Arrah

Overview

Arrah (also spelled Ara) is a city and the headquarters of Bhojpur district in the Indian state of Bihar. Located in the western part of the state, between the Ganges and Sone rivers, Arrah is a long-established administrative, agricultural and educational centre and is governed by a municipal corporation. The city is historically associated with the Siege of Arrah during the Indian Rebellion of 1857 and with the Bhojpuri-speaking cultural region of which it is a prominent urban centre.

Key facts

Geography

Arrah lies on the alluvial plain between the Ganges to the north and the Sone to the east, in the fertile tract historically known as the Bhojpur country. The terrain is largely flat agricultural land, with the city serving as a market centre for the surrounding rural hinterland. It is connected by rail and road to Patna, the state capital, which lies to the east, and to Buxar to the west along the Patna–Mughalsarai trunk corridor.

History

Early background

The Bhojpur region around Arrah was historically associated with Ujjainiya Rajput chiefs and was incorporated into the Mughal administrative framework as part of the wider Bihar subah. Under the British, it became part of the Bengal Presidency and later a sub-division and district headquarters.

Siege of Arrah, 1857

Arrah is best known nationally for the Siege of Arrah during the Indian Rebellion of 1857. A small group of European civilians and Sikh soldiers held out in a fortified house against a much larger force of mutineers and irregulars led by Kunwar Singh, the zamindar of Jagdishpur. Kunwar Singh, who took up arms in his old age, became one of the prominent leaders of the rebellion in Bihar and is commemorated as a regional folk hero.

Modern period

After Indian independence in 1947, Arrah continued as the administrative seat of Shahabad district. In 1972, when Shahabad was reorganised, Arrah became the headquarters of the newly constituted Bhojpur district. The town's local government was later upgraded from a municipality to a municipal corporation.

Administration

Arrah is the headquarters of Bhojpur district and houses the offices of the District Magistrate, district courts, and other state government departments. The urban area is administered by the Arrah Municipal Corporation. The city forms part of the Arrah Lok Sabha constituency and includes the Arrah Vidhan Sabha (legislative assembly) seat in the Bihar Legislative Assembly.

Economy

The economy of Arrah is rooted in the surrounding agricultural belt, with rice, wheat, pulses and oilseeds being the principal crops. The city functions as a wholesale and retail trading hub for grains and agricultural produce. Small-scale manufacturing, services, education and government employment also contribute significantly to the urban economy.

Transport

• Rail: Ara Junction lies on the Howrah–Delhi main line of the East Central Railway, providing connections to Patna, Mughalsarai/Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Junction, Varanasi, Kolkata and Delhi.
• Road: