Saran district is one of the 38 districts of Indian state of Bihar. The district, part of Saran Division, is also known as Chhapra district after the headquarters of the district, Chhapra.
It is considered as one of the richest zamindaris of Bihar after Raj Darbhanga, Hathwa Raj, Bettiah Raj and Raj Najarganj, Saran Raj Bhatkeshri Estate.
Typonym It is said that "Saran" is a corrupted form of the word Sarangaranya (forest of deer). According to legend, earlier it was a dense forest full of deer and the home of Rishi Sarangi. Another suggestion is that the name is corruption of Sakra-aranya (the forest of Indra).
History One of the earliest reliable historical references to the region dates back to 898 CE, when the village of Dighwara Dubauli in present-day Saran produced a copper plate inscription issued during the reign of King Mahendrapal Deva.
Medieval Period According to the Ain-i-Akbari, Saran was one of the six sarkars (revenue divisions) forming the province of Bihar during the Mughal period. By the time the Diwani (revenue administration) was granted to the East India Company in 1765, the number of sarkars had increased to eight, including Saran and Champaran. These two were later merged into a single administrative unit known as Saran.
British Era When Commissioner’s Divisions were established in 1829, Saran—along with Champaran—was placed under the Patna Division. The two regions were separated in 1866, when Champaran became an independent district.
Saran became part of the Tirhut Division when it was created in 1908. At that time, the district consisted of three subdivisions: Saran Siwan Gopalganj In 1972, all three subdivisions were elevated to full-fledged districts. The present-day Saran district, after the separation of Siwan and Gopalganj, continues to have its headquarters at Chhapra.
Etymology Several theories explain the origin of the name Saran: General Cunningham suggested that Saran was earlier known as “Saran” or “Asylum,” associated with a stupa or pillar built by Emperor Ashoka. Another theory proposes that the name originates from Saranga-Aranya, meaning “deer forest”, reflecting the region’s prehistoric landscape, which was once covered with forests inhabited by deer.
Geography Saran district is primarily served by the Gandak, Ghaghara, and Ganga rivers, which play a significant role in shaping the region’s topography and agriculture. The confluence of the Ghaghara and Ganga near Saran is one of the notable geographical features of the area. Numerous minor streams and seasonal rivulets flow through the district, contributing to its fertile soil but also making certain parts prone to seasonal flooding. Like much of northern Bihar, the district lies within the fertile Gangetic plain.
Saran district spans an area of 2,641 square kilometres (1,020 sq mi). It is bordered by Siwan and Gopalganj districts to the west, Muzaffarpur and Vaishali districts to the east, and the Ganga River to the south, across which lie Patna and Bhojpur districts. To the north, it is bounded by parts of Gopalganj and Siwan. The district’s terrain is largely alluvial and flat, with agriculture dominating land use across most of the region.
The district of Saran is situated between 25°36' and 26°13' north latitude and 84°24' and 85°15' east longitude in the southern post of the Saran Division of North Bihar.
Demographics + Saran District Census 2011: Key Demographic Data Description 2011 (Figures) Population 39.52 Lakhs (3,951,862) Male Population 2,022,821 Female Population 1,929,041 Sex Ratio (Females per 1000 Males) 954 Child Population (0–6 years) 681,142 Male Child Population (0–6 years) 353,738 Female Child Population (0–6 years) 327,404 Child Sex Ratio (0–6 years) 926 Child Proportion (0–6 years) 17.24% Boys Proportion (0–6 years) 17.49% Girls Proportion (0–6 years) 16.97% Literates 2,157,454 Male Literates 1,285,767 Female Literates 871,687 Average Literacy Rate 65.96% Male Literacy Rate 77.03% Female Literacy Rate 54.42% Number of Subdivisions 3 Area (sq. km) 2,641 Population Density (per km²) 1,496 Proportion to Bihar Population 3.80% Population According to the 2011 Census, Saran district has a population of 3,951,862, roughly equal to the nation of Liberia or the US state of Oregon. This gives the district a population ranking of 60th in India (out of 640 districts). Saran has a population density of 1,493 inhabitants per square kilometre (3,870/sq mi). The district recorded a population growth rate of 21.37% over the decade from 2001 to 2011.
Saran has a sex ratio of 949 females for every 1,000 males, and a literacy rate of 68.57%. Additionally, 8.94% of the district’s population lives in urban areas roughly equal to the nation of Liberia or the US state of Oregon.
Religion + Religions in Saran district (2011 Census) Religion Number of Followers Percentage Hinduism 3,534,772 89.45% Islam 406,449 10.28% Religion not stated 7,282 0.18% Christian 2,330 0.06% Sikh 371 0.01% Jain 322 0.01% Buddhist 229 0.01% Other religions and persuasions 107 0%Hindus constitute the overwhelming majority of the district’s population, followed by Muslims.
Language + Languages of Saran district (2011 Census) Language Percentage Number of Speakers Bhojpuri 93.16% 3,679,108 Hindi 4.45% 175,708 Urdu 2.28% 90,030 Others 0.11% 4,997
At the time of the 2011 Census of India, 93.16% of the population in Saran district spoke Bhojpuri as their first language, 4.45% spoke Hindi, and 2.28% spoke Urdu.
Bhojpuri is a language belonging to the Bihari language group, with nearly 40 million speakers, and is written in both the Devanagari and Kaithi scripts.
Literacy + Literacy Rates in Saran district (2011 Census) Category Average Literacy Rate Male Literacy Rate Female Literacy Rate Total Population 65.96% 77.03% 54.42% Urban Area 75.13% 82.32% 67.24% Rural Area 65.04% 76.49% 53.17%
Urban and Rural Distribution + Urban and Rural Population of Saran district (2011 Census) Area Total Population Male Female Percentage of Total Population Sex Ratio (Females per 1000 Males) Urban 353,202 184,702 168,500 8.94% 913 Rural 3,598,660 1,838,119 1,760,541 91.06% 958
Caste Composition + Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST) in Saran district Group Total Population Male Female Sex Ratio (Females per 1000 Males) Scheduled Castes (SC) 474,066 242,976 231,090 952 Scheduled Tribes (ST) 36,786 18,322 18,464 1008
Historical Population of Saran District + Historical Population of Saran District (1901–2011) Year Population Variation Variation % Male Female 1901 9,59,000 - - 4,36,000 5,23,000 1911 9,12,000 -47,700 -4.97% 4,24,000 4,88,000 1921 9,32,000 20,100 2.20% 4,51,000 4,81,000 1931 9,90,000 58,350 6.26% 4,86,000 5,04,000 1941 11,39,000 1,49,000 15.03% 5,47,000 5,92,000 1951 12,56,000 1,17,000 10.30% 5,89,000 6,67,000 1961 14,47,000 1,91,000 15.20% 6,74,000 7,73,000 1971 17,10,000 2,62,000 18.13% 8,33,000 8,77,000 1981 20,84,000 3,75,000 21.91% 10,32,000 10,52,000 1991 25,73,000 4,89,000 23.44% 13,11,000 12,62,000 2001 32,49,000 6,76,000 26.26% 16,53,000 15,96,000 2011 39,52,000 7,03,000 21.64% 20,23,000 19,29,000
Politics
Economy & Industry Agriculture is the primary economic activity in Saran district, with major crops including paddy, wheat, sugarcane, potato, and maize. The district’s soil is predominantly alluvial, and the diara areas along the beds of its three rivers are highly fertile, although they are subject to periodic flooding. There are no minerals of significant economic value in the region. Over the years, the economy of Saran has experienced sustained growth, with the sugar factories in the district playing a major role in shaping its industrial landscape.
Industries Saran district hosts several notable industrial units. The Rail Wheel Factory is located at Bela, Chhapra, and a Diesel Locomotive Factory, Marhowrah. These units contribute significantly to the district’s industrial development and employment opportunities.
Leather Cluster Saran district also has a prominent leather cluster known for manufacturing ladies’ and gents’ chappals and Nagra shoes. The cluster comprises 68 functional units, generating an annual turnover of approximately ₹405 lakh and providing employment to around 3,300 people.
Banking + Banking Infrastructure in Saran District Parameter Details Lead Bank Bank of India Number of other Scheduled Banks 12 Number of Branches of other Scheduled Banks 72 Name of Regional Rural Banks 64 Number of Branches of Co-operative Banks 18 Number of Branches of LDBs 6
Government The present collector and District Magistrate of Saran is IAS Aman Samir. The Divisional Commissioner is Gopal Meena (I.A.S).
The district has three subdivisions, 20 community development blocks and 1,807 villages. Sub-divisions + Sub-divisions of Saran District Sl. No. Sub-division Name 1 Chhapra 2 Marhaura 3 Sonpur
Blocks of Saran District + Blocks of Saran District with Population Sl. No. Block Name Population 1 Amnour 200,395 2 Baniyapur 262,673 3 Chhapra 442,639 4 Dariyapur 296,164 5 Dighwara 129,552 6 Ekma 214,445 7 Garkha 268,156 8 Ishupur 146,822 9 Jalalpur 174,156 10 Lahladpur 79,969 11 Maker 84,695 12 Manjhi 268,073 13 Marhaura 265,123 14 Mashrakh 188,899 15 Nagra 124,028 16 Panapur 121,738 17 Parsa 155,838 18 Revelganj 119,660 19 Sonpur 270,116 20 Taraiya 138,721
Panchayats Summary per Block
Sl. No. Block Name Total Panchayats 1 Lahladpur 8 2 Maker 8 3 Isuapur 13 4 Sadar 21 5 Jalalpur 15 6 Nagra 10 7 Dighwara 10 8 Taraiya 13 9 Ekma 18 10 Parsa 13 11 Amnour 18 12 Rivilganj 9 13 Mashrak 17 14 Dariyapur 22 15 Marhaura 21 16 Sonpur 23 17 Panapur 8 18 Baniyapur 25 19 Manjhi 25 20 Garkha 23
Heritage & Tourism Saran district is home to several sites of historical, cultural, and religious significance. The district attracts both domestic and international visitors due to its ancient temples, ashrams, and archaeological sites. The following table highlights the major tourist and heritage sites in Saran along with a brief description of their importance + Major Tourist Sites in Saran District S.No Site Name Description 1 Aami Situated about 28 km east of Chhapra. Maharaja Daksha and King Surat are said to have practised asceticism here. Contains an old Durga temple known as Ambasthan, a garden, and a deep perennial well. 2 Sonepur Located at the confluence of the Ganga and Gandak rivers. Famous for Harihar Kshetra Mela on Kartik Purnima, attracting domestic and international visitors. Legend: Lord Vishnu and Lord Shiva resolved the fight between Gaj (elephant) and Ghariyal (crocodile) here. Mela lasts more than a fortnight. 3 Dhorn Ashram Contains many exhibits of archaeological importance. Features the ancient temple of Bhagwan Dhadheswarnath on the bank of river Gandaki, with a gigantic stone Shivling. 4 Gautham Asthan Ashram of Gautam Rishi, located 5 km west of Chhapra. Believed to be the site where Ahilya, wife of sage Gautam, was redeemed from her curse. 5 Silhauri Important according to Shiv Puran and Ram Charitra Manas. Believed that Lord Indra and Yamraj tested King Shivi here. A mela is organised every Shivratri for devotees of Baba Shilanath. 6 Chirand Located 11 km east of Chhapra. Archaeological excavations revealed a 4,000-year-old developed neo-lithic culture. Inhabitants were engaged in animal husbandry, agriculture, and hunting.
Education Saran district has a well-established network of educational institutions ranging from universities and constituent colleges to technical, professional and teacher-training institutes. The district is served primarily by Jai Prakash University, Chhapra, which oversees most degree colleges in Saran and neighbouring districts.
Constituent and Degree Colleges