Banda District is located in the Chitrakoot Division of Uttar Pradesh with its headquarters at Banda. Banda District lies between latitudes 24 degree 53 minutes and 25 degree 55 minutes north and longitudes 80 degree 7 minutes and 81 degree 34 minutes east. It is bounded in the north by Fatehpur District in the east, by Chitrakoot in the west, by Hamirpur and Mahoba districts and in the south by Satna, Panna, and Chhatarapur districts of Madhya Pradesh.
History of Banda District
Banda District is named after its headquarters town, Banda, which is said to have derived its name from Bamdeo, a sage mentioned in Hindu mythology as a contemporary of Lord Rama. Bamdeo is said to have had his hermitage at the foot of a hill Bambeshwar near Khutla in Banda.
Education in Banda District
General education in Banda District includes education from the pre-junior basic or nursery stage to the University stage. The pattern and system of education is almost uniform all over the state of Uttar Pradesh. Education at junior and senior basic stage is based on Wardha scheme of education initiated by Mahatma Gandhi in 1937; state government of Uttar Pradesh adopted this with certain modifications in the year 1938. There are several institutions imparting education up to graduate and post-graduate levels in Banda District. Further, one Ayurvedic Medical College and one Government Polytechnic and one Industrial Technical Institute is functioning in Atarra. There were several Sanskrit Pathshalas in the district, all of which are affiliated to the Varanaseya Sanskrit Vishwa Vidyalaya, Varanasi. They impart education in Sanskrit literature, Vyakarana (grammar) and other areas. Physical education forms part of the curriculum of almost all the educational institutions in the district. Training under the auspices of National Cadet Corps and the Bharat Scouts and Guides Association is also given in number of higher secondary institutions.
District sports council is also functioning in the district the granted by the State government to promote sports activities in the district. Social Welfare Department of state government started a school for blind students.
Culture of Banda District
Cultural traditions of Banda District are rich and diversified. The seasonal folk-songs commonly sung in the villages are Hori or Phag during spring, Malhar and Kajri in the rainy season. Women sing special songs for special occasions such as sohar (sung on the occasion of the birth of a child) or Mangla geet during marriage ceremony. Bhajan-Kirtan in a chorus accompanied with musical is very popular among the inhabitants of the district. A number of open air performances, combining the rural style of folk music and dancing with some national theme are a regular feature of rural life in this district. Nautanki and dramas based on mythology are often staged and attract large gatherings, particularly in the villages. A number of fairs are organized at different places and on different occasions in Banda District. Some of the popular fairs are Bhuragarh fair, Nawab Tank fair, Chilla fair, Bilgav fair, Kalinjar fair, Khatri Pahar fair and Tihramafi fair.
Tourism in Banda District
Banda District is one of the popular tourist destinations of Uttar Pradesh. There are several tourist attractions here. Like for instance, Bamdeo Temple, Maheshwari Devi Temple, Bhuragarh Fort, Kalinjar Fort, Nawab Tank, Rangarh Fort, Four Stone Pillar at Kairada Village and Khatri Pahar are some of the major attractions of Banda District.
Banda District is linked with roadways to all the adjoining districts of Kanpur, Allahabad, Chitrakoot, Fatehpur District, Hamirpur, Mahoba and the adjoining districts of Madhya Pradesh.
