Darbhanga District
Encyclopedia
Darbhanga district is one of the thirty-eight districts
of Bihar
state
in eastern India
, and Darbhanga
town is the administrative headquarters of this district. Darbhanga district is a part of Darbhanga Division
. The district is bounded on the north by Madhubani district
, on the south by Samastipur district
, on the east by Saharsa district
and on the west by Sitamarhi
and Muzaffarpur
districts. The district covers an area of 2,279 km².
and Samastipur
.
's Yapen Island. The district has a vast alluvial plain devoid of any hills. There is a gentle slope from north to south with a depression on the centre. The District can be divided into four natural divisions. The eastern part consists of Ghanshyampur, Biraul and Kusheshwarsthan blocks. This part contains fresh silt deposited by the Kosi River. This region was under the influence of Kosi floods till the construction of Kosi embankment during the Second Five Year Plan
. It contains large tracts of sandy land covered with wild marshes. The second part comprises the regions lying south of the Burhi Gandak River and is the most fertile area in the district. It is at a higher level than the other parts of the district and contains very few marshlands. This part is well suited to the rabi crops. The third natural region is the doab between the rivers, Burhi Gandak and Baghmati and consists of low-lying areas dotted over by marshes. This region gets flooded almost every year. The fourth division consists the Sadar sub-division of the district. This region is watered by numerous streams and contains some uplands.
In 2006 the Ministry of Panchayati Raj
named Darbhanga one of the country's 250 most backward districts
(out of a total of 640
). It is one of the 36 districts in Bihar currently receiving funds from the Backward Regions Grant Fund Programme (BRGF).
There are one Lok Sabha and 10 Vidhan Sabha constituencies in this district. Manigachhi, Bahera, Darbhanga Rural (SC), Darbhanga, Keoti and Hayaghat Vidhan Sabha constituencies are part of the lone Lok Sabha constituency of this district, Darbhanga. Jale Vidhan Sabha constituency is part of Madhubani Lok Sabha constituency while Ghanshyampur, Baheri and Singhia Vidhan Sabha constituencies are part of Rosera Lok Sabha constituency (only a part of Singhia Vidhan Sabha constituency is within this district).
• Rashtriya Janta Dal(RJD)
• Janta Dal United(JD(U))
• Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP)
• Congress
• Communist Party of India Marxist(CPI(M))
• Communist Party of India Marxist-Leninist(CPI(ML))
• People's Association(PA)
Md.Ali Ashraf Fatmi of RJD has been the longest serving MP from Darbhanga.He was the Minister of State for HRD also.Kirti Jha Azad(the cricketeer)has been elected MP twice.People's Association is a force to reckon with in Darbhanga which has its base in Dalits,Minorities and OBCs and is the most vocal voice against communalism and casteism.It is relevant to give a historical glimpse also.The atmosphere is non-communal by and large and Muslims of Darbhanga were mostly opposed to the Pakistan Movement of Muslim League in the 1940s.
Darbhanga district has a population
of 3,921,971, roughly equal to the nation of Liberia
or the US state of Oregon
. This gives it a ranking of 64th in India (out of a total of 640
). The district has a population density of 1721 PD/sqkm . Its population growth rate
over the decade 2001-2011 was 19 %. Darbhanga has a sex ratio
of 910 females
for every 1000 males, and a literacy rate
of 58.26 %.
Population of this district as per 2001 census is 3,285,493 of which rural population is 3,018,639 and urban population is 266,834.
According to the Census of India 2001, literacy rate of the district is 44.32% (male 57.18%, female 30.35%). As per 1991 census, the district has 19,55,068 Hindus, 5,55,429 Muslim, 141 Christians, 198 Sikhs, 26 Buddhists and 27 Jains.
The main language spoken in this district is Maithili
. Other languages spoken are Hindi and Urdu. The number of residents, able to converse in English
is continuously increasing.
Painting. Traditional folk drama styles of Mithila region are also very popular in this district. Most prominent among them are Nautanki, Natua Nach and Sama Chakeva, Madhushrawani (new Bridegrooms).
The civilian of this district commonly communicate in maithili. The population is strongly trust in their different religion and cast. There are many famous temples among the district, some are Shyama Mandir(Darbhanga Raj), Hanuman Mandir (Laheraisarai),Malechchmardini Mandir(Darbhanga city),KusheshwarSthan mandir(This is a Shivalay),Videshawarsthan(also a shivalaya),SingheshwarSthan(Shivalaya),SidhdhaVidyapeetha Tara Sthan(Navtol village near Ghanshyampur Block),Historical Mahadev Mandir(Hafidwar village near Navtol village),Durga sathan (Nwada village) and many more.
A number of fairs and melas are organised in various parts of the district. The Kartik Purnima mela, Dussehra mela, Janmashtami mela and Divali mela are most popular among them. Mela for bride can be seen in "Sauratha Sabha" where marriages are settled .
Two of the prominent and popular Artistic groups of this district are Mithila Chetna Parishad and Adarsh Kala Manch. Mithila Chetna Parishad is a professionally managed conglomerate of artistic activities of Mithila region. They also conduct stage shows all over India and abroad to spread the ethos of Maithili art and culture. Adarsh Kala Manch, Madanpur
(in Bahadurpur Block) is run by a group of amateur artists and activists of the villages in this region. This group is immensely popular due to the depth and style of presentation of local Maithili Natak (based on religious and social themes). However off late, the scarcity of funds has forced this club to reduce its activities and limit it within the village during Festivals like Chhat and Chitragupt Puja.
in Darbhanga was established on 7 August 1972 by dividing the Bihar University (now Baba Saheb Bhim Rao Ambedkar University), Muzaffarpur. It was shifted in the building of Darbhanga Raj in 1975. The Kameshwar Singh Sanskrit University was established in 1961. A great learned Mahamhopadhyay Dr. Umesh Misra was the first Vice Chancellor of this University. Nearly 5500 rare manuscripts on epic, philosophy, Vyakaran, Dharmashastra and a few manuscripts of Vidyapati, Mahesh Thakur in their own handwriting are preserved in the university. The post Graduate Department is corporated with the Veda, the Vyakarna, the Dharma Shastra, the Darshana, the Jyotish & the Sahitya are functioning. Kameshwar Singh Sanskrit University is tha largest university in the world on the basis of intake (approx. 500000 students) in different streams.
There is also an off campus of Maulana Azad National Urdu University (A Central University established by an Act of parliament in 1998), Gachibowli, Hyderabad.
Districts of Bihar
Bihar, a state of India, has currently thirty-eight administrative districts.A district of an Indian state is an administrative geographical unit, headed by a district magistrate or a deputy commissioner, an officer belonging to the Indian Administrative Service...
of Bihar
Bihar
Bihar is a state in eastern India. It is the 12th largest state in terms of geographical size at and 3rd largest by population. Almost 58% of Biharis are below the age of 25, which is the highest proportion in India....
state
States and territories of India
India is a federal union of states comprising twenty-eight states and seven union territories. The states and territories are further subdivided into districts and so on.-List of states and territories:...
in eastern India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, and Darbhanga
Darbhanga
Darbhangā is a twin city and a municipal corporation and the capital city of the Darbhanga district and Darbhanga Division in the state of Bihar, India. It is one of the most important districts of North Bihar situated in the very heart of Mithilanchal. According to the latest 2011 census, the...
town is the administrative headquarters of this district. Darbhanga district is a part of Darbhanga Division
Darbhanga Division
Darbhanga Division is an administrative geographical unit of Bihar state of India, and Darbhanga town is the administrative headquarters of the division. , the division consists of Darbhanga District, Begusarai District, Madhubani District,and Samastipur District.- External links :* *...
. The district is bounded on the north by Madhubani district
Madhubani District
Madhubani District is one of the thirty-eight districts of Bihar state, India, and Madhubani town is the administrative headquarters of this district. Madhubani district is a part of Darbhanga Division. The district occupies an area of 3501 km² and has a population of 3,570,651...
, on the south by Samastipur district
Samastipur District
Samastipur is one of the thirty-eight districts of Bihar in India. The district headquarters are located at Samastipur. The district occupies an area of 2904 km² and has a population of 27,16,929 .- History :...
, on the east by Saharsa district
Saharsa District
Saharsa is one of the thirty-eight districts of Bihar, India. Saharsa town is the administrative headquarters of this district. Saharsa district is a part of a larger territory, the Kosi Division and it became a district on 1 April 1954 and subsequently has become smaller with other districts being...
and on the west by Sitamarhi
Sitamarhi District
Sitamarhi is one of the districts of Bihar state, India, and Sitamarhi town is the administrative headquarters of this district. Sitamarhi district is a part of Tirhut Division.- History :...
and Muzaffarpur
Muzaffarpur District
Muzaffarpur District is one of the thirty-eight districts of Bihar state, India, and Muzaffarpur town is the administrative headquarters of this district. Muzaffarpur district is a part of Tirhut Division....
districts. The district covers an area of 2,279 km².
History
1976 saw the creations of two divisions from Darbhanga's territory: MadhubaniMadhubani District
Madhubani District is one of the thirty-eight districts of Bihar state, India, and Madhubani town is the administrative headquarters of this district. Madhubani district is a part of Darbhanga Division. The district occupies an area of 3501 km² and has a population of 3,570,651...
and Samastipur
Samastipur District
Samastipur is one of the thirty-eight districts of Bihar in India. The district headquarters are located at Samastipur. The district occupies an area of 2904 km² and has a population of 27,16,929 .- History :...
.
Geography
Darbhanga district occupies an area of 2279 square kilometres (879.9 sq mi), comparatively equivalent to IndonesiaIndonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
's Yapen Island. The district has a vast alluvial plain devoid of any hills. There is a gentle slope from north to south with a depression on the centre. The District can be divided into four natural divisions. The eastern part consists of Ghanshyampur, Biraul and Kusheshwarsthan blocks. This part contains fresh silt deposited by the Kosi River. This region was under the influence of Kosi floods till the construction of Kosi embankment during the Second Five Year Plan
Five-Year Plans of India
The economy of India is based in part on planning through its five-year plans, which are developed, executed and monitored by the Planning Commission. The tenth plan completed its term in March 2007 and the eleventh plan is currently underway...
. It contains large tracts of sandy land covered with wild marshes. The second part comprises the regions lying south of the Burhi Gandak River and is the most fertile area in the district. It is at a higher level than the other parts of the district and contains very few marshlands. This part is well suited to the rabi crops. The third natural region is the doab between the rivers, Burhi Gandak and Baghmati and consists of low-lying areas dotted over by marshes. This region gets flooded almost every year. The fourth division consists the Sadar sub-division of the district. This region is watered by numerous streams and contains some uplands.
Rivers
Though numerous rivers originating in the Himalayas water this district, it has four major river systems, the Baghmati, the little Baghmati, the Kamla and the Tiljuga. The Bagmati, enters this district from Muzaffarpur district, forms a natural boundary between the district and Samastipur district and pursues a southeasterly course till it joins the Burhi Gandak River near Rosera. The little Bagmati enters the district from Madhubani district near Pali and turns past Darbhanga town down to Hayaghat, where it joins the Baghmati proper. The Kamla River enters the district at Singar Pandaul, and flowing east of Darbhanga town, joins the Tiljuga at the southeastern corner of Rosera block. The Tiljuga skirts the eastern boundary of the district.Climate
The climate of this district is dry. There are three well-marked seasons in this district, the winter, the summer & the rainy season. The winter season starts in November and continues till February, though March is also pleasant. Westerly winds begin to blow in the second half of March and temperature rises considerably. May is the hottest month when the temperature goes up to 42°C. Rain sets in towards the middle of June. With the advent of the rainy season, temperature drops but humidity rises. The moist heat of the rainy season is very oppressive till August. The rain continues till the middle of October. Average annual rainfall of this district is 1142.3 mm. Around 92% of the total rainfall is received during monsoon months.Economy
Agriculture is the primary occupation of the majority of the population of this district. There are a huge amount of educated people in Darbhanga. The occupation is mainly doctor, engineer,Govt services,many more IAS IPS can be seen in Darbhanga district.In 2006 the Ministry of Panchayati Raj
Ministry of Panchayati Raj
The Ministry of Panchayati Raj is a branch of the Government of India looking after the ongoing process of decentralization and local governance in the States....
named Darbhanga one of the country's 250 most backward districts
Poverty in India
Poverty is widespread in India, with the nation estimated to have a third of the world's poor. According to a 2005 World Bank estimate, 41.6% of the total Indian population falls below the international poverty line of 1.25 a day...
(out of a total of 640
Districts of India
A district is an administrative division of an Indian state or territory. Districts are further subdivided, in some cases into Sub-Divisions, and otherwise directly into tehsils or talukas.District officials include:...
). It is one of the 36 districts in Bihar currently receiving funds from the Backward Regions Grant Fund Programme (BRGF).
Agriculture
The major crop of this district is rice. Other crops produced in this district are wheat, maize, pulses, oil seeds and sugarcane. The district is also famous for mango has many mango orchards.Divisions
The district comprises three sub-divisions which is further divided into 18 blocks. The sub-divisions are Darbhanga Sadar, Benipur and Biraul. The blocks are Darbhanga, Jale, Singhwara, Keoti, Manigachhi, Tardih (newly formed divided from manigachi block ), Alinagar, Benipur, Bahadurpur, Hanuman Nagar, Hayaghat, Baheri, Biraul, Ghanshyampur, Kiratpur, Gaura Bauram, Kusheswarasthan, and Kusheswarasthan East. This district has 329 Panchayats, 1269 villages & 23 Police Stations. Some of the villages are Pindaruch, Devkuli Dham, Paithan Kabai, Baqui pur, Maheshpatti, Kaligaon, Kansi, Pandaol, Panchobh, Rajarouly-Rampur rouly, Balbhadrapur, Gobindpur, Dharar, Koilakh, Karaj, Nehra, Sahora, Kabilpur, Bahadurpur, Anandpur, Deokuli, Rambhadrapur, Ughara, Patore, Ghanshyampur (famous for Higher cadre services ), Mohanpur, Kamtol, Kothram, Dodhiya, Balha, Dheruk, Mahinam, Pohaddi, Sakhwar(famous for Mandan Mishra ), Tatuar, Antaur,Aundauly (famous for milk production by surender kumar jha) Muraitha, Kathra, lahta, Tumaul, Nawada, Ghonghia (famous for Makhana ), Beloune, Makrampur, Putai, Dadpatti,kasrour, Kurson Nadiyami, Thengha,Basant,better known as Kharka Basant near Jale.There are one Lok Sabha and 10 Vidhan Sabha constituencies in this district. Manigachhi, Bahera, Darbhanga Rural (SC), Darbhanga, Keoti and Hayaghat Vidhan Sabha constituencies are part of the lone Lok Sabha constituency of this district, Darbhanga. Jale Vidhan Sabha constituency is part of Madhubani Lok Sabha constituency while Ghanshyampur, Baheri and Singhia Vidhan Sabha constituencies are part of Rosera Lok Sabha constituency (only a part of Singhia Vidhan Sabha constituency is within this district).
Political divisions
The major political parties/political organisations active with varying degrees of penetration are as follows• Rashtriya Janta Dal(RJD)
• Janta Dal United(JD(U))
• Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP)
• Congress
• Communist Party of India Marxist(CPI(M))
• Communist Party of India Marxist-Leninist(CPI(ML))
• People's Association(PA)
Md.Ali Ashraf Fatmi of RJD has been the longest serving MP from Darbhanga.He was the Minister of State for HRD also.Kirti Jha Azad(the cricketeer)has been elected MP twice.People's Association is a force to reckon with in Darbhanga which has its base in Dalits,Minorities and OBCs and is the most vocal voice against communalism and casteism.It is relevant to give a historical glimpse also.The atmosphere is non-communal by and large and Muslims of Darbhanga were mostly opposed to the Pakistan Movement of Muslim League in the 1940s.
Demographics
According to the 2011 census2011 census of India
The 15th Indian National census was conducted in two phases, houselisting and population enumeration. Houselisting phase began on April 1, 2010 and involved collection of information about all buildings...
Darbhanga district has a population
Demographics of India
The demographics of India are inclusive of the second most populous country in the world, with over 1.21 billion people , more than a sixth of the world's population. Already containing 17.5% of the world's population, India is projected to be the world's most populous country by 2025, surpassing...
of 3,921,971, roughly equal to the nation of Liberia
Liberia
Liberia , officially the Republic of Liberia, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Sierra Leone on the west, Guinea on the north and Côte d'Ivoire on the east. Liberia's coastline is composed of mostly mangrove forests while the more sparsely populated inland consists of forests that open...
or the US state of Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
. This gives it a ranking of 64th in India (out of a total of 640
Districts of India
A district is an administrative division of an Indian state or territory. Districts are further subdivided, in some cases into Sub-Divisions, and otherwise directly into tehsils or talukas.District officials include:...
). The district has a population density of 1721 PD/sqkm . Its population growth rate
Family planning in India
Family planning in India is based on efforts largely sponsored by the Indian government. In the 1965-2009 period, contraceptive usage has more than tripled and the fertility rate has more than halved , but the national fertility rate is still high enough to cause long-term population growth...
over the decade 2001-2011 was 19 %. Darbhanga has a sex ratio
Sex ratio
Sex ratio is the ratio of males to females in a population. The primary sex ratio is the ratio at the time of conception, secondary sex ratio is the ratio at time of birth, and tertiary sex ratio is the ratio of mature organisms....
of 910 females
Women in India
The status of women in India has been subject to many great changes over the past few millennia. From equal status with men in ancient times through the low points of the medieval period, to the promotion of equal rights by many reformers, the history of women in India has been eventful...
for every 1000 males, and a literacy rate
Literacy in India
Literacy in India is key for socio-economic progress, and the Indian literacy rate grew to 74.04% in 2011 from 12% at the end of British rule in 1947. Although this was a greater than sixfold improvement, the level is well below the world average literacy rate of 84%, and India currently has the...
of 58.26 %.
Population of this district as per 2001 census is 3,285,493 of which rural population is 3,018,639 and urban population is 266,834.
According to the Census of India 2001, literacy rate of the district is 44.32% (male 57.18%, female 30.35%). As per 1991 census, the district has 19,55,068 Hindus, 5,55,429 Muslim, 141 Christians, 198 Sikhs, 26 Buddhists and 27 Jains.
The main language spoken in this district is Maithili
Maithili language
Maithili language is spoken in the eastern region of India and South-eastern region of Nepal. The native speakers of Maithili reside in Bihar, Jharkhand,parts of West Bengal and South-east Nepal...
. Other languages spoken are Hindi and Urdu. The number of residents, able to converse in English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
is continuously increasing.
Culture
Darbhanga is also known as cultural capital of Bihar,This district is known for its rich tradition of folk art form, MithilaMithila
Mithila was a city in Ancient India, the capital of the Videha Kingdom. The name Mithila is also commonly used to refer to the Videha Kingdom itself, as well as to the modern-day territories that fall within the ancient boundaries of Videha...
Painting. Traditional folk drama styles of Mithila region are also very popular in this district. Most prominent among them are Nautanki, Natua Nach and Sama Chakeva, Madhushrawani (new Bridegrooms).
The civilian of this district commonly communicate in maithili. The population is strongly trust in their different religion and cast. There are many famous temples among the district, some are Shyama Mandir(Darbhanga Raj), Hanuman Mandir (Laheraisarai),Malechchmardini Mandir(Darbhanga city),KusheshwarSthan mandir(This is a Shivalay),Videshawarsthan(also a shivalaya),SingheshwarSthan(Shivalaya),SidhdhaVidyapeetha Tara Sthan(Navtol village near Ghanshyampur Block),Historical Mahadev Mandir(Hafidwar village near Navtol village),Durga sathan (Nwada village) and many more.
A number of fairs and melas are organised in various parts of the district. The Kartik Purnima mela, Dussehra mela, Janmashtami mela and Divali mela are most popular among them. Mela for bride can be seen in "Sauratha Sabha" where marriages are settled .
Two of the prominent and popular Artistic groups of this district are Mithila Chetna Parishad and Adarsh Kala Manch. Mithila Chetna Parishad is a professionally managed conglomerate of artistic activities of Mithila region. They also conduct stage shows all over India and abroad to spread the ethos of Maithili art and culture. Adarsh Kala Manch, Madanpur
Madanpur
Madanpur is a census town under Kalyani police station of Kalyani subdivision in Nadia district in the Indian state of West Bengal.-Geography:Madanpur is located at . It has an average elevation of .-Demographics:...
(in Bahadurpur Block) is run by a group of amateur artists and activists of the villages in this region. This group is immensely popular due to the depth and style of presentation of local Maithili Natak (based on religious and social themes). However off late, the scarcity of funds has forced this club to reduce its activities and limit it within the village during Festivals like Chhat and Chitragupt Puja.
Universities
The Lalit Narayan Mithila UniversityLalit Narayan Mithila University
The Lalit Narayan Mithila University was started in 1972. The university initially started functioning from the Mohanpur House at Sara Mohanpur village of Darbhanga–Sakri route. In 1975, it was shifted to the campus belonging to Raj Darbhanga.The university is in Darbhanga town, popularly...
in Darbhanga was established on 7 August 1972 by dividing the Bihar University (now Baba Saheb Bhim Rao Ambedkar University), Muzaffarpur. It was shifted in the building of Darbhanga Raj in 1975. The Kameshwar Singh Sanskrit University was established in 1961. A great learned Mahamhopadhyay Dr. Umesh Misra was the first Vice Chancellor of this University. Nearly 5500 rare manuscripts on epic, philosophy, Vyakaran, Dharmashastra and a few manuscripts of Vidyapati, Mahesh Thakur in their own handwriting are preserved in the university. The post Graduate Department is corporated with the Veda, the Vyakarna, the Dharma Shastra, the Darshana, the Jyotish & the Sahitya are functioning. Kameshwar Singh Sanskrit University is tha largest university in the world on the basis of intake (approx. 500000 students) in different streams.
There is also an off campus of Maulana Azad National Urdu University (A Central University established by an Act of parliament in 1998), Gachibowli, Hyderabad.