Sherghati which is formerly known as Shergotty is a subdivision-level town of the Gaya district in Bihar. This town in Gaya District has the ample number of temples and the archaeological ruins of ancient India.
Location of Sherghati
Shergatti is located in Gaya District of Bihar.
History of Sherghati
Sherghati was famous for its lions or "Sher" in Hindi. An origin story says that a general Farid Khan had hunted a lion at this very place; subsequently Farid was known as Sher Shah Suri, and when he became the ruler of the Delhi Sultanate, defeating Humayun, became Sher Shah Suri. During British rule, Sherghati was a place of administrative importance as a Commissioners" headquarters. When Aurangzeb attacked Sherghati after conquering Aurangabad, the brave Kols of Sherghati stopped the armies of Mughal Dynasty at the bank of Morhar river and did not let them enter the borders of Sherghati. The two soldiers of the Mughal army under the Aurangzeb`s rule, Quamar Ali and Sultan Ali were brought to death by the Kols. They were entombed by river side near Hamzapur. Now this place is visited by both the Hindus and the Muslims.
Geography of Sherghati
Sherghati is surrounded by the Morhar River neighbouring the city. That is why the length of the city is much more than the width. Sherghati is located at 24.57 degree North to 84.78 degree East. It has an average elevation of 121 metres (396 feet). Sherghati is the southern most major town of Bihar. It shares the common boundary with the Chatra district of Jharkhand. The thick forest belt of Jharkhand loses its presence while we reach Sherghati. It has two main rivers one is Morhar and the other is called Sorhar (Boodhi Nadi) or the old river.
Population of Sherghati
Sherghati had a population of 60,000. The males constitute 53% of the population and females 47%. Sherghati has an average literacy rate of 70%, higher than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy is 80%, and female literacy is 66%. In Sherghati, 19% of the population is under 6 years of age.
Economy of Sherghati
The economy of Sherghati is based on trade. Sherghati is a famous market of crops. The farmers of the neighbouring villages come to sell their farm produce, and traders of crops buy them. N.H. 2 passes through the town. This road is also known as Grand Trunk Road, touching Kolkata in West Bengal on \ one side and Peshawar (Pakistan) on the other side. Like most of the towns in Bihar, Sherghati is prominently dominated by agri-based industries. The major cash crops of Sherghati produced are rice, wheat, pulses, groundnut and sugar cane.
Culture of Sherghati
Sherghati was earlier known as the Land of Lions. So in colonial India, people of Sherghati involved in mass movements against British East India Company and British Government in India. A number of freedom fighters belonged to this place. During the Indian Independence Movement, the residents of Sherghati contributed to the movement. The zamindars of that time in the town of Sherghati contributed by donating land during the Bhudan Movement of colonial Bihar.
