Saran district

Saran district is one of the 38 districts of Indian state of Bihar. The district, part of Saran Division, is also known as Chhapra district after the headquarters of the district, Chhapra.
It is considered as one of the richest zamindaris of Bihar after Raj Darbhanga, Hathwa Raj, Bettiah Raj and Raj Najarganj, Saran Raj.

Typonym

It is said that "Saran" is a corrupted form of the word Sarangaranya. According to legend, earlier it was a dense forest full of deer and the home of Rishi Sarangi. Another suggestion is that the name is corruption of Sakra-aranya.

History

One of the earliest reliable historical references to the region dates back to 898 CE, when the village of Dighwara Dubauli in present-day Saran produced a copper plate inscription issued during the reign of King Mahendrapal Deva.

Medieval Period

According to the Ain-i-Akbari, Saran was one of the six sarkars forming the province of Bihar during the Mughal period. By the time the Diwani was granted to the East India Company in 1765, the number of sarkars had increased to eight, including Saran and Champaran. These two were later merged into a single administrative unit known as Saran.

British Era

When Commissioner’s Divisions were established in 1829, Saran—along with Champaran—was placed under the Patna Division. The two regions were separated in 1866, when Champaran became an independent district.
Saran became part of the Tirhut Division when it was created in 1908. At that time, the district consisted of three subdivisions:

Saran
Siwan
Gopalganj

In 1972, all three subdivisions were elevated to full-fledged districts. The present-day Saran district, after the separation of Siwan and Gopalganj, continues to have its headquarters at Chhapra.

Etymology

Several theories explain the origin of the name Saran:

General Cunningham suggested that Saran was earlier known as “Saran” or “Asylum,” associated with a stupa or pillar built by Emperor Ashoka.
Another theory proposes that the name originates from Saranga-Aranya, meaning “deer forest”, reflecting the region’s prehistoric landscape, which was once covered with forests inhabited by deer.
Geography

Saran district is primarily served by the Gandak, Ghaghara, and Ganga rivers, which play a significant role in shaping the region’s topography and agriculture. The confluence of the Ghaghara and Ganga near Saran is one of the notable geographical features of the area. Numerous minor streams and seasonal rivulets flow through the district, contributing to its fertile soil but also making certain parts prone to seasonal flooding. Like much of northern Bihar, the district lies within the fertile Gangetic plain.
Saran district spans an area of 2,641 square kilometres. It is bordered by Siwan and Gopalganj districts to the west, Muzaffarpur and Vaishali districts to the east, and the Ganga River to the south, across which lie Patna and Bhojpur districts. To the north, it is bounded by parts of Gopalganj and Siwan. The district’s terrain is largely alluvial and flat, with agriculture dominating land use across most of the region.
The district of Saran is situated between 25°36' and 26°13' north latitude and 84°24' and 85°15' east longitude in the southern post of the Saran Division of North Bihar.

Demographics

Population

According to the 2011 Census, Saran district has a population of 3,951,862, roughly equal to the nation of Liberia or the U.S. state of Oregon. This gives the district a population ranking of 60th in India. Saran has a population density of 1,493 inhabitants per square kilometre. The district recorded a population growth rate of 21.37% over the decade from 2001 to 2011.
Saran has a sex ratio of 949 females for every 1,000 males, and a literacy rate of 68.57%. Additionally, 8.94% of the district’s population lives in urban areas roughly equal to the nation of Liberia or the US state of Oregon.

Religion

Hindus constitute the overwhelming majority of the district’s population, followed by Muslims.

Language

At the time of the 2011 Census of India, 93.16% of the population in Saran district spoke Bhojpuri as their first language, 4.45% spoke Hindi, and 2.28% spoke Urdu.
Bhojpuri is a language belonging to the Bihari language group, with nearly 40 million speakers, and is written in both the Devanagari and Kaithi scripts.

Literacy

Urban and Rural Distribution

Caste Composition

Historical Population of Saran District

Politics

Economy & Industry

Agriculture is the primary economic activity in Saran district, with major crops including paddy, wheat, sugarcane, potato, and maize. The district’s soil is predominantly alluvial, and the diara areas along the beds of its three rivers are highly fertile, although they are subject to periodic flooding. There are no minerals of significant economic value in the region. Over the years, the economy of Saran has experienced sustained growth, with the sugar factories in the district playing a major role in shaping its industrial landscape.

Industries

Saran district hosts several notable industrial units. The Rail Wheel Factory is located at Bela, Chhapra, and a Diesel Locomotive Factory, Marhowrah. These units contribute significantly to the district’s industrial development and employment opportunities.

Leather Cluster

Saran district also has a prominent leather cluster known for manufacturing ladies’ and gents’ chappals and Nagra shoes. The cluster comprises 68 functional units, generating an annual turnover of approximately ₹405 lakh and providing employment to around 3,300 people.

Banking

Government

The present collector and District Magistrate of Saran is IAS Aman Samir.
The Divisional Commissioner is Gopal Meena.
The district has three subdivisions, 20 community development blocks and 1,807 villages.

Sub-divisions

Blocks of Saran District

Panchayats Summary per Block

Sl. No.	Block Name	Total Panchayats
1	Lahladpur	8
2	Maker	8
3	Isuapur	13
4	Sadar	21
5	Jalalpur	15
6	Nagra	10
7	Dighwara	10
8	Taraiya	13
9	Ekma	18
10	Parsa	13
11	Amnour	18
12	Rivilganj	9
13	Mashrak	17
14	Dariyapur	22
15	Marhaura	21
16	Sonpur	23
17	Panapur	8
18	Baniyapur	25
19	Manjhi	25
20	Garkha	23

Heritage & Tourism

Saran district is home to several sites of historical, cultural, and religious significance. The district attracts both domestic and international visitors due to its ancient temples, ashrams, and archaeological sites. The following table highlights the major tourist and heritage sites in Saran along with a brief description of their importance

S.No	Site Name	Description
1	Aami	Situated about 28 km east of Chhapra. Maharaja Daksha and King Surat are said to have practised asceticism here. Contains an old Durga temple known as Ambasthan, a garden, and a deep perennial well.
2	Sonepur	Located at the confluence of the Ganga and Gandak rivers. Famous for Harihar Kshetra Mela on Kartik Purnima, attracting domestic and international visitors. Legend: Lord Vishnu and Lord Shiva resolved the fight between Gaj and Ghariyal here. Mela lasts more than a fortnight.
3	Dhorn Ashram	Contains many exhibits of archaeological importance. Features the ancient temple of Bhagwan Dhadheswarnath on the bank of river Gandaki, with a gigantic stone Shivling.
4	Gautham Asthan	Ashram of Gautam Rishi, located 5 km west of Chhapra. Believed to be the site where Ahilya, wife of sage Gautam, was redeemed from her curse.
5	Silhauri	Important according to Shiv Puran and Ram Charitra Manas. Believed that Lord Indra and Yamraj tested King Shivi here. A mela is organized every Shivratri for devotees of Baba Shilanath.
6	Chirand	Located 11 km east of Chhapra. Archaeological excavations revealed a 4,000-year-old developed neo-lithic culture. Inhabitants were engaged in animal husbandry, agriculture, and hunting.

Education

Saran district has a well-established network of educational institutions ranging from universities and constituent colleges to technical, professional and teacher-training institutes. The district is served primarily by Jai Prakash University, Chhapra, which oversees most degree colleges in Saran and neighbouring districts.

Constituent and Degree Colleges

Technical and Professional Institutions

Saran district also has institutions offering engineering, technology, medical and professional training:

Loknayak Jai Prakash Institute of Technology, Chapra – A government engineering college offering B.Tech programmes in several branches.
Government Medical College and Hospital, Chapra
Government Teachers’ Training College, Chapra – Provides B.Ed and teacher-training programmes.
Moti Singh Jogeshwari Ayurved College and Hospital, Chapra – An institution offering Ayurvedic medical education.