District Sant Kabir Nagar is a newly created district in the eastern belt of U.P. The district came to be known by its present name on account of Sant Kabir, the well known Sant (poet) and philosopher, lived at Maghar in the district. District Sant kabir nagar was created on September 5, 1997 from district Basti. including 131 villages from tehsil Basti, and 161 from tehsil Bansi of district Siddharth Nagar. The district lies among Gorakhpur in the east, Basti in the west, Siddharth Nagar in the north and Ambedkar Nagar in the south. According to the district statistical department the district covered an area of 1659.15 sq. km. According to the census of 1991 the district has a population 1162138 persons of which 605533 are males and 556505 females of which 81718 persons, resided in urban areas and 1080420 in rural areas. The population density of the district is about 700 per sq. km. while 472 is of the state.

Places of Interest

Bakhira

It is situated on the road from Mehndawal to Khalilabad in Lat. 26 55' N. and Long. 83 5' E., 16 km. north of the tehsil headquarters and about 18 km. from the district headquarters. Other roads lead to Gorakhpur in southeast and to Bansi and Rudhauli in northeast. Bakhira is particularly known on account of the great lake, Moti Jhil (or Badhanchh Tal), which extends to a few kilometers to the east. The name Moti Jhil is said to have been bestowed upon it by Nawab Saadat Ali Khan, who frequently resorted here for hunting. Bakhira is a market village, but the name is commonly applied to the bazar of Baghnagar, practically, an adjoining site, and the two are always treated as one, Bakhira was formerly the capital of a large domain granted by raja Sarbjit Singh of Bansi to an illegitimate son. In course of time the Babus of Bakhira acquired an independent position. In Buchanan's time their fort was strongly defended by a mud rampart, with a ditch and bamboo hedge. In the freedom struggle Babu Ram Pratap Singh made himself conspicuous by attacking and destroying the Bakhira police-station; and for this and other offences he was hanged and his lands forfeited to the government. According to the census of 1971 it had a population of 294 persons and covered area of 70.01 ha. Market is held here twice a week, the main article of trade being agricultural produce, generally food-grains, brought by cultivators, the arrival of wheat in the busy season being in the range of 100 to 150 quintals per market day. Bakhira is also noted for the brass and bronze metal work. The wholesale dealers from Mirzapur, Varanasi and Moradabad visit this place and generally purchase new utensils against old scrap.

Hainsar

Hainsar lies in Lat. 26 33' N. and Long 83 3' E., at a distance of about 4.8 km east of Dhanghata and about 32 km from district headquarters. The Ghaghra flows at some distance to the south. At the time of the first freedom struggle Hainsar (Hardo) belonged to a Suryavansi named Lal Jagat Bahadur. On account of his active participation in the struggle, his property was confiscated and bestowed on loyal to the rulers. A weekly market is held here on every Tuesday and Friday and considerable business is done in food-grains, cloth, and the blankets which are manufactured here. Its importance had grown on account of the river born traffic which passed through it. The place had a population of 2766 and covered an area of 91.4 ha. It has a post-office, a junior Basic school, a senior Basic school and a dispensary. It falls under Dhanghata police-station and is the head-quarters of the development block of the same name.

Khalilabad

Khalilabad lies in Lat. 26 47'N. and Long. 83 4' E., on the road from Faizabad to Gorakhpur. It is the headquarters of this new district Sant Kabir Nagar. The place derives its name from its founder, Qazi Khailil-ur-Rahman, who was appointed chakladar of Gorakhpur about 1860. At present this place is more famous for its handloom cloth market, popularly known as Bardahia Bazar. The tehsil building, situated to the south of the road to Gorakhpur, is an imposing structure created after the first freedom struggle in 1857 in which the place was sacked.

Maghar

The town is situated in Lat. 26 45'N. and Long. 83 8'E., on the main road from Gorakhpur to Faizabad at a distance of about 7 km southwest of the district headquarters. Maghar, a place of considerable antiquity, is not of much present day importance, except as a place of pilgrimage. It is celebrated as containing the cenotaph and shrine of saint poet Kabir.

Tama(Tameshwar Nath)

The village of Tama is situated in Lat. 26 degree 42' N. and Long. 83 degree 7' E., at a distance of about 8 Km from district headquarters. It is famous for its Mahadev temple(Tameshwar Nath), the idol of which is said to have suddenly sprung up in the forest near the village. It was discovered by herdsmen and has since been an object of peculiar sanctity. A fair is held here on the occasion of Shivratri, which is attended by about 31,000 persons.