier of the city, there is an embankment parallel to the Saura river, which was built by Palmer. This dam was named the Palmer Dam.
Indigo cultivation was first started in Purnia by an Englishman named John Kelly. Later, many Europeans cultivated indigo here vigorously. Shillingford, a hunter, was the foremost among them who built 'Nilha Kothi' in places such as Nilganj, Mahendrapur, and Bhavbada. Neelha farmers, another group of English farmers, heavily contrubuted to Purnia's settlement. Purnia was a very green and open area.[11]
Purnea is home to several significant religious sites attracting devotees from across the region.[12]
NH 231.
 | This sectiondoes notcite anysources. Please helpimprove this section byadding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged andremoved.(March 2025) (Learn how and when to remove this message) |
Purnia and its surrounding lands lie in thesub-montane alluvial tract of theGangetic Plain. The city however lies on the banks of numerous tributaries of theKoshi River. Two major rivers traverse Purnia city with theKari Kosi river on the western end and theSaura river on the eastern end. The main city is situated between these two rivers.
Purnia city has an area of 92 square kilometres (36 sq mi).
Purnia is known for its favourable climate; it has earned the name "MiniDarjeeling" for this reason. Purnia has a largely humid climate, with the highest level of rainfall in Bihar state and humidity rising to above 70%. A cold season, from November to February, is followed by a hot season from March to June. Themonsoon season begins in early June and lasts until September; 82% of its total annual rainfall falls during the monsoon season.
January, the coldest month, has a mean daily minimum temperature of 5 to 10 °C and a mean daily maximum of 20 to 25 °C. Wind is typically light in the non-monsoon seasons but during the monsoon, storms and depressions originating in theBay of Bengal cause heavy rain and strong winds.
| Climate data for Purnia (1991–2020, extremes 1901–present) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 29.3 (84.7) | 35.3 (95.5) | 40.6 (105.1) | 43.3 (109.9) | 43.9 (111.0) | 43.5 (110.3) | 38.9 (102.0) | 38.2 (100.8) | 37.4 (99.3) | 36.6 (97.9) | 34.8 (94.6) | 31.6 (88.9) | 43.9 (111.0) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 22.5 (72.5) | 27.2 (81.0) | 32.2 (90.0) | 35.1 (95.2) | 34.8 (94.6) | 34.4 (93.9) | 33.3 (91.9) | 33.5 (92.3) | 33.3 (91.9) | 32.5 (90.5) | 29.9 (85.8) | 25.3 (77.5) | 31.2 (88.2) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 9.0 (48.2) | 11.6 (52.9) | 16.1 (61.0) | 20.4 (68.7) | 23.4 (74.1) | 25.1 (77.2) | 25.7 (78.3) | 25.8 (78.4) | 24.8 (76.6) | 21.5 (70.7) | 15.2 (59.4) | 10.5 (50.9) | 19.2 (66.6) |
| Record low °C (°F) | 1.3 (34.3) | 1.7 (35.1) | 5.4 (41.7) | 10.4 (50.7) | 15.0 (59.0) | 17.8 (64.0) | 20.7 (69.3) | 19.6 (67.3) | 18.0 (64.4) | 10.0 (50.0) | 4.6 (40.3) | 2.1 (35.8) | 1.3 (34.3) |
| Average rainfall mm (inches) | 8.2 (0.32) | 8.2 (0.32) | 14.9 (0.59) | 45.5 (1.79) | 140.6 (5.54) | 284.6 (11.20) | 350.6 (13.80) | 301.7 (11.88) | 310.6 (12.23) | 81.3 (3.20) | 5.0 (0.20) | 4.0 (0.16) | 1,555.2 (61.23) |
| Average rainy days | 0.8 | 1.0 | 1.2 | 2.9 | 6.1 | 10.8 | 14.9 | 13.4 | 11.4 | 3.2 | 0.4 | 0.5 | 66.6 |
| Averagerelative humidity (%)(at 17:30IST) | 79 | 65 | 50 | 53 | 64 | 75 | 81 | 82 | 84 | 80 | 80 | 83 | 73 |
| Source:India Meteorological Department[13][14][15] | |||||||||||||
As of the 2011 census, Purnia Municipal Corporation had a total population of 282,248, of which 148,077 were males and 134,171 were females.[16] It had a sex ratio of 906 females to 1,000 males. The population below 6 years was 43,050. The literacy rate for the 6+ population was 73.02%, compared to the 74.04% national average.[17] Purnia Urban Agglomeration, comprising Purnia Municipal Corporation andKasba (Nagar Panchayat),[18] had a population of 310,817 in 2011.[19]
| Religion | Percent | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hinduism | 75.19 % | |||
| Islam | 23.26% | |||
| Christianity | 0.60% | |||
| Sikhism | 0.12% | |||
| Jainism | 0.35% | |||
| Others | 0.52% | |||
Maithili,[21] is native language andHindi,Urdu andBengali are the other languages spoken by the people of Purnia.Surjapuri andSantali dialects are also spoken in some parts of the city. English continues to be taught in the English Medium schools.
In recent years, Purnia is has become a regional epicenter for the service and automobile sectors.Primarily,Gulabbagh, Khuskibagh,Line Bazar, Bhatta Bazar, Madhubani Bazar, City Industrial Estate and Maranga Outgrowth Centre are the prime locations for the economic activities.
Gulabbagh and Khuskibagh are situated at eastern outskirts of main city, and known for their famous agriculture markets (in local languagemandi). Many merchants come fromNepal andWest Bengal to purchase supplies of raw materials, especiallyMaize. GulabBagh in Purnia houses a major grain storehouse and is Asia's largestmaize trading center. This location as well as central and eastern Bihar supply the grain requirements ofBengal,Nepal, and the states ofNortheast India. Numerous highways in Purnia, including
NH 27,NH 231,
NH 131A provide excellent connectivity to all parts ofIndia. Khuskibagh has fruit and vegetable markets that are close toPurnia Junction (station code: PRNA), which provides rail connectivity.
Purnia has historically been a center of education in the North Bihar region. The Zila School, founded in 1800 during the period ofBritish rule, is the oldest school in Purnia and one of the largest in the city.Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya, Garhbanaili (located 14 km from the main city), is a prestigious government-run school. Vidya Vihar Residential School, a leading boarding school in Bihar, has its campus in Parora, Purnia. G D Goenka Public School, one of India's leading school chains, established its third campus in Bihar in Purnia, following those inPatna andGaya. Purnia also has aKendriya Vidyalaya.
The prominent schools in Purnia include:
Purnia has several colleges offering higher education in disciplines such asengineering,law,arts, andhome science. These institutions are recognized by the state government and affiliated with various universities, includingAryabhatta Knowledge University,Bihar Agricultural University, andPurnea University.
The major colleges in Purnia include:
Additionally, a 3D animation and multimedia institute is located in Madhubani Bazar.
TheIndian Red Cross Society operates the second-largest blood bank in Bihar, with a capacity of 1,000 units, following the one inPatna. TheBihar government has recently inaugurated one of three megastock warehouses for medicines atKasba, which serves 13 districts of North Bihar.
The Indira Gandhi Stadium houses aSports Authority of India sports hostel for athletes. The DSA and Zila School grounds serve as the city's outdoor stadiums. In January 2025, theBihar government announced the construction of a modern sports complex at Rangbhumi Maidan in Purnia at a cost of ₹42 crore. The project aims to provide advanced facilities for local athletes, enabling them to perform excellently at the state and national levels.[32]
Purnia is home toPurnea University, the ninth university in Bihar. It is the only university in thePurnia Commissionerate and includes affiliated colleges from the districts ofPurnia,Katihar,Araria, andKishanganj.[33]
_as_part_of_flood_relief_operations_being_undertaken_in_Bihar_on_August_04%2c_2014.jpg)
Purnia Airport, is located within the cantonment area and used by both army and commercial purpose. The airport operates scheduled flights for Delhi, Kolkata, Ahmedabad and Hyderabad.
The nearest other commercial airports areBagdogra Airport, about 150 km away atBagdogra inDarjeeling district. AndDarbhanga Airport is around 231 km from Purnia.Jay Prakash Narayan International Airport (Patna Airport) is located in Patna, capital of Bihar, at a distance of 310 km from Purnia.
Purnia is served by two railway stations separated by 5 km,Purnia Junction (station code: PRNA) andPurnia Court (station code: PRNC). Purnia Junction is closer to the residents of Khuskibagh, Gulabbagh, and Eastern Purnia, while Purnia Court is in the western part of the city and caters to the residents of Madhubani, Janta Chowk, and Central and Western Purnia.
Purnia Junction is situated onJogbani–Katihar line of theNortheast Frontier Railway (NFR)Saharsa–Purnia line of the andEast Central Railway zone that connects Purnia toKatihar Junction,Jogbani,Saharsa Junction andBarauni Junction. There are daily and weekly trains toBegusarai,Darbhanga,Samastipur,Siliguri Junction,Malda Town,Patna Junction,Gaya Junction,Ranchi,Chhapra Junction,Gorakhpur,Prayagraj Junction,Kanpur Central,New Delhi,Amritsar,Kolkata and other nearby cities.
National Highways namely
NH 31,NH 27,NH 231,NH 131A make Purnia accessible to the people from nearby cities & states whilestate highways connect the other neighbouring cities and villages to the main city area. The newly constructedNH 27 directly connects Purnia to some important towns and cities ofNorth Bihar namelyDarbhanga &Muzaffarpur. It takes nearly 5 hours to reachMuzaffarpur through thisExpressway. This expressway which also traverses through the newly built Kosi Mahasetu bridge ends atMuzaffarpur to continue further for Patna. It has turned out to be an alternate route for Patna & has helped in decongesting the ever busy and traffic-prone NH31.
NH 31 traverse the main city and terminate Gulab bagh atNH 27 in the east andPatna to the west viaMokama,Khagaria &Begusarai.
The east–west corridor connectingSilchar,Assam toGujarat passes through Purnia in the form ofNH 27. It is a modern four-lane highway constructed byNational Highways Authority of India (NHAI). State Highways 60, 62, 65, 77 & 90 also pass through Purnia.
NH 31 andNH 27 are four-lane expressways and are a strength to the intercity transportation services.
Phanishwar Nath Renu's popular story "Maare Gaye Gulfam" which was adapted into a filmTeesri Kasam (The Third Vow), byBasu Bhattacharya (produced by the poet-lyricistShailendra) in 1966 was shot in Purnia, in which old Purnea is pictured, especially 'the Gulabbag Mela'.[citation needed]
Purnia held the record for making and displaying the world's longesttricolour flag, with the length measured at 7,100 metres (7.1 km) before it was broken on 12 August 2019 byRaipur,Chattisgadh.[34][35][36]
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)