Balaran, Sikar

Balaran or Balara is a village in the Laxmangarh administrative region of the Sikar district of Rajasthan state in India. The village lies 13 km east of Laxmangarh and 16 km from Nawalgarh. It borders other villages and towns including; Bhairunpura, Sankhu, Mirzwas, Kheri Radan, Rajpura, Churi Miyan Swami Ki Dhani and Madopura. The nearby railway stations are Mukundgarh, Dundlod, Laxmangarh, and Sikar.

Village government
Balaran is a Panchayat. The title of leader is Sarpanch. Balaran village falls under Laxmangarh assembly & Sikar parliamentary constituency.

Village economy
About 80% of the population are farmers. Village agriculture is dependent on the monsoon rains, although today many farms use artesian wells for irrigation.

Climate
Balaran has a hot summer, sparse rainfall, a chilly winter season, and general dryness of the air except in the brief monsoon season. The average maximum and minimum temperatures are 28 to 30 and 15 to 16 degrees Celsius respectively.

Transportation
Balaran is connected by a two-lane asphalt road to Laxmangarh, Mukandgarh and Nawalgarh. Nawalgarh Railway station is17 km from Balaran and is well connected from Jaipur, Delhi and other cities. Asphalt roads connect the village to surrounding villages and to Laxmangarh.

Camel carts and bullock carts were formerly the chief means of transportation, now replaced by bicycles and other automobiles. Quite a few villagers walk to Nawalgarh and other surrounding places. In the rainy season, womenfolk carry grass on their heads for cows and buffaloes.

Education
The villagers claim to be fully literate and all children attend school. However, many women remain illiterate, even though literacy rates are improving. Many students of the village have obtained admission to pioneering engineering institutes as well as into medical colleges through various competitions run by the Indian Institutes of Technology (IIT), All India Engineering Entrance Examination (AIEEE), etc. Besides these, other careers such as teaching, nursing, and defense forces are also popular. The village has both private and government schools. The government schools are up to intermediate class. The village also has a government intermediate school for girls with the subject of arts.

Religion
The majority of the citizenry practice Hinduism and Islam.

Society and culture
Village society is governed solely by Hindu rituals, although the younger generations are influenced by Western culture.

Music and entertainment
Folk songs are sung by women during weddings and on other social occasions; menfolk sing dhamaal ( traditional Holi songs). Many villagers own TVs as well as radios and satellite dishes. The sound of popular Hindi music emanating from stereos and other devices is heard from different houses during the afternoon and evening.

Games and sports
Most of the children play cricket. Some villagers also play volleyball and football. Villagers can be seen playing cards in chaupal (common area in the village).

Festivals
Villagers celebrate all major Hindu festivals. Some of the major festivals are Holi, Eid, Bakrid, Moharram, Deepawali, Makar Sankranti, Raksha Bandhan, Sawan, Teej, Gauga Peer, and Gangaur.

Location
Balaran is located 13 km away from Laxmangarh tehsil towards east side.

Religious places

 * RaghuNath Ji Ka Bada Mandir
 * Jama Masjid
 * Shiv Mandir
 * Rani Sati Dadi Mandir
 * Karant Ka Balaji mandir
 * Kothi Ka Balaji Mandir
 * Raghunath Ji Ka Mandir
 * Baba Gorakhnath Ji Mandir
 * Nurani Masjid
 * Ghantaghar
 * Johda
 * Hanuman Ji Mandir, Swami Ki Dhani