Barhalganj

India's 2001 census[1] indicated that Barhalganj had a population of 19,171. Males constituted 52% of the population and females 48%, with 16% of the population under 6 years of age.

This chart represents Barhalganj population and literacy rate of both male and female as of 2001. Data obtained from gorakhpur.nic.in

Barhalganj (block - as a whole) has a population of 126,618 people with male as 64,023 and female, 62,595. There are also 38,878 literates with 28,211 male and 10,667 females.[2]

Barhalganj has an average literacy rate of 80%, which is significantly higher than the national Indian literacy average of 59.5%. A significant gender imbalance is reflected in the town's overall literacy rates: literacy rates are 58% amongst males, and 42% amongst females.[3]

Although significant development of Barhalganj by the Uttar Pradesh state government began in April 1958, in 2006 the Ministry of Panchayati Raj identified the district of Gorakhpur as India's 250th most impoverished district.

Barhalganj is under the administrative responsibility of Gorakhpur district headquarters, and is one of 34 districts in Uttar Pradesh receiving funds from the Backward Regions Grant Fund Programme (BRGF).[4]

The college, national post graduate college is one of the best college in gorakhpur district, which is affiliated to DDU GORAKHPUR, is situated in barahalganj. Here many student come for their study every year, and get higher education for their bright future. This college is also famous for agriculture.

The town has a Bazaar that attracts people from nearby villages and towns. Saris purchased at Barhalganj's market are highly coveted within the Gorakpur district. Barhalganj has national and international banking facilities including the State Bank of India, Purvanchal Bank (Formerly known as Purvanchal Gramin Bank), Oriental Bank of Commerce, the Union Bank of India, HDFC Bank, Indian Overseas Bank (IOB) and the Punjab National Bank.Purvanchal Bank is sponsored by the State Bank of India. State Bank of India Barhalganj Branch is known as the largest rural branch of the State Bank of India.

Cricket is the most popular sport in Barhalganj. Barhalganj claims to be one of the first Indian towns to have held an annual local cricket tournament, the Veenu Mankad Tournament during the 1960s and 1970s. The town has produced national and international cricket players like Vijay Yadav.[5]

Hindu pilgrims are drawn to the Muktipath Barahalganj.,[6] a traditional Hindu crematorium ground on the banks of the sacred Sarayu river, founded by the former state minister and MLA Rajesh Tripathi widely known as Muktipath Wale Baba (a Hindu spiritual leader). The Muktipath is one of the most famous cremation ghats in India, desired as a cremation place by millions of Hindus who believe the ghats of the Sarayu river will imbue them with luck in the afterlife.

Traditional Hindu cremation rituals involve a series of complicated processes, including chanting mantras and reciting Hindu prayers to support the deceased person's release from the cycle of reincarnation.

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