District de Ghazipur

Ghazipur district is a district of Uttar Pradesh state in northern India. The city of Ghazipur is the district headquarters. The district is part of Varanasi Division. The region of Ghazipur is famous mainly for the production of its unique rose-scented Spray called Gulab Jal, and for the tomb of the Governor General of British India, Lord Cornwallis, who died here. His tomb is situated in Western part of City, and is conserved by Archaeological Survey of India. The district has derived its name from its headquarters town of Ghazipur. It was during the reign of Harsha, a Chinese pilgrim known with the name of Hiuen–T- Sang came to the district. And in his days the place was known as Chen- Chu interpreting in English as the Kingdom of the lord of 'Battles' which has been given various nomenclatures like Yudhpatipura, Yudharanpura, Garzapatipura and the last one probably who the modern Ghazipur as adopted by Lord Cunninghum. The Chinese pilgrim Hiuen-T-Sang had stated that a stupa was erected by Ashoka in the memory of Buddha who had been here in the district. Regarding the nomenclature of Ghazipur there has also been a version that it has its derivation from the word "Ghadi", who happened to be a Hindu king in the 9th century the original name of the place was Gadhipura. But, Gandhipura was located little far from the present city of Ghazipur. According to one story Raja Mandhata was said to have been an heir (descendant) of Prithvi Raj of Delhi and was suffering from a skin disease and wanted to get rid of the affliction by bathing in the tank at Kathot. He did take bath under the direction of Brahmins and cured sometimes later. After overcoming his disease he settled in Ghazipur and built a fort. Subsequently, his nephew and his successors seized a Muslim girl whose mother got worried for her daughter and as a measure for the safety of her daughter, she appealed to the sultan of Delhi, with the result that a band of forty ghazis under the headship of Ghazi Saiyad Mausaud reached Kathot and captured the fort and slew Raja Mandhata and his nephew.