BADARQA
HARBANS (Block- Sikandarpur Karan : Pargana- Harha
: Tehsil Unnao)
The
village of Badarqa Harbans lies about 11 km south
of Unnao near Achalganj at a distance of 3 Km
west of Unnao - Rae Bareli road. It was founded
in 1643 AD by Raja Harbans, an official at the
court of Shah Jahan, who recieved a grant of 500
Bighas from the Emperor in pargana Harha. He built
a fine house here with walls of limestone blocks
to a height of about 500m, surmounted with turreted
walls, on an elaborate frieze of red stone over
the gateway, having alternately Geese & Elephants
in pairs. A large hall of audience supported on
carved pillars formely stood here, but Asaf-ud-daula
is said to have taken these pillars to help building
Imambara at Lucknow.
The house built by Raja Harbans was was very picturesque
and massive, and the strength of its construction
was calculated to defy the hands of time.
BAKSAR (Block- Sumerpur : Pargana- Daundia
Khera : Tehsil Bighapur)
Baksar,
the southmost village of the district, lies
on the left bank of the Ganga, about 5 km south
of Daundia Khera and 51 km south-east of Unnao.
The place is said to derive its name from a
sanskrit word Bakasram denoting the residence
of Baka, a rakshas, who founded a town at the
site of the present village. He lived here and
erected a temple to Nageshwar Nath Mahadeo.
Baka is said to have been killed by lord Krishna
more than 5000 years ago.
It is also said that Raja Abhai Chand, a Bais
Rajput conquered the place naming it after the
shrine of Bakeshwar Mahadeo and made it its
capital. Ram Bakhsh Singh, the Raja of Daundia
Khera, who took an active part in the freedom
struggle in
1857 was anged here on a tree over a Temple
which was also blown up by the British. The
ruins of the Temple and and several broken images
are still found in the Village.
A bathing fair, attended by a large number of
people, is anually held here on the full moon
day of Kartika.
BANGARMAU (Block- Bangarmau : Pargana- Bangarmau
: Tehsil : Safipur)
Bangarmau
, a large village, lies in the centre of the
Pargana, which derives its name from this village,
surrounded by extensive groves. It is situated
on the left bank of Kalyani, about 49 km north-west
of Unnao and 22 km north-west of Safipur on
the Unnao-Hardoi road.
The ancient town of Newal stood close to te
site of Bangarmau, and was occupied by Raja
Nal, a local ruler and is traditionally associated
with ancient site of 'Alavi' of the Buddhist
records and 'Navadevakula' of Huien Tsang's
travel accounts. According to Buddhist literature,
Buddha stayed here for sometime and preached
the gospel. The antiquity of the place is attested
by the discovery of earthern black polished
wares and other Archaeological finds. One terracotta
piece, in particular, representing 'Aradhanarishwari'
a rare specimen of its kind in India, was found
here and is displayed in the National Museum.
The other interesting objects found here include
Manshila Mandir, Davendihar & Mahadeo Phulwari.
The Budhawa Mangal fair is held here on the
first Tuesday of Chaitra. Two other fairs are
also organised here by the villagers, one known
as Baboo Mian ka Mela, falls on the Ist Tuesday
of Chaitra, and the other, called the fair of
Shitla Devi, falls on the 8th day of the bright
half of the month of Chaitra.
DAUNDIA KHERA ( Block-
Sumerpur : Pargana-Daundia Khera : Tehsil- Bighapur)
Also
known as Sangrampur, lies on the high bank of
Morahi (Naurahi) river about 5 km west of the
Unnao-Dalmau road and 29 km south of Purwa.
About the 13th century, one Abhai Chand, a Bais
Rajput, drove out the Bhars of Daundia Khere,
after fighting a fierce battle. Abhai Chand
gave the name of Sangrampur to the village where
he fought the battle. Since then it formed the
home of the great Bais clan of Rajputs. Ram
Bux Singh, talukdar of the place and a descendent
of Abhai Chand, was hanged here for participation
in the freedom struggle of 1857.
MOHAN (Block- Hasanganj
: Pargana:- Auras-Mohan : Tehsil- Hasanganj)
Mohan,
a considerable village lies on the left bank
of the Sai river, about 6 km east of Hasanganj
and 38 km north-east of Unnao. Roads lead from
this place to Malihabad in Dist. Lucknow on
the east, Nawabganj on the south and Bangarmau
on the north-west. During the days of the Nawabs
of Avadh, it was an important town, of which
many residents found employment in the court
of the Nawab and earned large fortunes. The
town was well known for its Unani Hakims, mimics
& actors.
To the south of the village near the Sai, is
a high mound, supposed to be the remains of
an ancient fort. On this mound is an old tomb
of a Muslim Saint.
NAWABGANJ (Block- Nawabganj
: Pargana- Jhalotar Ajgain : Tehsil- Hasanganj
)
Nawabganj
lies on the Lucknow-Kanpur National Highway,
about 20Km. North-East of Unnao. It was founded
in 1842 by Amin-ud-daulah, the prime minister
of Avadh who built a serai and a mosque which
are still in good condition.
Nawabganj a scene of heavy fighiting with 'General'
Havelock's army after he crossed the Ganga at
Kanpur in July/August 1857. Havelock did not
face a regular sepoy army when he crossed into
Avadh , Ubdool Huda Khan Kandaharee was despatched
with two companies from regiment in Lucknow
and 14 Guns to check the General 's Progress,
But he was defeated and his guns were captured.
Tuhwar Hussain was then ordered to take command
but he refused, and Mohammad Hussain who was
formerly Chakladar volunteered and set out against
the General. He was defeated but remained at
Nawabganj, and fell upon the British troops,
when the General harassed by the men of the
Talooqdars' Mansab Ali, Jassa Singh, Baboo,
Rao Ram Buksh and others, retreated back.
PARIYAR (Block- Sikandarpur
Sirausi : Pargana- Pariyar : Tehsil- Unnao)
Pariyar,
which gives its name to a Pargana, lies on the
left bank of the Ganga at a distance of about
23 km north-west of Unnao. In the vicinity of
the village lies the Mahua Lake.
Tradition has it that in the Treta yuga, Lakshman
at the behest of his brother Rama, accompanied
Sita to her banishment to this place, which
in consequence, came to be known as Parhar,
a sanskrit word meaning abandonment. With the
passage of time the name Parhar has been converted
to pariyar. It was here that Sita gave birth
to Lava & Kusha who were trained in archery
by Valmiki, and grew up to be accomplished warriors.
They caught Shyambaran, a horse loosed by Rama
during Aswamedh Yajna arranged by him and this
gave a signal of for a war between Rama and
his Sons whom he did not know.
The village is said to have been founded in
the 12th century by Himachal Singh, a Dikhit
Thakur. The place possesses 2 temples, one of
Balkaneshwar Nath Mahadeo, said to have been
built by Lava & Kusha and the other of Janki.
PATAN (Takia) (Block -
Sumerpur : Pargana-Patan : Tehsil- Bighapur)
Patan
lies on the road from Unnao to Allahabad via
Achalganj, about 16 km south of Purwa. The Rae
Bareli-Kanpur branch of the Northern Railway
passes by the village which has a Railway station,
Takia.
The village possesses a temple dedicated to
Lingeshwar Mahadeo, a Tomb of Muhabbat Shah,
and an ancient mound ascribed to the Bhars.
A large fair known as 'Takia - Ka - Mela', is
held hereon the Ist thursday of Paus, in honour
of Niamat Shah, a disciple of Muhabbat Shah,
a darvesh, who was a contemporary of Shuja-ud-daulah
and Asaf-ud-daula, nawabs of Avadh. The story
goes that once a Kurmi devotee of Muhabbat Shah
fell accidently into a dry well and called out
his name for help, but no one arriving, he called
one Niamat Shah, who is said to have instantly
appeared, and helped him out of the well. The
next day the kurmi reappeared to Muhabbat Shah's
hermitage place, but saluted Niamat Shah only
and on being asked to explain the omission to
pay his respects to Muhabbat Shah, related th
story in full. Muhabbat Shah getting enraged
with Niamat ordered him to die, which command
he carried out at once. Niamat was buried in
the Takya (grave-yard). In order to perpetuate
his memory, Muhabbat Shah arranged for a fair
to be held over his tomb, which is still kept
up.
SAFIPUR (Block, Pargana
& Tehsil Safipur)
Safipur
lies on the Unnao-Hardoi road about 27 km north-west
of Unnao. It is said to have been named after
a dervesh Makhdum Shah Safi. On his death he
was buried here and the place assumed the name
Safipur. Safipur forms the last resting place
of several other derveshes also of whom the
chief are Ifhamullah, Kudrat-ullah, Hafiz-ullah
& Abdullah.
A famous mausoleum over the remains of the dervesh
Safi was erected here. Small urs fairs are held
here on the 12th & 22nd day of Rabi-ul-awwal,
20th day of Jamat-us-sani, 12th & 14th days
of Rajjab, 8th day of Ramzan and 14th day of
Zilhaj.