Ballia is also known as Baghi Ballia (Rebel Ballia) for its significant contribution in India's freedom struggle. During the Quit India Movement of 1942 Ballia gained independence from British rule for a short period of time when the district overthrew the government and installed an independent administration under Chittu Pandey.
Ballia is an ancient city. Many great saints and sages of India had their ashrams in Ballia, including Valmiki, Bhrigu, Durvasa,and Jamdagni. Ballia was a part of the Kosala Kingdom in ancient times. It also came under the Buddhist influence for some time.
Ballia is located at 25°27′N 84°06′E / 25.45, 84.1.The eastern boundary of the city lies at the junction of the Ganges and the Ghaghara.
At the 2001 Indian census,[2] Ballia had a population of 102,226. Males constituted 54% of the population and females 46%. It had an average literacy rate of 65%, higher than the national average of 59.5%, with 58% of the males and 42% of females literate. Eleven percent of the population was under six years of age.
An annual fair, the Dadari-Mela, is celebrated on a fairground at the junction of the the Ganges and the Ghaghara, on the city's eastern boundary.
Ballia is the birth place of Mangal Pandey, Hazari Prasad Dwivedi, Jayaprakash Narayan, Manager Singh (Ex -MLA) (Malviya of Dwaba)1920-1993, Gauri Shankar Rai, late Chandra Shekhar (Ex PM), Chittu Pandey and the late Ram Nagina Singh (Ex -MP) 1952.
Some other notable figures from the Quit India Movement include Tarkeshwar Pandey and Babu Murli Manohar.
