Mirzapur district General information
Mirzapur district is one of the 70 districts of Uttar Pradesh state in northern India. The district is bounded on the north by Sant Ravidas Nagar and Varanasi districts, on the east by Chandauli district, on the south by Sonbhadra district and on the west by Allahabad district. The district occupies an area of 4521 km2. Mirzapur town is the district headquarters. Mirzapur district is a part of Mirzapur division. This district is known for the Vindhyavasini temple in Vindhyachal.
LOCATION ,BOUNDRIES,AREA AND POPULATION
The District of Mirzapur lies between the paralles of 23.52 & 25.32 North latitude and 82.7 and 83.33 East longitude. It forms a portion of the Varanasi Division. On the north and north-east it is bounded by the Varanasi district ; on the south bounded by district Sonbhadra. On the south west by the district of Allahabad. The shape to the north and west is some what irregular. In no direction,except for about 13 km. in the north east where he Ganga separates the Tehsil of Chunar from the district of Varanasi , has Mirzapur a natural frontier. According to Central Statistical organisation the district of Mirzapur had an area of 4521 Sq.Km. At the census of 2001, the population of the district is 1657140 (males 1093849 and females 980860) of which 1788203 were living in rural and 286506 in the urban area of the district.
Access
By Air : Nearest airport is Babatpur (Varanasi) located at a distance of 60 Km; it has flights to and fro from Delhi, Agra, Mumbai, Lucknow and Kathmandu.
By Rail : The Mirzapur station has direct rail link to all major cities of India. Some Important trains are Kalka Mail (Delhi – Kalka Express), Purshottam Express (New Delhi – Patna), Magadh Express (Delhi - Patna), Ganga Tapti, Triveni Express (Lucknow – Chopan), Mahanagri Express (Varanasi – Bombay), Howrah – Bomabay Mail (Bombay – Howrah).
By Road : Mirzapur is well connected to the rest of the country with good motorable roads. There are frequent bus services available from Mirzapur to major parts of the state.
Tourist Place
TARKESHWAR MAHADEV
There is reference of Tarkeshwar Mahadev in Puran's which is situated in the east of Vindhayachal.At present this is in Tarkapur ward of Mirzapur. Before the temple there was a big Kund which had been dug by a jiant (Asur) named Tarak. Tarak was killed by Lord Shiva so called Tarkeshwar Mahadev. Near Kund there were several shivling . According to tradition God Vishanu dug a pond in the west of Tarkeshwar and established a temple of lord Shiva. Now it is disappear and stimulated in Ganga river. goddess Laxmi sacrificed herself here at Tarkeshwar. As per tradition Goddess Laxmi lives here in the form of another Goddess called Vaishnavi with Goddess Saraswati.
PUNYAJALA RIVER
The river which flow between Mirzapur and Vindhayachal is called Punyajala (Ojhala) . It is said about the ojhala that it is greatest in all Tirth , as Ashwamegh in all Yagya, Himalya in all mountain and truth in all Brata .The Water of this river is as holy as Ganga river. This is surrounded by Goddess Kali Temple, Maha Laxmi , Maha Sarsawati and Tarkeshwar Mahadev.
NAGKUND
Nagkund is stand in the west of Punyajala river there are fifty two steps around the kund. It was famous that there was so many container (Patra) in kund and when devotee prayed for his daily necessities with kund the container floated on the water level in kund itself. Devotee got and satisfied with it further they kept the container in Kund and patra dipped in kund again . It was the most importance of this kund for which it was famous. Traditionally it is called pilgrims got Akshaya punya after taking bath in the kund at Panchami of Shukla Paksha of sawan.
MAHA TRIKON
Devotee and pilgrims gets his desirable Sidhi after Parikrama of Maha Trikon as it is said. After visiting at temple of Vindhayavashni Devi they goes to Sankat Mochan (Mahabir) temple as well as Kalikhoh which is in south of Vindhayachal railway Station. Devotee visit at Goddess kali and worshiped they make them pious with the water of Kali Kund. They completed their Parikrama after visiting at saint Karnagiri Bawali. There are severl temples situated of Bhairwas around the Kalikhoh, situation are such as - in the east Anand Bhairav, in west Sidhnath Bhairav , in south Kapal Bhairav and Bhairav is situated in north.The view of the visitors to get luxary like haven after visiting at Vindhayvasani temple and completed their Parikrama. Traditionaly it is famous.
ASTABHUJA DEVI
The Dewaki and Basudev were prisoner's of Kans in Mathura. Dewaki was the sister of Kans. Kans was afraid of with the eighth son of Dewaki.Inspite of son a baby (girl) was born in place of son. Kans would have to kill him. Unfortunately baby slipped from the hand of Kans and flew in the sky and ulti mated to Kans about loss of his kingdom. In future this baby became famous as Goddess Asthbhuja Devi. She situated at the top of the Vindhaya Mountain in Vindhayachal.
SHIVPUR
According to the tradition of Hindu Methology Bhagwan Sri Ram Chandra had done the shardh of his father king Dasrath asper direction of Rishi Basistha in Vindhaya area.First of all Bhagwan Sri Ramchandra worshiped lord Shiva and paid his dedication to Goddess Vindhayavasini Devi. After that he established a idol of lord Shiva in the west, which is famous with the name of Rameshwar so it is called Shivpur.
SITA KUND
Sita ji dug a kund in the west of Astbhuja Devi temple called Sita kund. Near the kund sita ji established lord shiva which became famous with the name siteshwar , in the west of Sita Kund Bhagwan Sri Ram Chandra dug a kund which named is Ram Kund. In Shivpur Laxaman Ji Established a Shivling near Rameshwar which is famous as Laxmaneshwar.