Unnao district | |
|---|---|
 | |
 Location of Unnao district in Uttar Pradesh | |
| Country |  India |
| State | Uttar Pradesh |
| Division | Lucknow |
| Headquarters | Unnao |
| Tehsils | Unnao Bangarmau Hasanganj Safipur Purwa Bighapur |
| Government | |
| • Lok Sabha constituencies | Unnao |
| • Vidhan Sabha constituencies | Unnao Bangarmau Purwa Bhagwantnagar Mohan Safipur |
| Area | |
• Total | 4,045.2 km2 (1,561.9 sq mi) |
| Population (2011) | |
• Total | 3,108,367 |
| • Density | 768.41/km2 (1,990.2/sq mi) |
| • Urban | 531,646 |
| Demographics | |
| • Literacy | 66.37% |
| • Sex ratio | 0.901♂/♀ |
| Time zone | UTC+05:30 (IST) |
| Website | unnao |
Unnao district is adistrict ofUttar Pradesh state in central India. The city ofUnnao is the district headquarters. The district is part ofLucknow Division.
As of the2011 census, Unnao district has a population of 3,108,367, making it the 31st-most populous district in Uttar Pradesh.[1] It is a predominantly rural district, with over 80% of the population living in rural areas.[1]
InRamayana, GoddessSita was left here byLakshaman at Sutiyatara Chauraha(then called Sita-utara Jungle). Now at Sutiyatara there is anintersection cross and aShiva temple. She in her second exile lived here in the village ofPariyar(परियर), which was the hermitage of sageValmiki. It was forested withmango,neem,banyan,peepal trees, etc. There she gave birth to sons-Kusha andLava.Now, here is a well known temple of maa Sita, Kusha and Lava called the Janaki Kunda(meaning a place from where maa Sita went toKshira Sagara with her spiritual motherBhumi) and a Shiva temple called Lodheswar.
Unnao district was created by the British upon their annexation ofOudh State in February 1856.[2] Before then, under theNawabs of Awadh, the area was divided between several different districts orchaklas:Purwa covered the eastern part, and to the north wereRasulabad andSafipur.[2] The pargana ofAuras, meanwhile, was part of the chakla ofSandila, and the parganas ofBaiswara were included in the chakla of the same name, whose headquarters were atRae Bareli.[2] After the British takeover, the district was originally called "Purwa district" with Purwa as its headquarters.[2] This only lasted for a very short period before the headquarters were relocated to Unnao.[2]
Xuanzang, the Chinese pilgrim to India, stayed atKannauj for 3 months in 636 AD. From here he journeyed a distance of about 26 km and reached the city ofNafotipokulo (Navadevakula) which stood on the eastern bank of Ganga. The city was about 5 km in circumference and had a Deva Temple, several Buddhist monasteries and Stupas.
Navadevakula has been identified withNawal, 18 miles southeast of Kannauj.[2]
After that period, this area's history is almost completely obscure, with only the traditions of the laterRajput families as a source.[2] These traditions indicate that today's Unnao district was heavily divided between various groups: theBhars are said to have ruled in the eastern part, while the central part was inhabited by a mix of tribes including theLodhs,Lunias,Ahirs,Thatheras,Dhobis, andKurmis.[2] The mud forts of their rulers are still pointed out, but none of them ruled over a very large area.[2] In the north, the rulers were theRajpasis, whose capital was the city of Ramkot (now known asBangarmau).[2] Finally, the area aroundSafipur was supposedly ruled byBrahmin rajas (Shukla), with Safipur originally being called "Saipur" after one of them.[2]
In the following centuries, the Rajputs were the main ruling class in this area.[2] TheBais ruled in the south, theDikshits were prevalent in the central part (their family traditions call this the "kingdom ofDikhitana"), and the north was divided between several smaller clans.[2] Muslim rule was never very strong here, and so the medieval history of Unnao district is essentially a collection of separate family traditions of the ruling Rajput clans, with no specific dates given.[2]
The first major Muslim center in the region was Bangarmau, around the year 1300: according to tradition, one Sayyid Ala-ud-Din conquered the area from the raja of Nawal, then destroyed Nawal and built a new capital at Bangarmau.[2] The shrine over his grave bears an inscription with the date of 702AH (1302 CE).[2] The next major Muslim conquest was Safipur, said to have happened in 819 AH; a different Sayyid Ala-ud-Din was killed in battle here, and his shrine is venerated by both Hindus and Muslims.[2] His son, Baha-ud-Din, is then said to have later conqueredUnnao itself from theBisen raja of the city, disguising his soldiers as women in order to take the raja's troops by surprise.[2] Other Muslim outposts includedAsiwan andRasulabad.[2]
At the time ofAkbar, the entire area of modern Unnao district was included in thesarkar ofLucknow, inAwadh Subah.[2] It consisted of the following mahals:Unnao (called Unam in theAin-i-Akbari), Sarosi,Harha,Bangarmau,Safipur (then called Saipur),Fatehpur-Chaurasi,Mohan,Asiwan,Jhalotar,Parsandan,Unchgaon,Sidhupur,Purwa (then called Ranbhirpur),Mauranwan,Saron or Sarwan,Kumbhi,Magrayar,Panhan, Patan,Ghatampur, and finallyAsoha.[2] This administrative setup remained almost unaltered through the 20th century, although there were a few changes.[2] For example, the pargana ofPariar was formed from parts of Sarosi and Safipur in 1785, and then in the 1800s the pargana of Sarosi became known asSikandarpur instead (C.A. Elliott wrote in 1862 that it had "recently become habitual" at that time).[2] As another example,Daundia Khera was formed out of Unchgaon and Sidhupur byRao Mardan Singh around 1800.[2]
There are few references to this area during the later Mughal period, but they become more numerous during under the Nawabs of Awadh.[2] The Nawabs originally maintained a strong central authority over the region, with most of the local zamindars submitting to them without putting up a fight, but gradually their authority here diminished, and the local rulers became practically independent.[2] Under the Nawabi administrative setup, the area covered by today's Unnao district was divided between several districts orchaklas: Purwa, Rasulabad, and Safipur were based here, while Sandila and Baiswara were based outside of the present district but included some of its territory.[2]
When the British annexed Awadh in 1856, they established a new district based at Purwa, but the district headquarters were relocated to Unnao soon after.[2] Unnao was chosen for its central location, and the Deputy Commissioner had been posted here even during the short time when Purwa was the headquarters And district kachhri in Tikargarhi village this located in central unnao area.[2] At first, the new district was smaller than it is today, with only 13 parganas.[2] In 1869, however, it became much larger: the 7 parganas of Baiswara (Panhan, Patan, Bihar, Bhagwantnagar, Magrayar, Ghatampur, and Daundia Khera) were transferred into Unnao district (fromRae Bareli district), where they became part of the tehsil of Purwa.[2] Also in 1869, the pargana of Auras-Mohan was transferred here fromLucknow district, and Mohan became the seat of a tehsil (replacingNawabganj).[2]
Some fighting during 1857sepoy mutiny took place in this area. Following the mutiny, the civil administration was re-established in the district which was named district Unnao, with headquarters at Unnao. The size of the district was however small until 1869, when it assumed its present form. The same year the town of Unnao was constituted a Municipality.[3]
In 2006 theMinistry of Panchayati Raj named Unnao one of the country's 250most backward districts (out of a total of640).[4] It is one of the 34 districts in Uttar Pradesh currently receiving funds from theBackward Regions Grant Fund Programme (BRGF).[4] Unnao has been officially integrated into the State Capital Region by the Uttar Pradesh government in 2024, a move that is expected to enhance investment opportunities and stimulate economic growth in the area.[5]
Unnao is a district located in the northern part of the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. The economy of the district is predominantly agricultural, with a significant portion of the population engaged in farming and related activities. In recent years, however, the district has also witnessed growth in other sectors, such as small-scale industries and tourism.
Agriculture is the mainstay of the economy of Unnao district, with the major crops grown being wheat, rice, sugarcane, and potatoes. The district is also known for its production of mangoes, guavas, and other fruits. Animal husbandry is another important activity in the district, with dairy farming and poultry farming being the most popular.
In addition to agriculture, Unnao district has also witnessed the growth of small-scale industries in recent years. These include manufacturing units producing items such as leather goods, glassware, and ceramics. The district is also home to a large number of small-scale agro-based industries, such as sugar mills, cotton ginning and pressing mills, and oil mills.
Tourism is another emerging sector in Unnao district, with the district having a number of historical and religious sites that attract tourists from across the country. These include the Brijghat on the banks of the river Ganga, the Shiv Temple at Shivrajpur, and the Hanuman Mandir in Nawabganj.
Overall, while agriculture remains the mainstay of the economy of Unnao district, the growth of other sectors such as small-scale industries and tourism has helped to diversify the economy and provide employment opportunities to the local population.
Unnao district is divided into 6tehsils:Unnao,Hasanganj,Safipur,Purwa,Bangarmau andBighapur.[1] These are further subdivided into 16community development blocks, as follows:[1]
The current elected representative from Unnao to theLok Sabha, in theParliament of India, isShakshi Maharaj. The district had 6Vidhan Sabha seats, namely Unnao, Purwa, Bhagwantnagar, Mohan, Safipur and Bangarmau. However, after delimitation in 2008, areas under Harha were merged with other Vidhan Sabha seats. Thus, the district now has only 6 Vidhan Sabha seats. Other prominentQasba of Unnao include Karowan B.K., Safipur, Neotani, Asiwan, Bangarmau, Mohaan, Magarwara, Shuklaganj, Purwa Maurawan, andBaksar.
The district magistrate is Mr. Gaurang Rathi
The Unnao Lok Sabha Constituency had the largest number of registered voters for the2009 Lok Sabha elections, post de-limitation, with about 1.9 million voters, making it India's largest parliamentary seat.
Lucknow–Unnao Constituency-Ram Chandra Pradhan (BJP, 12 April 2022)
Kanpur Graduate Seat- Arun Pathak (BJP, elected 23 January 2015) (Kanpur city, Kanpur Dehat and Unnao districts are represented by this seat).
Kanpur Teachers constituency-Raj Bahadur Singh Chandel (IND, elected Feb-2023) (This constituency comes underKanpur Nagar,Kanpur Dehat andUnnao district)
The district has 18 statutory towns, including 3Nagar Palika Parishads (municipal boards) and 15Nagar Panchayats, as listed below:[1]
| Town name | Classification | Tehsil | Population (in 2011) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ganj Muradabad | Nagar Panchayat | Safipur | 10,957 |
| Bangarmau | Nagar Palika Parishad | Safipur | 44,204 |
| Fatehpur Chaurasi | Nagar Panchayat | Safipur | 6,715 |
| Ugu | Nagar Panchayat | Safipur | 6,318 |
| Safipur | Nagar Panchayat | Safipur | 25,688 |
| Kursath | Nagar Panchayat | Safipur | 6,770 |
| Auras | Nagar Panchayat | Hasanganj | 6,466 |
| Hyderabad | Nagar Panchayat | Hasanganj | 7,697 |
| Rasulabad | Nagar Panchayat | Hasanganj | 7,928 |
| Mohan | Nagar Panchayat | Hasanganj | 15,071 |
| Nyotini | Nagar Panchayat | Hasanganj | 7,577 |
| Nawabganj | Nagar Panchayat | Hasanganj | 11,545 |
| Unnao | Nagar Palika Parishad | Unnao | 177,658 |
| Gangaghat | Nagar Palika Parishad | Unnao | 84,072 |
| Purwa | Nagar Panchayat | Purwa | 24,467 |
| Maurawan | Nagar Panchayat | Purwa | 15,484 |
| Bighapur | Nagar Panchayat | Bighapur | 6,501 |
| Bhagwant Nagar | Nagar Panchayat | Bighapur | 6,995 |
Unnao district also has 3census towns, which are not full municipalities but are otherwise counted as urban areas:[1]
| Town name | Classification | Tehsil | Population (in 2011) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Achalganj | Census Town | Unnao | 7,748 |
| Katri Piper Khera | Census Town | Unnao | 26,475 |
| Majhara Pipar Ahatmali | Census Town | Unnao | 25,310 |
| Year | Pop. | ±% p.a. |
|---|---|---|
| 1901 | 976,590 | — |
| 1911 | 910,869 | −0.69% |
| 1921 | 819,087 | −1.06% |
| 1931 | 855,657 | +0.44% |
| 1941 | 959,493 | +1.15% |
| 1951 | 1,067,001 | +1.07% |
| 1961 | 1,226,779 | +1.41% |
| 1971 | 1,484,393 | +1.92% |
| 1981 | 1,822,591 | +2.07% |
| 1991 | 2,200,397 | +1.90% |
| 2001 | 2,700,324 | +2.07% |
| 2011 | 3,108,367 | +1.42% |
| source:[6] | ||
| Religion | Percent | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hinduism | 87.89% | |||
| Islam | 11.69% | |||
| Other or not stated | 0.42% | |||
| Distribution of religions | ||||
According to the2011 census Unnao district has apopulation of 3,108,367,[8] roughly equal to the nation of Mongolia[9] or the US state ofIowa.[10] This gives it a ranking of 31st in Uttar Pradesh[1] and 112th in India (out of a total of640).[8] The district has a population density of 682 inhabitants per square kilometre (1,770/sq mi), which is lower than Uttar Pradesh as a whole.[1] Itspopulation growth rate over the decade 2001-2011 was 15.19%.[8] The district's population is 82.9% rural and 17.1% urban as of 2011.[1] Unnao district has asex ratio of 906females for every 1,000 males, which is the 30th-highest in the state.[1] It also has aliteracy rate of 66.4%, which is the 47th-highest in the state.[1] 17.10% of the population lives in urban areas. Scheduled Castes make up 30.51% of the population.[8]
At the time of the2011 Census of India, 97.59% of the population in the district spokeHindi (or a related language) and 2.25%Urdu as their first language.[11]
Languages spoken here includeAwadhi, a vernacular in theHindicontinuum spoken by over 38 million people, mainly in theAwadh region.[12]
The district follows the usual10+2+3 pattern of education, as elsewhere in India. Some notable schools and institutions of the district are:
In October 2013,Archaeological Survey of India took up the excavation near Daundia Khera village in Unnao district amid reports of over 1000 tonnes of gold deposits buried beneath the ruins of an old fort, which belonged toRam Baksh Singh, a revolutionary of1857.[16] The preliminary investigation ofASI andGSI also confirmed a non-magnetic anomalous zone occurring at 5–20 m depth indicative of possible non-conducting, metallic contents and/or some alloys.[17]
M Mongolia 3,133,318 July 2011 est.
Iowa 3,046,355
Places adjacent to Unnao district | |
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26°33′00″N80°28′48″E / 26.55000°N 80.48000°E /26.55000; 80.48000
