Ballia Town

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This article has been extracted from THE IMPERIAL GAZETTEER OF INDIA , 1908. OXFORD, AT THE CLARENDON PRESS.

Note: National, provincial and district boundaries have changed considerably since 1908. Typically, old states, ‘divisions’ and districts have been broken into smaller units, units, and many tahsils upgraded to districts.Many units have since been renamed. Therefore, this article is being posted mainly for its historical value.

Ballia Town

{Baliya). — Head-quarters of the District and tahsil of the same name, United Provinces, situated in 25 44' N. and 84 io' E., on the north bank of the Ganges, and on the Bengal and North-Western Railway. Population (1901), 15,278. The name of the town is popularly derived from Valmiki, the poet ; but it has no history, though an attempt has been made to identity it with some of the remains visited by the Chinese pilgrims. The old town of Ballia was almost entirely destroyed by the erosive action of the Ganges between 1873 an d 1 87 7. Houses and offices were built on a new site ; but the river still cut away the bank, and in 1894 the head-quarters were removed to Korantadih. A new civil station was then laid out a mile from the Ganges, and occupied in 1900. Ballia contains the usual public offices and a hospital and several schools.

It has been a municipality since 1871. During the ten years ending 1901 the income and expenditure averaged Rs. 10,500. In 1903-4 the income was Rs. 23,000, chiefly derived from a tax on circumstances and property (Rs. 5,000) and receipts at fairs (Rs. 12,000); and the expenditure was Rs. 23,000. Sugar and cloth are manufactured ; and the town is one of the chief trade centres in the District, oilseeds and ghl being exported, and rice, piece-goods, metals, and salt being imported. Ballia is noted for the great Dadri fair held annually on the full moon of Kartik (October-November). The attendance reaches 500,000 to 600,000 in favourable years, and a large trade is done in cattle and miscellaneous goods. Small charges levied from the dealers form the greater part of the municipal income. The munici- pality manages 1 school and aids 1 1 others with a total attendance of 570, besides the District school with 180 pupils.