History
There are two different accounts of the founding of Pihani. [4] The first, traditionally told by Hindu locals, holds that Pihani was originally settled by Dube Brahmins from Kannauj. [4] They had supposedly been invited by Raja Lakhan Sen, a Gaur king who had conquered the fort of Simaurgarh (near Mansurnagar) from the Thatheras. [4] The Muslim account, on the other hand, says that Pihani was founded by Sayyid Abdul Ghafur, who served as qazi of Kannauj under the Mughal emperor Humayun. [4] In 1540, after Humayun's defeat by Sher Shah Suri, Abdul Ghafur refused to acknowledge Sher Shah's rule and left Kannauj to take shelter in the jungle where Pihani now stands. [4] The name "Pihani" is thus said to derive from the word pinhani, meaning "concealment". [4]
One of the main historical monuments in Pihani is the ornate tomb of Nawab Sadr Jahan, who served as a minister under Akbar. [4] It consists of a double dome supported by red sandstone pillars, while the surrounding area is shaded by large tamarind trees. [4] An inscription in Persian says that the tomb's construction began in 1071 AH and finished 10 years later. [4] Sadr Jahan's son, Badr-i-Alam, is also buried here. [4] Another monument is the ruined fort of Nizam Murtaza Khan (Badr-i-Alam's son); its western gate is still extant, as are the high walls built of kankar blocks. [4]
Under the Nawabs of Awadh, Pihani was renowned for the quality of its sword blades. [4] It also produced woven turbans (aka dastars), but both of these industries had declined by the turn of the 20th century. [4]
At the turn of the 20th century, Pihani was described as having two distinct quarters named Bari Pihani and Chhoti Pihani. [4] Bari Pihani was older and more run-down at the time, while Chhoti Pihani, or Nizampur, had been founded by Nizam Murtaza Khan and was more prosperous, with many trees providing shade. [4] Pihani remained a minor commercial centre, with a police station, post office, cattle pound, and several schools: one middle school, a lower primary school for boys, and two lower primary schools for girls. [4]
Economy
As of 1971, the economy of Pihani was described as dominated by primary activities. [7] The main items imported were cloth, groceries, and kerosene oil. [7] The main items manufactured were handloom, shoes, and agricultural implements. [7] The biggest exports were cane sugar, paddy, and wheat. [7]
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