Pihani is a town and nagar palika parishad (municipal board) in Hardoi district of Uttar Pradesh, India. Historically, the city was a centre of sword production, leading to at least one British writer calling it "the Damascus of Oudh". Today, important industries in Pihani include jaggery and woven carpets. As of 2011, the town's population is 36,014, in 5,626 households. Pihani also serves as the headquarters of a community development block in Shahabad tehsil.
Geography Pihani is located at .Falling Rain Genomics, Inc - Pihani It has an average elevation of 141 metres (462 feet).
Demographics
India census, Pihani had a population of 27,535. Males constitute 52% of the population and females 48%. Pihani has an average literacy rate of 46%, lower than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy is 53%, and female literacy is 38%. In Pihani, 19% of the population is under 6 years of age.
Transport Pihani is well connected with Hardoi City . Government and private buses are available for Hardoi, Lucknow, Kanpur and Delhi.
History There are two different accounts of the founding of Pihani. The first, traditionally told by Hindu locals, holds that Pihani was originally settled by Dube Brahmins from Kannauj. They had supposedly been invited by Raja Lakhan Sen, a Gaur king who had conquered the fort of Simaurgarh (near Mansurnagar) from the Thatheras. The Muslim account, on the other hand, says that Pihani was founded by Sayyid Abdul Ghafur, who served as qazi of Kannauj under the Mughal emperor Humayun. In 1540, after Humayun's defeat by Sher Shah Suri, Abdul Ghafur refused to acknowledge Sher Shah's rule and left Kannauj to take shelter in the jungle where Pihani now stands. The name "Pihani" is thus said to derive from the word pinhani, meaning "concealment".
One of the main historical monuments in Pihani is the ornate tomb of Nawab Sadr Jahan, who served as a minister under Akbar. It consists of a double dome supported by red sandstone pillars, while the surrounding area is shaded by large tamarind trees. An inscription in Persian says that the tomb's construction began in 1071 AH and finished 10 years later. Sadr Jahan's son, Badr-i-Alam, is also buried here. Another monument is the ruined fort of Nizam Murtaza Khan (Badr-i-Alam's son); its western gate is still extant, as are the high walls built of kankar blocks.
Under the Nawabs of Awadh, Pihani was renowned for the quality of its sword blades. It also produced woven turbans (aka dastars), but both of these industries had declined by the turn of the 20th century.
At the turn of the 20th century, Pihani was described as having two distinct quarters named Bari Pihani and Chhoti Pihani. Bari Pihani was older and more run-down at the time, while Chhoti Pihani, or Nizampur, had been founded by Nizam Murtaza Khan and was more prosperous, with many trees providing shade. Pihani remained a minor commercial centre, with a police station, post office, cattle pound, and several schools: one middle school, a lower primary school for boys, and two lower primary schools for girls.
Economy As of 1971, the economy of Pihani was described as dominated by primary activities. The main items imported were cloth, groceries, and kerosene oil. The main items manufactured were handloom, shoes, and agricultural implements. The biggest exports were cane sugar, paddy, and wheat.
Villages Pihani CD block has the following 123 villages:
Village name Total land area (hectares) Population (in 2011) Sakara 218.6 1,005 Rari 324.4 1,395 Bandraha 472.6 4,200 Kunwarpur Baghela 279.4 1,632 Saravar 469.6 2,382 Mahmoodpur Khurd 88.1 370 Sahijana 452 2,390 Santarha 273.1 1,092 Korigawan 486.1 1,985 Baherma 100.3 757 Jalalpur 117.5 446 Del Pandarwa 166.8 1,155 Mahmoodpur Bhagat 140 826 Hariharpur 89.1 634 Saidapur 129.6 651 Jarauna 361.7 2,342 Kunwarpur Baseet 333.6 2,206 Raigain 596.3 3,912 Bari 683 1,963 Abdulla Nagar 1,057.5 7,152 Ambari 232.7 2,005 Dhamapur 183.4 1,315 Deomalpur 269.2 1,577 Hannpasigawan 183.7 2,208 Mahmoodpur Saraiyan 476.4 5,435 Pipri 83 760 Bhethua 101 1,098 Jahani Khera 175.8 506 Darra 204.1 1,452 Sindauriya 69.4 696 Manikapur 178.9 1,290 Paharpur 26.7 261 Hajipur 53.2 594 Salempur 59.6 822 Bukharpur 149.8 503 Mooseypur 66.8 64 Anjana 82.5 337 Peerpur 122.1 1,269 Babakkarpur 49.6 383 Shahpur Shukul 94.7 493 Bharona 159.7 886 Gajua Khera 417 3,125 Jajupara 233.8 3,343 Muridpur 244.4 0 Usmanpur 223.5 1,217 Damgarha 142.3 1,255 Baddapur 130 894 Saadat Nagar 502.6 3,917 Anda Barahimpur 305 1,989 Gauria 134.5 706 Kaimpur 108.5 763 Dateonapur 105.1 773 Nari Khera 179.5 1,440 Newada 66.2 844 Rabha 1,755 7,915 Sarehjoo 511.2 3,931 Mahelia Khera 143.6 1,027 Bazid Nagar 849 5,323 Khizar Nagar 66.2 701 Magrapur 167.6 896 Rasoolpur 923.9 4,669 Bahadur Nagar 188.7 1,313 Kotra 245.2 1,573 Bhiria 122 722 Amtalia 45.8 145 Rajuapur 373 2,149 Lohar Khera 166 649 Hindu Nagar Chirahula 407.8 1,746 Kulhawar 131 793 Urdahiya 90.4 0 Dahelia 403.5 6,035 Kangoiya 33.2 344 Pataun Misra 81.1 477 Barkheria 92.5 643 Chathia Buzurg 124.1 666 Pandarwa 329.6 5,043 Kursanda 172.7 1,040 Shahpur Saida 334.7 2,388 Nipania 146 1,029 Kunwarpur Prithivi Nath 40.7 0 Nardhira 275.6 1,573 Harrai Pipri 281.1 861 Ismailpur, Pihani 60.6 340 Nizampur 131.2 553 Aintha Khera 148.4 784 Itara 1,085.6 5,015 Patras 175.5 1,073 Sahora 128.6 292 Bijgawan 464.3 2,540 Rasoolapur 282.7 1,441 Tavakkalpur 343.1 2,623 Jamuhi 269.1 1,880 Rampur Kora 661.6 2,955 Ahemi 464.2 2,297 Simaur 477.2 2,919 Padra 119.1 948 Hasnapur Grant 27 175 Samthari 190.2 989 Chandeli 693.9 3,911 Machheta 97.4 579 Sarora 78.9 420 Sujauli 60 231 Amirta Chauki 289.5 1,957 Barhaiya Khera 81.3 378 Lodhna Khera 58.2 428 Santarha 160.9 894 Chhataiya 210.2 1,528 Karim Nagar 763.8 5,014 Jalalpur 84.6 510 Hariharpur 79.8 650 Kuiyan 164.3 1,775 Umarsenda 588.2 4,274 Uchaul 503.2 1,947 Fatteypur 116.5 640 Mansoor Nagar 934.2 5,603 Para 60.1 307 Barkhera Grant 55.4 408 Arua 634.9 4,120 Bhiti Newada 200 1,667 Puraila 108.9 689 Bilhari 158.3 1,110 Nedura 277.4 2,274 Bela Kapoorpur 411.8 2,239
References
External links pihaninpp.in (Official website of Pihani)