If Uttar Pradesh were a country, it would rank as the fourth largest globally by population. With 80 Lok Sabha seats, it wields significant influence in Indian politics, often referred to as a heavyweight champion.
Emerging as a political powerhouse from the complexities of British colonial rule and the system of princely states, the state’s journey raises intriguing questions about governance and representation. Adding to its uniqueness is the frequent creation of new districts, almost akin to a reality show competition, vying for recognition and attention.
Uttar Pradesh, with its vibrant past, tells stories ranging from the dramatic 1857 revolt to the modern-day trend of renaming cities—farewell Benares, hello Varanasi. Here, history isn’t just in textbooks; it feels like a lively, sometimes chaotic family gathering. The state's journey through time is packed with rich narratives, political intrigues, and quirky anecdotes that make it truly unique. Get ready for a fascinating exploration of UP's history, full of unexpected twists and turns!
By 1857, most of modern UP was directly under British control (Oudh/Awadh was annexed in 1856) and existed as the North West Province. In 1902, during the Curzon era, it became the United Province of Agra and Oudh. This province with the highest population had only three princely states: Rampur, Gurhwal, and Benaras. Rampur and part of Gurhwal (modern Tehri Garwal) were princely states throughout the period. Benaras's Narayan Dynasty rulers were directly under the control of the British. In 1911, two parts of Benaras became a princely state with 13 gun salutes, while the remaining territory of Benaras remained under British control.
There were little changes in districts in the period from 1872 to 1911. Ballia and Pilbhit were newly created (from Ghazeepore/Ghazipur and Bareilly), and the princely state of Tehri Garwhal was separated from Garwal.
Post-independence, the entire United Provinces (including three princely states Benaras, Rampur, and Tehri Gharwal) merged into the Indian Union. Certain parts within the United Provinces (Charkari, Sarita, Baoni, Beri, and Jigni) were administered by the Central Indian Agency (CIA) before independence and were also merged into Uttar Pradesh for spatial continuity (into Hamirpur and Jalaun districts).
After the Government of India Act 1935, the name of the state was shortened to United Province. Post-independence, the locals argued that they were unable to relate to the colonial remnant of the state name, but resistance to changing the state name continued as it was representative of Hindu-Muslim unity. In 1949, when the Constituent Assembly had to finalize names of states, CM G.B. Pant put forward his demand to name the state as 'Aryavarta'. Rustom K. Sidhwa opposed this move, claiming that UP wanted to cast itself as the super-most province of India. Finally, after much debate, the state was named Uttar Pradesh, as it came with the advantage of the same initials.
Later, demands to separate UP emerged due to the fear of managing a massive yet diverse population in the state and the growing realization of the differences between the mainland districts and mountainous ones. Even Ambedkar advocated for the trifurcation of UP, but G.B. Pant's support to keep the Hindi heartland intact prevented the separation of UP.
While mainland UP remained intact, the mountainous part was able to sustain its fight for autonomy. With the support of the Uttarakhand Kranti Dal (UKD) and later the BJP, the state of Uttarakhand was finally created on November 9, 2000.
Districts Evolution
Over decades, Uttar Pradesh has witnessed various name changes of its districts - Benares to Varanasi, Hathras to Mahamaya Nagar, and Allahabad to Prayagraj, among others. Did you know Ayodhya district was earlier called Faizabad? Note the number of name changes in the previous decade!
When it comes to district splits, between 1991 and 2001 alone, 16 districts were carved out in the state. Over time, Ghaziabad was carved out of Bulandshahr, Hardwar from Saharanpur, Siddharthnagar from Basti, and Amethi carved from Raebareili and Sultanpur. Kanpur district split into Kanpur Dehat & Kanpur Nagar, and numerous others, reflecting the state's evolving administrative landscape.
Over six decades, Uttar Pradesh witnessed 8 district name changes, 32 splits, and the creation of 31 new districts, with notable spikes in splits and new districts in the 1981-91 and 2011-21 periods.
Uttar Pradesh in 1951 comprised 51 districts. Today, the state has 75 districts, excluding the 13 districts that are now in the state of Uttarakhand.
Sources:
Administrative Atlas of India (2011); Origin Story of India's States (2021) Venkata Raghavns;
We the People of the States of Bharat, Chopra Sanjeev
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