Mirzapur (pronunciation) is a city in Uttar Pradesh, India. It is known for its carpets and brassware industries, and the tradition of kajari and birha music. Straddled by the Maikal Hills, it served as the headquarters of the Mirzapur district.

Geography

Mirzapur is located at 25°09′N 82°35′E / 25.15°N 82.58°E / 25.15; 82.58. It has an average elevation of 80 metres (265 feet). Mirzapur lies between the parallels of 23.52 & 25.32 North latitude and 82.7 and 83.33 East longitude. It forms a portion of the Varanasi district. On the north and north-east it is bounded by Varanasi district, on the south by Sonbhadra district and on the north-west by Prayagraj district. The shape to the north and west is totally regular. In no direction, except for about 13 km in the north-east where the Ganga separates the Tehsil of Chunar from the district of Varanasi, has Mirzapur a natural frontier. The Chanvar fields, considered to be one of the most fertile land tracts in India, are located on Gangetic flood plains of the district.

Indian Standard Time is calculated on the basis of 82.5° E longitude, from a clock tower in Mirzapur.

Demographics

As of the 2011 census, Mirzapur-cum-Vindhyachal municipality had a population of 233,691 and the urban agglomeration had a population of 245,817. The municipality had a sex ratio of 869 females per 1,000 males and 11.9% of the population were under six years old. Effective literacy was 78.25%; male literacy was 83.85% and female literacy was 71.80%.

Indian Standard Time calculation

Indian Standard Time is calculated from the clock tower in Mirzapur nearly exactly on the reference longitude of Indian Standard Time at 82°30'E, within 4 angular minutes, a property shared by Tuni, a town in Andhra Pradesh. This is because there is a time lag of two hours between Gujarat and Arunachal Pradesh. Hence, this was taken as the Standard Meridian for the whole country.

Education

Mirzapur benefits from an university, Rajiv Gandhi South Campus at Barkachha acquired by BHU, on lease in perpetuity from Bharat Mandal Trust in April 1979 with an area of 1104 hectare situated about 8 km South West of Mirzapur City. At present RGSC (Rajiv Gandhi South Campus) is spread over 2700 acres and has been used to run special courses of Banaras Hindu University. Ambika Devi Senior Secondary School in Panwari Kalan is also located in Mirzapur.

In popular culture

• The web series Mirzapur took the name of the city.

See also

• Amoi