Ambaputra at 00:47, 1 May 2026

2026-05-01T00:47:08Z

New page

{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2018}}
{{Use Indian English|date=October 2018}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name = Belchhi
| native_name =बेल्छी
| native_name_lang = hi
| other_name = Belchi
| nickname =
| settlement_type = Village
| image_skyline = Patna district.PNG
| image_alt =
| image_caption =
| pushpin_map = 
| pushpin_label_position = right
| pushpin_map_alt =
| pushpin_map_caption = Location in Bihar, India
| coordinates = {{coord|25.36270|85.47994|display=inline,title}}
| subdivision_type = Country
| subdivision_name = {{flag|India}}
| subdivision_type1 = [[States and territories of India|State]]
| subdivision_name1 = [[Bihar]]
| subdivision_type2 = District
| subdivision_name2 = [[Patna district|Patna]]
| established_title = 
| established_date =
| founder =
| named_for =
| government_type = state
| governing_body =
| unit_pref = Metric
| area_footnotes =
| area_rank =
| area_total_km2 =
| elevation_footnotes =
| elevation_m =
| population_total = 6731
| population_as_of =
| population_rank =
| population_density_km2 = auto
| population_demonym =
| population_footnotes =
| demographics_type1 = Languages
| demographics1_title1 = Spoken
| demographics1_info1 = [[Magahi language|Magadhi]], [[Hindi language|Hindi]]
| timezone1 = [[Indian Standard Time|IST]]
| utc_offset1 = +5:30
| postal_code_type = Pincode
| postal_code = 803110
| registration_plate =
| website =
| iso_code = [[ISO 3166-2:IN|IN-BR]]
| footnotes =
}}

'''Belchhi'''<ref name="d989"/> (hi:बेल्छी), also written as '''Belchi'''<ref name="t679"/> is a historically important village in [[Bihar]] state, India. It is situated 90 km from Patna and is a [[Community development block|Block]] in [[Barh]] subdivision (Tehsil) of [[Patna District]].<ref name="t679">{{cite web | title=Tehsil | website=District Patna, Government of Bihar | date=20 February 2018 | url=https://patna.nic.in/tehsil/ | access-date=19 April 2025}}</ref> It lies on [[National Highway 431 (India)|National Highway 431]], which runs from [[Fatuha]] (Fatuwah) to [[Barh]]. <ref name="r686">{{cite web | title=Belchhi on 431 | website=Google Maps | url=https://www.google.com/maps/place/Belchhi,+Bihar+803213/@25.3524708,85.6398046,6124m/data=!3m2!1e3!4b1!4m15!1m8!3m7!1s0x39f28f00ca2241a7:0x91838d6e2fbc360!2sBelchhi,+Bihar+803110!3b1!8m2!3d25.3620265!4d85.4807392!16s%2Fm%2F02vq6v_!3m5!1s0x39f263a3124eb2fb:0xc7f5c740cc958a4f!8m2!3d25.35325!4d85.6563314!16s%2Fg%2F12hmhdwks?entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI1MDQxNi4xIKXMDSoJLDEwMjExNDU1SAFQAw%3D%3D | access-date=22 April 2025}}</ref>

==Demographics==

As per [[2011 Census of India]], Belchhi had a population of 3821, with 1956 males and 1865 females in a total of 673 families. Schedule Caste (SC) constituted 42.95 % of its total population.<ref name="d989"/>The literacy rate of Belchhi village was 47.15 %.<ref name="d989">{{cite web | title=Belchhi Village Population | website=Census 2011 India | url=https://www.census2011.co.in/data/village/246381-belchhi-bihar.html | access-date=19 April 2025}}</ref>

==1977 Belchhi massacre==
{{main|Belchhi massacre}}
The incident occurred on May 27, 1977 at around 11 am, the village was surrounded by 60-70 men and a gang of the land-owning Kurmi caste led by Mahavir Mahato, shot 11 men, including eight [[dalits]] (lower caste) and three members of the [[backward caste]], [[Sunar]]. Subsequently, they were burnt alive in a common pyre with their hands tied. Subsequently, based on the key testimony of survivor Janaki Paswan, 2 of the accused received death sentences and 11 others were given life sentences. <ref name="u826">{{cite web | last=Bharat | first=ETV | title='मेरे सामने मेरे घर के चार लोगों को जिंदा जला दिया था..' बेलछी नरसंहार और इंदिरा गांधी की 'हाथी' पर लौटती सियासत की वो दास्तां | website=ETV Bharat News | date=31 October 2023 | url=https://www.etvbharat.com/hindi/delhi/bharat/belchhi-massacre-victims-told-whole-story-in-nalanda-11-people-burnt-alive/na20231031210918090090833 | language=hi | access-date=18 April 2025}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Farz|first=Ahmed|date=July 15, 1977|title=Caste differences claim more lives in Bihar than any other state in India|url=https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/crime/story/19770715-caste-differences-claim-more-lives-in-bihar-than-any-other-state-in-india-823829-2014-08-23|access-date=2022-01-13|website=India Today|language=en}}</ref><ref name="t087">{{cite web | last=Sharma | first=Pratul | title=Life hasn't changed much for residents of village where Indira arrived on elephant | website=The Week | date=22 August 2021 | url=https://www.theweek.in/theweek/cover/2021/08/12/life-hasnt-changed-much-for-residents-of-village-where-indira-arrived-on-elephant.html | access-date=18 April 2025}}</ref><ref name="x736">{{citation | title=Bihar Elections: Lone Surviving Witness of Belchi Massacre Wants to Oust Nitish Kumar from Power |website= NewsClick | date=31 October 2020 | url=https://www.newsclick.in/Bihar-Elections-Lone-Surviving-Witness-Belchi-Massacre-Oust-Nitish-Kumar-Power | access-date=19 April 2025 | page=}}</ref> The death penalty was given by the [[Patna High Court]] in 1982 and upheld by the Supreme Court bench headed by Justice [[Syed Murtaza Fazl Ali]] in 1983. This made it an important event in the legal history of India, where the death penalty was given to perpetrators in [[caste-related violence in Bihar|Caste-related violence]].<ref name="g419">{{cite web | last=Lakshmi | first=Rama | title=Belchi wasn't just Indira Gandhi's moment. A legal landmark for Dalits too, new book says | website=ThePrint | date=5 May 2023 | url=https://theprint.in/pageturner/book-scene/belchi-wasnt-just-indira-gandhis-moment-a-legal-landmark-for-dalits-too-new-book-says/1557369/ | access-date=18 April 2025}}</ref>

===Indira Gandhi visit===

In 1977, [[Indira Gandhi]] was out of power. It was then, on 13 August 1977,<ref name="u826"/> that she visited Belchhi to meet with surviving victims of atrocities perpetrated there against untouchables. She went to Belchhi by riding an elephant because it was impassable due to the monsoon season, and thus she inspired a new public image. This event triggered a reversal of fortunes for her and for the Congress Party, and became a turning point in modern Indian politics. It also put Belchhi front and centre in the national news. This also meant the case received public attention and the Chief Minister of the time, Jaganath Mishra, himself got involved, and the victims got justice, which is rare in such cases. <ref name="g419"/><ref name="y642">{{cite web | last=Ojha | first=Ankit | title=जब हाथी पर बैठकर बेलछी पहुंच गई थीं इंदिरा गांधी, क्या थी दलितों के नरसंहार की वह घटना? | website=Hindustan | date=3 October 2023 | url=https://www.livehindustan.com/national/story-when-indira-gandhi-reached-bhalchi-riding-on-an-elephant-dalits-massacre-bihar-8795332.html | language=hi | access-date=19 April 2025}}</ref> And that time, the Bihar government passed a new policy to build a police station, a block office and a post office. <ref name="g419"/>

==Sufi Chillah==

The part of Belchi where the famous Sufi chillah is situated is located in [[Nalanda district]] (Bihar Sharif).<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8FKepYC6wzwC&q=indira+gandhi+belchi&pg=PA536 |title=India After Gandhi: The History of the World's Largest Democracy - Ramachandra Guha - Google Books |date= 10 February 2011|isbn=9780330540209 |access-date=2014-01-16|last1=Guha |first1=Ramachandra }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.outlookindia.com/article.aspx?204908 |title=Charisma To The Test | Yubaraj Ghimire |publisher=Outlookindia.com |date=1998-01-19 |access-date=2014-01-16}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.google.co.in/maps/@25.3537346,85.660155,2297m/data=!3m1!1e3|title=Google Maps|website=Google Maps|access-date=11 November 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.google.co.in/maps/@25.1860429,85.6103956,5460m/data=!3m1!1e3|title=Google Maps|website=Google Maps|access-date=11 November 2018}}</ref> Nalanda adjoins Patna district, having split off from Patna in 1972.

The 12th century Sufi saint [[Usman Harooni]]'s chillah (a shrine, but not a burial shrine) is in Belchi. According to legend, Usman had a muridah (a female Sufi student) who resided in Belchi and had promised her that after her death her tomb would be positioned beneath Usman Harooni's legs. Eventually, Usman Harooni died in [[Mecca|Makkah]], Arabia, and his body was buried there. To fulfill his promise, he came to Belchi in spirit and ordered his chillah to be built, and beside it the tomb of the muridah. Thus, Usman's chillah in Belchi is regarded as a tangible emblem of his spiritual strength.

Since the discovery of the chillah site by a traveling [[Chishti Order|Chishti]] shaikh in the 15th century A.D., a celebration of Usman Harooni's urs (anniversary of his transitioning out of the world) has been a popular annual event at the Chillah Belchi, from the 14th to the 16th of Shawwal (Islamic calendar).

==References==
{{Reflist}}

[[Category:Villages in Patna district]]
[[Category:Caste-related violence in Bihar]]
[[Category:Dalit history]]

{{Bihar-stub}}

Belchhi - Revision history

Ambaputra at 00:47, 1 May 2026