When someone talks about the Varanasi division, they never fail to mention Jaunpur. Jaunpur district is located in the Varanasi division of Uttar Pradesh. Jaunpur is blessed with water from the rivers Gomti and Sai. Its land is also touched by the rivers Varuna, Basuhi, Pili, Mamur, and Gangi.

If we try to trace the history of Jaunpur, it goes back to the era of Feroz Shah Tughlaq in 1359. Jaunpur was formerly known as Shiraz-e-Hind and the place has witnessed many major events and remarkable people throughout history.

Jaunpur also holds a very important place in Hindu mythology and the Vedic period. It is believed that it was the major ground for sages, Rishis and Maharshis, as it is the holy place of the Adi Ganga Gomti and its divine shores. Maharshi Yamdagni built his ashram on the right bank of the Gomti between Zafrabad and Jaunpur. In modern times this establishment is famous by the name “Temple of Maharishi Yamdagni”. Maharshi Yamdagni lived with his son Parashuram. At the time Jaunpur was in the domain of the king of Ayodhya and was called Ayodhyapuram.

Due to some old dispute, King Sahastrarjun attacked the ashram and killed Maharishi Yamadagni. This act enraged Parashuram and as a consequence, he went to war and killed his father’s assassin in battle Raghuvanshi Kshattriyas were the first to arrive in the Jaunpur district.

Jaunpur holds an important place in history and has been an important centre of many political dynasties from the King of Banaras and Ayodhya to the Mughal Sultanate and Nawab of Awadh. It reflects a unique aspect of Hindu-Muslim communal harmony that had been present during the Sharqi Parishad in Jaunpur district which has held an important position in the fields of Education, Culture, Music, Arts and Literature. Its essence is quite evident even today.

In the field of education, this district has held an eminent position. Historically, students from abroad came to Jaunpur to learn and study Arabic and Persian. The famous ruler Sher Shah Suri was also educated here. It is the very same land where Sufism started and grew later. During the Sharki period, this land showcased the way of the unique Hindu-Muslim communal harmony whose legacy is still present here today.

Modern-day Jaunpur is the land of agriculture and political importance in the present-day state of Uttar Pradesh. It has a majority of people speaking Hindi, Bhojpuri and Urdu. It comprises of 6 Tehsils and 21 Vikas Khand.