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{{short description|Administrative division of Uttar Pradesh, India}}
{{Distinguish|Varanasi district|Varanasi Tehsil|Varanasi}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2016}}
{{Use Indian English|date=June 2016}}

[[Image:Varanasi division.svg|right|300px|thumb|Varanasi division]]

'''Varanasi division''' is one of the 18 [[divisions of Uttar Pradesh|administrative geographical units]] (i.e. division) of the northern [[India]]n [[States and territories of India|state]] of [[Uttar Pradesh]]. [[Varanasi]] city is the administrative headquarters of the division. The division consists of 4 [[Districts of Uttar Pradesh|districts]], i.e. [[Varanasi district|Varanasi]], [[Chandauli district|Chandauli]], [[Ghazipur district|Ghazipur]], and [[Jaunpur district|Jaunpur]] and is loosely equivalent to the [[Benares State]].

== Districts ==
* [[Varanasi district|Varanasi]]
* [[Chandauli district|Chandauli]]
* [[Ghazipur district|Ghazipur]]
* [[Jaunpur district|Jaunpur]]

==History==
In the 18th century the [[Mughal Empire]] was dissolving, and the eastern portion of present-day Uttar Pradesh State came under the control of [[Saadat Ali Khan I]], the first Nawab of Awadh. In 1722, Saadat Ali Khan sublet his southern territories, comprising the present-day districts of [[Bhadohi district|Bhadohi]], [[Chandauli district|Chandauli]], [[Jaunpur district|Jaunpur]], [[Ghazipur District|Ghazipur]], [[Mirzapur district|Mirzapur]], [[Sonbhadra district|Sonbhadra]], and [[Varanasi district|Varanasi]], to [[zamindar]] Mir Rustam Ali. Mir Rustam Ali was deposed in 1738, and Mansa Ram became zamindar. On Mansa Ram's death in 1739, his son [[Balwant Singh of Benares|Balwant Singh]] succeeded him, and established himself raja of [[Benares State]].<ref>''[[Imperial Gazetteer of India]]'', v. 7, p. 180.</ref> Balwant Singh and added present-day [[Ghazipur district|Ghazipur]] and [[Ballia district|Ballia]] districts to his territories. Balwant Singh died in 1770, and the British intervened to get the Nawab to recognize his son and heir, [[Chait Singh]], as raja. The Nawab of Awadh ceded the territory to the British in 1775, and the British confirmed Chait Singh as ruler.

The British deposed Chait Singh in 1781, and under his heir Mahip Narayan Singh, took administrative control over most of the territory, organizing it into Benares Division, comprising four districts: Benares, Ghazipur, Jaunpur, and Mirzapur. The rajas, later maharajas, of Benares retained certain administrative rights and revenues within the division, and directly governed a portion of the division, known as the Benares Estate. The rajas' principal residence was at Ramnagar, across the Ganges River from Benares.<ref>''[[Imperial Gazetteer of India]]'', v. 7, p. 178.</ref> Ballia district was separated from Ghazipur in 1879.<ref>''[[Imperial Gazetteer of India]]'', v. 6, p. 251.</ref>

The Division had an area of 10,431 square miles, and was part of the United Provinces of British India. The administrative headquarters was at Benares.

The Division's population was 4,395,252 in 1872, 5,178,005 in 1881, 5,368,480 in 1891, and 5,069,020 in 1901. The decrease from 1891 to 1901 was attributed to an epidemic of fever following disastrous floods in 1894, and to famine and emigration. The 1901 census recorded the division's population as 91% Hindu, not quite 9% Muslim, with small populations of Christians and Sikhs.<ref>''[[Imperial Gazetteer of India]]'', v. 7, p. 178.</ref>

In 1911, the Benares Estate, which included two areas governed directly by the Maharajas, was separated from the division to form the Princely State of [[Benares State|Benares]].

In 1947, after India became independent, [[United Provinces of Agra and Oudh]] were renamed [[Uttar Pradesh]]. In 1948, the Maharaja of Benares (i.e. King of Varanasi) acceded to the [[Government of India]], and Benares State was reintegrated into the Benares division, with the western portion becoming Bhadohi tehsil and the eastern portion becoming Chania tehsil of Varanasi district.

In 1989, the southeastern portion of [[Mirzapur district]] was separated into [[Sonbhadra district]]. In 1994, [[Bhadohi district|Bhadohi]] (officially known as Sant Ravidas Nagar) was separated from Varanasi district. In 1997, Chandauli district was separated from Varanasi district.<ref>[http://www.statoids.com/yin.html "India Districts". statoids.com. Accessed 18 November 2017]</ref>

After 2000, Varanasi division was reduced in size, with the districts of Bhadohi, Mirzapur, and Sonbhadra separated into the [[Mirzapur division]], and [[Ballia district]] was made a part of [[Azamgarh division]].

==Geographical indication==
===Banaras Pan (Betel Leaf)===
[[Banaras Pan (Betel Leaf)]] was awarded the [[List of geographical indications in India|Geographical Indication]] (GI) status tag from the [[Geographical Indication Registry (India)|Geographical Indications Registry]], under the [[Government of India|Union Government of India]], on 31 March 2023.<ref>{{cite web |title=Banaras Pan (Betel Leaf) |url=https://search.ipindia.gov.in/GIRPublic/Application/Details/467 |website=Intellectual Property India |access-date=19 January 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Banarasi Langda mango, Banarasi paan are latest entrants to GI tag club |url=https://www.businesstoday.in/industry/agriculture/story/banarasi-langda-mango-banarasi-paan-are-latest-entrants-to-gi-tag-club-375981-2023-04-04 |access-date=19 January 2025 |work=Business Today |date=4 April 2023 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=PM promoting Varanasi GI products augurs well for the region: Expert |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/lucknow-news/pm-promoting-varanasi-gi-products-augurs-well-for-the-region-expert-101658941293759.html |access-date=19 January 2025 |work=Hindustan Times |date=27 July 2022 |language=en-us}}</ref> It thus became the first Betel leaf variety from Uttar Pradesh and the 47th type of goods from Uttar Pradesh to earn the GI tag.<ref>{{cite news |title=Banarasi Paan and langda mango, among others, receive GI tag |url=https://www.moneycontrol.com/news/india/banarasi-paan-and-langda-mango-among-others-receive-gi-tag-10359511.html |access-date=19 January 2025 |work=Moneycontrol}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=From Banarasi Paan to Langda Mango These 10 Products From UP Get GI Tag {{!}} FULL LIST |url=https://www.timesnownews.com/india/from-banarasi-paan-to-langda-mango-these-10-products-from-up-get-gi-tag-full-list-article-99240947 |access-date=19 January 2025 |work=Times Now |date=4 April 2023 |language=en}}</ref>

==See also==
[[Districts of Uttar Pradesh]]
{{Varanasi}}
{{Districts of Uttar Pradesh}}
{{Uttar Pradesh}}
{{Varanasi division topics}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Varanasi Division}}
[[Category:Varanasi division| ]]
[[Category:Divisions of Uttar Pradesh]]