Archaeology of Ballia District

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The distret of Ballia is part of the Middle Ganga plain. This district is situated in the eastern most part of the state of Uttar Pradesh, lies between 25" 33" and at u North latitude and By 35 and 84 39" East longitudes. The total geographical area of the district is 29th sq. km. The district was recognised as an independent administrative unit of district and in 1879 It was created with headquarters at Ballia having six tehsils namely Ballia Sadar, Bansdih, Hasara, Belthara, Bairia and Sikanderpur. The total blocks in the district are Seventeen in number. Ballia is served by the North Eastern Railway. It lies on the main line of the Chhapra Varanasi section of the North-Eastern Railway passing through Aunrihar, Ghazipur, Phephana and Ballia. A branch line runs from Phephana (Ballia district) to Shahganj (Jaunpur district). The north-western part of the district is served by the Bhatni Aunrihar Allahabad section passing through Indara, Mau, Auntihar, Varanasi and Madho Singh. Metalled roads connect Ballia with Ghosi. Mau and Ghazipur Ballia comprises an irregularly shaped tract extending westward from the confluence of the Ganga and the Ghaghara, the former separating it from Bihar in the south and the latter from Deoria and Bihar in the north and east respectively (Singh. 1973: 20). The boundary between Ballia and Bihar is determined by the deep streams of these two rivers. It is bounded on the west by Azamgarh, on the north by Deoria, on the north-east and south-east by Bihar and on the south-west by Ghazipur (Singh. 1973: 24). Physiographically the area can be divided into two units, Le central uplands region and lower land tract along river Ganga and Ghaghara (Singh. 1965: 165). The uplands comprise the eastern half of the district comprising almost the whole of Rasra tehsil and a small strip of country extending eastwards into Bansdih and Ballia tehsils (Mapa). They extend in the south-west up-to the river Saryu, In the interior the level is only broken by scattered depressions. The low-land tract comprises the rest of the district. The surface of the lowland is often very uneven, being scored in every direction by irregular depressions. Main source of irrigation in the district is through ground water irrigation and canal. For drinking water supply pipe line schemes and hand pumps exist in the district.

District Ballia: Location, history, geomorphic features and Archaeology

The chief rivers of the district are the Ganga, the Ghaghara and the Saryu. The Ghaghara and the Ganga cause extensive floods in the district causing loss of life, property and standing crops (Singh. 1973:27) The tributaries of the Ghaghara are small and of an insignificant character. The chief tributary of the Ganga is the Saryu, which for several miles separate Ballia from Ghazipur (Singh. 1986: 345). Lakes and tanke are fairly vomson, the most important being the Surata Tal because of its size (no acres) Among other lakes of considerable importance are Taleji Tal. Goka Tal. Dah Mundiart. Ballia District In ancient times the region covered by the present District of Ballia, lay in the kingdom of Kosala. It is probable that the river Ganga, in its sweep towards the north-east of the present town of Ballia, formed the boundary of Kosala which included the whole of the present Ballia district as far as the junction of the Sadanira and the Great Gandakil (Pathak 1963: 19). The back-strewn mounds and fragmentary remains of structural character, which evoke memories not only of mythology but also of history, are found at a number of places in the district. The ruins in the neighbourhood of Barhmain and Hanumanganj, consisting of a large mound called Mira Dih, covered with broken bricks and pottery of a dark hue, are probable, the remains of an ancient city. Khairadih, near Turtipur in tehsil Rasra, which is also a ruined site of a very ancinet city named Bhargavapur, is presumed to have been the place where the rishi Jamadagni lived. Explorations carried out under the auspices of the Banaras Hindu University, have brought to light relics of the Black and Red ware culture (1450-1200 B.C.) at various sites such as Bhumapardih, Bijulipur, Godabirgadh, Lovika-ka-topa, Mira Dih, Pakkakot and Wainagadh, indicating hat the tract enjoyed settled life and civilization from this early time. Popular legends also bear witress to the antiquity of these sites, one such heing that of the village of Karen, in tehsil Ballia, its name being considered to be a corruption of the word Kam anaunys. The legend is that Siva, being entaged at the attempts of Kamdee (the god of love) to beguile him from his meditations, burnt him to ashes at this spot (Mishra, 1988, 19). Ballia itself te supposed to have derived its name by the eruption of the name Valmiki, that of the great sage who is said to have had his hermitage or to have dwelt here for some time. It is also avanciated with llhrigu, another renowned sage who according to a local legend, came and dwolt here because of the sanctity of the place. Other rishis like Garga, Parasar. Vashishta and Atri are traditionally believed to have visited the neighbourhood of Ballia attesting to the sacredness of is environs extending to a circuit of about 16 km. According to sanctity, Hausnagar (town of swans) a village 9.6 km. east of Ballia is said to take its name from the legend that a ewan turned into a man and a crew into a swan by drinking the water of the holy river Ganga at this place. At a distance of about 137 km. from Ballia there is an ancient tank named Dharmaranava Pokhara where an excavation is said to have revealed that thousands of rishis practiced austerities there and that to the north and east of it there were traces of the previous existence of an ancient forest probably a remnant of the ancient Aranya. Some other places of this district are also associated with the Vedic sages: Bhalsand (in tehsil Ballia) is said to have derived its name from Bhardwaja who resided there for sometime and Dhuband (also in tehsil Ballia) to be a corruption of Durvasa-ashrama, signifying the abode of Durvasa, a celebrated rishi. The early political history of this region is complex. According to the Puranic tradition the solar dynasty of Kshatriyas, founded by one Manu, was the earliest known dynasty which gave Kosala a systematic form of goverrunent and of which Ikshvaku, the eldest son of Manu, famed in Vedic tradition, was the first ruler. The line that descended Manu produced a number of illustrious kings till the accession of Rama who was the greatest ruler of this dynasty. Lakhneswardih, in tehsil Rasra, is named after Lakhsmana, the brother of Rama, who is said to have visited this place and built a temple at this spot in honour of Mahadev. The remains of an ancient town are still to be seen on the high mound of the river in the form of immense piles of ruins, from which numerous pieces of sculptures have been obtained from time to time which bear testimony to the fact that even in those early times it was a settled abode with a flourishing population. This site was excavated in 1956-57 by K. M. Nagar, Director State Museum, Lucknow which yielded NBPW, terracotta figurines, stone pestles etc. (JAR. 1956-57:29). Lakhshmana's son Chandraketu, entitled Malla (valiant) in the Ramayana, established a kingdom known as the Malla state, of which some portion of this district formed a part. It is probable that the territories of the Mallas touched those of Kasi in the south, Magadha in the south-east and Kosala in the south-west, of which an area of the present day Ballia district then formed a part. It came to be the biggest and the most important of the autonomous states of Kosala în respect of territorial extent and political influence. In the sixth century BC., Kosala came to be known as one of the sixteen Mahajanapadas. At that time it was ruled by the powerful king Mahakosala. His son, Prasenjit the last great monarch of the solar dynasty of Kosala, was an important figure of his time.

Prof. Dr. K.K.N. Kurup (born 1939) is a distinguished Indian historian and a prolific academic administrator, and former. Vice-Chancellor, University of Calicut (1998-2002): During his tenure, he was credited with expanding the university's reach through his "Knowledge for Villages" project and establishing extension centres in Wayanad, Thrissur, and Vatakara A specialist in Malabar history, he is renowned for his extensive research on agrarian relations, peasant struggles, and Kerala's colonial experience. His authoritative publications include Pazhassi Samarangal and The Kayyur Riot. Beyond academia, he has led key institutions like the Centre for Heritage Studies and currently serves as Director General of MARIS. In recognition of his academic achievements, his colleagues and admirers published a Two volumes festschrift titled Nationalism, Peasantry and Social Change in India (2018) in his honour, edited by Prof. P.Chenna Reddy. Prof. Kurup has received several prestigious honours with awards like the Sheikh Zainuddin Makhdum Award, Dr. Kurup remains a pivotal figure in preserving Kerala's social history and anti-colonial legacy.

Professor Pedarapu Chenna Reddy (b. 1959, Zangalapalli, Anantapur District, Andhra Pradesh) is a distinguished Indian historian, archaeologist, and educationist. Professor Reddy has made substantial contributions to the fields of archaeology and historical studies, particularly in the domains of ancient, medieval, and modem Indian history. His monograph Guilds in Medieval Andhra Desha has been widely acclaimed. He has authored over forty-four books and more than one hundred and twenty research papers published in national and international journals. He has also published numerous felicitation volumes in honour of eminent scholars. He served as Director of the erstwhile Andhra Pradesh State Department of Archaeology and Museums (2008-2012), and as Competent Authority for the implementation of the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains (Amendment and Validation) Act, 2010 in Andhra Pradesh. In academia, he was Dean, Academic Affairs; Head, and Chairman, Board of Studies at Potti Sreeramulu Telugu University, Hyderabad, and also served as Director, Internal Quality Assurance Cell, and Coordinator, Bachupally Campus. Professor Reddy served as Vice President of the South Indian History Congress during 2001-2003, 2006-2008, and 2015-2017, and as Vice President of the Puducherry World History Congress (2021-2024). He currently serves as President of the Puducherry World History Congress (2025-2026). An accomplished research supervisor, he has guided thirty-seven M.Phil. and nineteen Ph.D. scholars. His contributions have been widely recognized through numerous awards, including the Global Telugus Glory Award (1995), Eminent Educationist Award (2008), INTACH Heritage Awards (2010, 2011), State University Best Teacher Award (2013), and Bharat Sevak Samaj Award (2025). Etc:; Festschrift volumes in his honour-Snehasiri: Cultural Contours of History and Archaeology (2014) and Kalyana Mitra: A Treasure House of History, Culture and Archaeological Studies (2023)-attest to his enduring scholarly legacy. He continues to inspire generations of scholars in history and archaeology.

This monograph presents a comprehensive study of the archaeology of Ballia district, Uttar Pradesh, covering a vast chronological span from 5000 BCE to 1500 CE. The research is based on extensive archaeological surveys carried out in the district over the last three decades, along with excavations conducted at four major sites. While preliminary reports of two sites were briefly published by the excavators, the remaining findings have largely remained unpublished until now. The book explores the historical background, archaeological discoveries, and cultural significance of Ballia in depth. Notably, the discovery of the silver figurine of a dancing girl produced by the cire-perdue (lost-wax) technique at Pakkakot, and the evidence from Wharf, mark significant contributions not reported from other sites of the Middle Ganga Plain. Richly supported with illustrations, maps, and detailed chapters, the monograph provides an insightful and accessible account designed for archaeologists, historians, researchers, heritage enthusiasts, and the residents of Ballia alike. Dr. Singh had the privilege of participating in all four archaeological excavations of this district, and thus he gained direct access to unpublished data. It stands as a valuable contribution to the study of the archaeology and cultural heritage of the Middle Ganga Plain.