SULTANPUR, Uttar Pradesh

Main Attraction: Parijat Tree

Located on the bank of river Gomti in the town of Sultanpur, the tree is referred in the manuscripts of ancient period which was treated as equivalent to ‘Kalp-Vriksh’ as mentioned in the legends. The district is proud of having this unique tree. It is said that the tree is age old and only a botanist can explain its age exactly. During British regime, one British family resided beneath the tree in a bungalow and the remains of which are still visible. On every Monday, a fair is held and God fearing people worship the tree. By tradition it is prevalent that who ever comes here gets his deemed desire fulfilled. During the month of August (Shravan-Monday) devotees in thousands come here. A month long fair is held every year. This fair caters to the needs of large crowd from the adjoining

areas of the district.

Brief History

The district is named after its headquarters town, Sultanpur. In ancient days this town was known as Kusapura or Kushbhawanpur after the name of its founder Kusha son of Lord Rama.

The present area of the district in historical perspective cannot be exactly assertained due to lack of authentic inscription. But the area covered by the district seems to have been inhabited since primitive times. The popular legends and traditions are associated with the life of Lord Rama and his family clan. Many ancient sites are found at various places of the district. The ancient forts mounds and ruins of brick structure are ascribed, to the Bhars- the aboriginals who held the local power in the area till they were dislodged by Rajputs and Muslims. It is believed that the area was part of Panchala kingdom which extended from the foot of Himalayas in the north to the river Chambal in the south with the capital at Ahichhetra, the flourishing metropolis of ancient India.

The district was annexed to the Magadha empire in 364 B.C. After the Magadha empire, the Mauryas ruled this region under Chandragupta Maurya who unified northern India. The most important king of this dynasty was Ashoka, who patronised Buddhism and combined in himself the zeal of a monk and the wisdom of a king. With the fall of Mauryas, Sunga dynasty came into power. In the beginning of the first century B.C. Shakas invaded northern India and settled at a number of places. One such settlement was Mathura, the headquarters of Rajuvula. Some coins of Rajuvula recoverd from this district, prove that Shakas have ruled over the district. Also a number of coins of Kanishka were found in the district, which proves that it was included in the empire of Kanishka (78-102 A.D.). Kanishka was a great patron of Buddhist religion like Ashoka.

The Guptas of Pataliputra (Patna) came to power with Chandragupta I, who commenced his rule from about 320 A.D. His Son Samudragupta conquered the Avadh region including this district along with other parts of India and annexed it to his empire. Chandragupta II (380-413) also followed his father’s policy of world conquest. He assumed the title of ‘Vikramaditya.’In the beginning of the 6 century when Gupta became weak, their feudatories the Maukharies replaced them and made Kannauj their capital. On the decline of the power of Maukharies, Harsha (606-47) acquired the throne of Kannauj. During his reign the famous Chinese traveller Hiuen Tsang presumably passed through this district.

After the death of Harsha, his empire break up and anarchy prevailed for about half a century in northern India. It appears that Bhars possessed the whole tract including this district. They carved out semi-independent principalities and ruled over them subject to the control of the Kings of Kannauj, which was ruled by Yashovarman in the first part of the 8 century A.D. During the 9 century the Gurjara- Pratihars of Kannauj carved out an empire including whole of the Uttar Pradesh and naturally this district was included in it.

The rule of Gurjara-Pratiharas was brought to an end by Mahmud of Ghazni who annexed Kannauj in 1018. But the district seems to have remained in the possession of the Bhars. By the end of the 11 century Chandradeva, the first powerful King of Gahadavalas established himself at Kannauj and brought under his sway the whole of Uttar Pradesh. It may be presumed that the district of Sultanpur must have been brought under his control and formed part of his empire until the overthrow of its King Jai Chand in 1193 by Shahab-ud-din Ghori.

After the defeat of Jai Chand, it appears that Bhars were left in undisputed control of district. Qutb-ud-din Aibak was favourite slave and trusted lieutenant of Shihab-ud- din Ghori. Ghori’s viceroy at Delhi, consolidated his hold over the country including Avadh of which Sultanpur district formed part. Qutb-ud-Din Aibak died in 1200 A.D. and was succeeded by his son, Aram Shah, who was superceded a year later by Iltutmish (1212-1236A.D.)in whose reign, tradition states that Hasan Mahmud was governor of Sultanpur and his jurisdiction extended to Jaunpur. About 1248 Bashir Shah of Sultan Nasiruddin Mohammad fled from his home and established himself in Jamanwan village and afterwards in Bhadaiyan of Sultanpur district, the area is said to have been represented by Ala-ud- din Khilji from 1296-1316 A.D. 

The Sharqi Dynasty of Jaunpur ruled the district of Sultanpur with the rest of Avadh and was succeeded by his adopted son Mubrak Shah who lateron in 1402 was followed by Ibrahim Shah. He was most ardent propagator of Islam and was said to have converted large number of the district’s inhabitants to their faith. Coins of that period have been excavated on the south bank of Gomti. Sultan of Delhi swayed district around 1479 A.D. The overthrow of Humayun by Sher Shah Suri in 1539-40 was an important event for the district . After the battle of Panipat Mughals became master of northern India. During Akbar’s reign Sultanpur was an important suba of Avadh. Amethi and Jagdishpur composed of many Mahals during above regime. Aurangzeb was the last emperor to have paid a visit to Israuli Dargah during his reign 1658-1707.

After the death of Aurangzeb (1707) the bulk of the area of Sultanpur was divided between the Subahs of Allahabad and Avadh and the history of the district for a time presents almost a blank except for the petty strifes among the local chiefs. The latter Mughal emperors of Delhi had little to do with the district and about the next hundred and fifty years the Nawab of Avadh were its virtual masters. In 1722 Saadat Khan was appointed governor of this province and was the first of the Nawab of Avadh. In 1793 Mirza Sattar Beg was appointed Nazim of Sultanpur but next year he was replaced by Sital Prasad who held the charge of district administration till 1800.

On January 21, 1798 Saadat Ali Khan appointed by John Shene the governor general as Nayab Vazir of Avadh. Saadat Ali Khan entered into a new agreement with the East India Company. Now Sultanpur became the headquarters of Nizamat which comprised all the territory between Allahabad on the south and the Ghaghra on the north and from Jagdishpur to British territory of the east. Ghazi-ud-din Haider was the successor of nawab Saadat ali Khan. After death of Ghazi-ud-din Haider his son Nasir-ud-din Haider appointed Raja Darshan singh to the post of Nazim of Sultanpur. Wajid Ali Shah (1847-56) the last king of Avadh ruled the present territory of the district but in 1856 Lord Dalhouise, the governor general deposed Wajid Ali Shah and annexed his territories including the district of Sultanpur to the British empire.

On June 9, 1857 the struggle for freedom was commenced at Sultanpur, when the troops rose against the British. The political history of the district since 1858-59 has been uneventful on the whole, until the formation of district Khilafat committee in 1921, which gave a new dimension to the freedom struggle. The people of this district whole heartedly took part in the all movements for freedom. During struggle for freedom the district was visited by great national leaders like Jawahar Lal Nehru, Subash Chandra Bose and Rafi Ahmad Kidwai. The country and with it district achieved the long sought for independence from British rule on August 15, 1947.