History of Balrampur Balrampur district is located in the northeastern part of Uttar Pradesh, near the border of Nepal, under the Devipatan division. Due to its proximity to Shravasti, it is a key city in the Buddhist circuit. According to legend, the city was founded by Janwar area king Madhav Singh in 1508, naming it after his son Balaram Shah. Alternatively, it is said that Digvijay Singh, a descendant of Bariyar Shah who accompanied Firoz Shah Tughlaq in 1351, laid the foundation of Balrampur state in 1357. During British rule, Gonda was made a separate district, and Balrampur was given the status of a tehsil. On May 25, 1997, it emerged as a distinct district in its current form and is now a prominent district of Devipatan division. Sacred Heritage of Balrampur The territory of present Balrampur district covers a neighborhood of the traditional Kosala kingdom. Shravasti was the capital of Uttara (North) Kosala. Towards the Rapti River, to a small degree north of Sahet, traditional town of Mahet lies. The fortified entrance to Mahet is made up of mud, created in an exceedingly stunning form of crescent. The Sobhnath temple homes the good Stupas. The presence of ‘Stupas’ justify the presence of Buddhist in the district and boast the history of the monasteries in Balrampur. One of the oldest monastery among the country, Jeetavana monastery, is claimed to be one among the favorites sites of Gautam Buddha. The inscriptions of the monasteries are said to be of 12th century. The place, thus uses to hold religious importance. Emperor Ashoka, the great, also visited this site. There is also a sacred peepal tree nearby which is believed to be grown from saplings of the first Bodhi tree of Both Gaya. Gautam Buddha spent twenty-one rainy seasons below the sacred Peepal tree. There is a famous story of Angulimal Dacoit. The incident of Angulimal happened within the forest of Sravasti solely, where Gautam Buddha enlightened the cruel dacoit who used to kill folks and wear a garland of their fingers. Another site of spiritual importance within the town is Sravasti. It is believed that Mahavira Jain, the twenty-fourth Tirthankara of Jainism, ‘influenced’ this place. The place also houses the famous Shwetambar temple. Sahet-Mahet, Balrampur, Uttar Pradesh Sahet-Mahet is an ancient site identified with Sravasti, the ancient capital of the kingdom of Kosala, situated on the bank of the Rapti. The site is divided into two parts: Sahet, located in Sravasti district, and Mahet, located in Balrampur district. Dating from the 6th century BCE to the Early Medieval Period, Sravasti reached the peak of its prosperity during the time of Buddha under the powerful ruler Prasenaji. It is mentioned in the Mahaparinibbana Sutta as one of the six important cities where Buddha had a large following. The remains of the famous Jetavana lie within an irregular enclosure at Sahet. Excavations have brought to light the remains of temples, stupas and monasteries. The earliest available relics include a few Kushan structures and images. At Mahet, the fortified city of ancient Sravasti is represented by the ruins of two massive brick structures known as Pakki-Kuti and Kachchi-Kuti. These are regarded respectively as the stupa erected at the spot where Angulimala was converted and the stupa of Anathpindaka. Sources Archaeological Survey of India Balrampur