JAUNPUR

town, southeastern Uttar Pradesh state, northern India, straddling the Gomati River, northwest of Varanasi (Benares). Jaunpur probably was originally founded in the 11th century but was washed away by Gomati floods. It was rebuilt in 1359 by Firuz Shah Tughluq, whose fort still stands. The city was the capital of the independent Muslim kingdom of the Sharqi dynasty (13941479). It was conquered by Akbar in 1559 and fell under British rule in 1775. Jaunpur contains several old mosques, including the Atala Mosque (1408) and the Jami' Mosque (1478). A splendid bridge, built in the 16th century, spans the Gomati. An important road and rail junction, it is an agricultural market with more than half of its own area devoted to gardening. Almost the entire alluvial plain around the town is under cultivation, much of it irrigated. Crops include rice, corn (maize), barley, and sugarcane. The area has suffered greatly from floods and droughts. Perfume is the principal industrial product. The town houses numerous colleges of Gorakhpur University. Pop. (1981) 105,140.