Balrampur district

Balrampur district () is one of the 72 districts of Uttar Pradesh state in India. Balrampur town located on the bank of the Rapti is the district headquarters. Balrampur district is a part of Devipatan division, and historic Awadh region.

Balrampur is known for temple of Pateshwari Devi, a Shakti Pitha. To the left of the temple is Surya kund which according to legend, was made by Karn of the Mahabharata in honour of his father, the Sun god. Also for ruins of the ancient city of Sravasti, now a pilgrimage site for Buddhists and Jains.

Origin of name

The district is named after the erstwhile princely estate (Taluqdari) and its capital, Balrampur. The name of this estate was derived from its founder Balram Das, who founded it in c. 1600 CE.

History

The territory which the present Balrampur district covers was a part of the ancient Kosala kingdom.

Ancient period

Sravasti was the capital of Uttara (North) Kosala. The ruins of Sahet, ancient Sravasti, spread over an area of . Towards the Rapti River, a little north of Sahet, lies the ancient city of Mahet. The fortified entrance to Mahet is made of mud, constructed in a beautiful crescent shape. The Sobhnath temple houses the great Stupas. These Stupas reflect the Buddhist tradition and boast of the history of the monasteries in Balrampur.

Jeetavana monastery, one of the oldest monasteries in the country is said to be one of the favorites sites of Gautam Buddha. It contains the 12th century inscriptions. The site was so...
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