Purvanchal () is a subregion of the
Bhojpuri region of India which comprises eastern
Uttar Pradesh. Purvanchal region gained
independence from the
Avadh and
Mughal
Mughal or Moghul may refer to:
Related to the Mughal Empire
* Mughal Empire of South Asia between the 16th and 19th centuries
* Mughal dynasty
* Mughal emperors
* Mughal people, a social group of Central and South Asia
* Mughal architecture
* Mug ...
rule under
Zamindar Balwant Singh, a
Bhumihar
Bhumihars, also called Babhan, are a Hindu caste mainly found in Bihar (including the Mithila region), the Purvanchal region of Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, the Bundelkhand region of Madhya Pradesh, and Nepal.
The Bhumihars claim Brahmin statu ...
zamindar from
Benaras State
Benares or Banaras State was a kingdom and later princely state in what is today Uttar Pradesh, India. On 15 October 1948, Benares' last ruler signed the accession to the Indian Union.
The state was founded by the local zamindar, Raja Bal ...
.
In recent years there has been a demand for a
separate state, bifurcation from the state
Uttar Pradesh. Purvanchal region in spite of being politically active fares poorly in HDI index and remains most underdeveloped region of India, with lack of industries and employment opportunities people flocking to metro cities of
Delhi,
Mumbai.
Demand for separate state
People from the state have demanded separate statehood for Purvanchal, with
Varanasi,
Allahabad
Allahabad (), officially known as Prayagraj, also known as Ilahabad, is a metropolis in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh.The other five cities were: Agra, Kanpur (Cawnpore), Lucknow, Meerut, and Varanasi (Benares). It is the administrat ...
or
Gorakhpur as its capital.
* 1 June 2008: ''A separate state can ensure the security of borders as well as overall development in which the region is lagging far behind in comparison to western and central
Uttar Pradesh'', said
Yogi Adityanath (then a
BJP Member of Parliament from
Gorakhpur; he became Chief Minister of
Uttar Pradesh in 2017).
* 8 July 2017:
Union Minister Ramdas Athawale states his support for the division of the state for development of the region of the
Bhojpuri-speaking population.
* 4 August 2018:
Uttar Pradesh Minister
Om Prakash Rajbhar demands separate statehood for Purvanchal, pushes for liquor ban.
* 19 September 2018: the Purvanchal State Movement got national exposure when Vandana Raghuwanshi, an activist of "
Purvanchal Rajya Janandolan
Purvanchal () is a subregion of the Bhojpuri region of India which comprises eastern Uttar Pradesh. Purvanchal region gained independence from the Avadh and Mughal rule under Zamindar Balwant Singh, a Bhumihar zamindar from Benaras State.
I ...
", set a state-run Volvo bus on fire as it was about to depart for
Lucknow from Roadways Bus Station of
Varanasi, in response to the central government's indifference to
Anuj Rahi Anuj may refer to:
*Anuj (name), Indian masculine given name (including a list of persons with the name)
** Anuj (singer), an Indian-born Australian pop-singer
* Anuj, Hamadan, a village in Iran
* Anuj-e Olya, a village in Iran
* Anuj-e Sofla, a vi ...
Hindustani's hunger strike, which was on its 35th day.
Culture
It is a predominantly
Bhojpuri
Bhojpuri (;[Bhojpuri entry, Oxford Dictionaries](_blank)
, Oxford U ...
-speaking region.
Home to a few oldest living cities in the world, Purvanchal has always been appealing to people from everywhere for numerous reasons. With cities like Varanasi, Ayodhya, Sarnath, Kushinagar and Gorakhpur, Purvanchal will continue to mystify people for generations to come.
Purvanchal is one of the most ancient regions of India, with a rich heritage and culture. Today it is among the most significant parts of Uttar Pradesh, for many reasons, be it politically, economically, spiritually or socially. Varanasi, Ayodhya, Gorakhpur and Kushinagar are some of the cities in Purvanchal that tell the tales of the rich legacy of their contribution to the nation. Their roots in ancient India highlight the brilliant ancestry that each of these cities possesses.
See also
*
Bhojpuri region
References
External links
Purvanchal Website
{{coord missing, Uttar Pradesh
Regions of Uttar Pradesh
Proposed states and union territories of India