District Sitapur is famous in India due to its mythologial & historical
background. There is no official description for its name but
as the tradational sayings Sitapur is reffered as Lord Ram's
wife Sita. It is said that she stayed with Lord Ram at this
place during a pilgrimage. Afterwards, King Vikramaditya established
this city in the memory of Sita, gave the place the name, Sitapur.
According to the Abul Fazal's Aaina Akbari this place was called
Chatyapur or Chitiapur during the reign of Akbar.According
to ancient history, this place was included in the Kingdom of
Shingunags of Magadh, after the Kaushal Naresh son Bidudabh.
After the fall of Nanda & Mauryas this area came into the
power of Shunga dynasty. Some clay statues of Shunga style were
found in tehsil Sidhauli. Similarly, some small statues of Gupta
period were found in Badesar tehsil Mishrik.Holy
place of Naimisharanya, situated on the left bank of Gomti,
is a pilgrimage where Maharishi Ved Vyas created Purans. There
are signs of a large University in post Vedic period where 88000Rishis
gained knowledge of Shastras. Shaunakji was the Vice Chancellor
of this University. Pandhavas came to Namish during exile. Lord
Ram & Sita bathed at this pious place to wash off the stigma
of Ravana's death. It is said that Sita proved her purity &
assimilated in the pious soil of Namish.Sitapur
district was always politically awakened. In the first Freedom
Fight in 1857 this district played an important role. During
1857 Arya Samaj & Seva Samiti- had established their
organisations in the district. In 1921 thousands of people of
Sitapur took part in Gandhiji's Non-Cooperation Movement. Gandhiji
came to Sitapur in 1925 & appealed to cooperate in the Freedom
Movement at Lalbagh. many National leaders- Maulana Mohammad
Ali, Pandit Motilal, Pt. Jawaharlal were also present.