Bela Pratapgarh

Demographics

As of 2001 India census, Bela Pratapgarh had a population of 71,835. Males constitute 53% of the population and females 47%. Bela Pratapgarh has an average literacy rate of 73%, higher than the national average of 59.5%; with 57% of the males and 43% of females literate. 13% of the population is under 6 years of age. Bela Pratapgarh is famous for its Aunla Products i.e. Jelly, Murabba, Ladoo,and Aunla Barfi.

Origin of district name

The district that forms a part of Faizabad Division is named after its headquarters town Bela Pratabgarh, commonly known as Pratapgarh. Pratap Singh, a raja of the locality who flourished between 1628–1682, fixed his headquarters at Rampur near old town of Aror. There he built a garh (fort) and called it Pratabgarh after his own name. Subsequently the locality around the fort came to be known as Pratapgarh. When the district was constituted in 1858 its headquarters was established at Bela which came to be known as Bela Pratapgarh, the name Bela presumably being derived from the temple of Bela Bhawani on the bank of river Sai. Bela devi mandir is also very famous in the city, it is a very renowned religious place of the district.

Archaeological finds

Several human skeletons along some animal bones and a number of a small stones implements, belonging probably to the Neolithic, have been unearthed in Archaeological exploration at Sarai Nahar in Kunda Tehsil. It is the only site in the entire valley of Ganges which has yielded human skeleton of such an early age as also the Stone Age implements. On the left bank of river Sai there stand a ruined "Kot" representing a Buddhist Stupa. Town Bihar has been conjectured that the remain are probably on an ancient Buddhist monastery which gave its name Bihar. Bihar signifies Vihar or majesties. The name itself as Buddhist.