🌱 A village of farms and families
Merahi sits in the Hasanpura block of Siwan district, about 15 km from the district headquarters and 7 km from the block office at Hasanpura. The village falls under the Pakari gram panchayat and is home to roughly 1,800 people living across close to 300 households, most of them connected in some way to farming the land around them.
"Our Village, Our Identity" isn't just a tagline here — for most families in Merahi, the village and the fields around it are one and the same thing.
📍 Where the village sits
The village lies on the Gangetic plains at an elevation of just under 62 metres above sea level, spread over about 2.58 square kilometres of mostly flat, fertile land. As in much of Siwan district, Merahi's fields depend on the region's seasonal rains and irrigation channels, and the flat terrain makes getting around — on foot, by bicycle, or by tractor at harvest time — fairly easy.
👨👩👧👦 Who lives in Merahi
The last full count of the village put Merahi's population at 1,829 — 819 men and 1,010 women — spread across 291 households, with an average of around six people per home. Literacy stood at just over 63%, with slightly more literate women than men on record.
🏛️ How Merahi is governed
Like most Bihari villages, Merahi is governed through the Panchayati Raj system rather than a standalone municipal body. It comes under the Pakari gram panchayat, with Rita Devi currently serving as mukhiya (village head), and sits within the Daraunda state assembly constituency and the Siwan parliamentary constituency.
🌾 Fields, dairies and small shops
Farming is still what most families in Merahi depend on, with wheat, paddy and seasonal vegetables grown across the village's fields. In recent years, some households have begun experimenting with organic growing methods, and dairy and poultry rearing provide a second income for many. A small cluster of grocery shops meets most day-to-day needs without a trip into Hasanpura or Siwan.
📚 Where Merahi's children start school
Merahi's children begin their schooling at the village's own government primary school, set up in 1960 and run by Bihar's Education Department. It teaches Classes 1 to 5 in Hindi and takes in both boys and girls, making it the first stop in most villagers' education before they move on to schools in Hasanpura or Siwan for higher classes.
🛕 Faith, festivals and landmarks
Two landmarks anchor much of Merahi's community and religious life: the Chhath Ghat, where villagers gather each year for Chhath Puja, and a Shiv Temple that serves as the main place of worship through the year. Alongside these, seasonal festivals, local folk traditions and community tree-planting drives keep the village's cultural and environmental life active.
🚲 Reaching Merahi
Merahi is reachable by road from both Hasanpura (about 7 km away) and Siwan (about 15 km away), the nearest block and district headquarters. Letters and deliveries reach the village under PIN code 841240, and locally registered vehicles carry the Siwan RTO code BR-29.
Population and literacy figures reflect the most recent full census of the village; panchayat and constituency details reflect the latest available local records.