Muzaffarpur
Encyclopedia
Muzaffarpur Town is a town in Muzaffarpur district
in the Indian state
of Bihar
. It serves as the headquarters of Muzaffarpur district and Tirhut division.
Muzaffarpur, famous for Shahi lychee
s, is the largest city of northern Bihar. It is situated on the banks of the perennial Burhi Gandak River, which flows from the Someshwar Hills http://www.scribd.com/doc/54830331/8/A-River-System-in-Bihar of Himalayas
. Muzaffarpur is one of the many gateways to Nepal
. Clothes and food-grains are traded between Nepal
and Muzaffarpur.
s, with sparkling sandy river banks and clean air and water. Numerous private fruit orchards and idyllic rivers are also nearby. The city has a water-table just 20 ft. below ground level. The city has a non-operational civil Aerodrome, Patahi, belonging to the Airport Authority of India which is now somewhat damaged.
Muzaffarpur now is a rapidly growing city. The unplanned growth in the last decade has been phenomenal. Thousands of villagers migrated to this town from nearby villages in the rapid urbanization of post-independence India, and this has created serious infrastructure problem. The drainage system and garbage disposal system is disorderly and practically non-existent.
The downtown areas of Muzaffarpur are Tilak Maidan Road, Kalyani and Saraiyagunj and Motijheel. These areas are densely populated with small shops as well as branded shops selling a plethora of goods and services. Motijheel is the main shopping area. Chakkar Maidan has a small encampment of members of the Territorial Army non-departmental unit 151 Inf Bn (TA) JAT. Muzaffarpur Town has old temples like Baba Garib Nath (Shiva
Temple) http://www.garibnathdham.com, Chaturbhuj-sthan,which has also a red light area, Raj Rajeswar Devi Kali (Durga
)build by Darbhanga Maharaj, Temple of Raj Darbhanga and Kalibari, the Kali
temple. There are also several large and small places of worship of other minority communities .
While the history of this town is not available fully but that of the recorded history of the district dates back to the rise of the Vrijjan Republic, when the center of political power shifted from Mithila to Vaishali. The Vrijjan Republic was a confederation of eight clans of which the Licchavis were the most powerful and influential. Even the powerful kingdom of Magadh had to conclude matrimonial alliances in 519 B.C. with the neighboring estates of the Licchavis. Ajatshatru invaded Vaishali and extended his sway over Tirhut. It was at this time that Patliputra (the modern Patna) was founded at the village Patali on the banks of the sacred Ganges river, and Ajatshatru built an invincible fortress to keep vigil over the Licchavis on the other side of the river. Ambarati, 40 km from Muzaffarpur is believed to be the village home of Amrapali, the famous Royal court dancer of Vaishali.
From the visit of the Hieuen Tsang until the rise of the Pala dynasty, Muzaffarpur was under the control of Maharaja Harsha Vardhan, a powerful sovereign of North India. After 647 A.D. the district passed to the local chiefs. In the 8th century A.D. the Pala kings gained control over Tirhut and kept it until 1019 A.D. Chedi kings of Central India also exercised their influence over Tirhut until they were replaced by the rulers of the Sena dynasty towards the close of the 11th century.
Sometime between 1211 and 1226, Ghais-u-ddin Iwaz, the ruler of Bengal, became the first Muslim invader of Tirhut. However, he could not succeed in conquering the kingdom, merely extorting tributes. It was in 1323 that Ghiyasuddin Tughlaq established his control over the district.
The history of Muzaffarpur would be incomplete without a reference to the Simraon dynasty (in the north-east part of Champaran) and its founder, Nanyupa Deva, who extended his power over the whole of Mithila and Nepal
. During the regime of Harasimha Deva, the last king of the dynasty, Tughlaq Shah invaded Tirhut in 1323 and gained control over the territory. Tughlaq Shah handed over the management of Tirhut to Kameshwar Thakur. Thus, the sovereign power of Tirhut passed from the Hindu chiefs to the Muslims.
Towards the close of the 14th century the whole of North Bihar, including Tirhut, passed to the kings of Jaunpur and remained under their control for nearly a century, until Sikandar Lodi of Delhi defeated the king of Jaunpur. Meanwhile, Hussain Shah, the Nawab of Bengal, had become so powerful that he exercised his control over large tracts including Tirhut. The emperor of Delhi advanced against Hussain Shah in 1499 and got control over Tirhut after defeating its Raja. The power of the Nawabs of Bengal began to wane and, with the decline and fall of Mahood Shah, north Bihar formed a part of the mighty Mughal Empire. Though Muzaffarpur with the entire north Bihar had been annexed, the petty chieftains continued to exercise effective control over this area until the days of Daud Khan, the Nawab of Bengal. Daud Khan had his stronghold at Patna and Hajipur, and after his fall, a separate Subah of Bihar was constituted under the Mughal dynasty, with Tirhut forming a part of it.
The victory of East India Company in 1764 at the battle of Buxar
gave them control over the whole of Bihar and they succeeded in subduing the entire district. The success of the insurgency in Delhi in 1857 caused grave concern to the English inhabitants in this district and revolutionary fervor began to permeate the entire district. Muzaffarpur played its role and was the site of the famous bombing case of 1908. The young Bengali revolutionary, Khudi Ram Bose, a boy of barely 18 years, was hanged for throwing the bomb at the carriage of Pringle Kennedy, who was mistaken for Kingsford, the District Judge of Muzaffarpur. After independence, a memorial to this young revolutionary patriot was constructed at Muzaffarpur, which still stands. The political awakening in the country after the First World War stimulated nationalist movement in Muzaffarpur district as well. The visit of Mahatma Gandhi to Muzaffarpur district in December 1920 and again in January 1927 had tremendous political effect in arousing the latent feelings of the people and the district continued to play a prominent role in the country's struggle for freedom.
Muzaffarpur played a very significant role in the history of North-Eastern India. The peculiarity of Muzaffarpur in Indian civilization arises out of its position on the frontier line between two most vibrant spiritual influences. To this day, it is a meeting place of Hindu and Islamic culture and thoughts. All sorts of modified institutions, representing mutual assimilation, rise along this border line. It has undoubtedly been this highly diversified element within her boundaries that has so often made Muzaffarpur the birthplace of geniuses.
In January 1934, a colossal 8.1 magnitude earthquake
struck the area, completely demolishing part of the city. The region was shaken strongly again in the 1988 Bihar earthquake
.
, Surat
and Ahmedabad
. Textile
mills in the famous Marwari
community dominate Suta Patti. The commercial hub of the town is Motijheel.
The land use around Muzaffarpur is mainly agricultural and horticultural .While Litchee and Mangoes are abundantly grown, principal crops are rice, wheat, pulses, jute, maize and oil seeds. Vegetables like Cauliflower, cabbage, tomato, radish, carrot, beetroot, among others, are also grown. Sugar- cane, potato and barley are some of the non-cereal crops grown.
The main livestock of the town are cattle, buffalo, goats, and poultry.
Muzaffarpur Town has several industries, big and small. The Railway wagon industry is one of the town's land-mark. Muzaffarpur is a important centre for the wholesale cloth trade.
, Muzaffarpur had a population of 3,746,714. Males constituted 54%(1951466) of the population and females 46%(1795248). Muzaffarpur had a literacy rate of 60%, close to the national average of 74%. Male literacy was 62%, and female literacy was 57%. Thirteen percent of the population was under 6 years of age.
Many languages are spoken in Muzaffarpur. The major dialect of the region is Vajjika – a mix of Maithili and Bhojpuri. Hindi
and Urdu
are the official languages. Other dialects spoken, from various regions of Bihar, include Angika, Bhojpuri, Maithili and Bengali, Nepali, Punjabi, Sindhi, Marwari etc. English
is spoken by about 10 percent of the population.
, wheat flour
, lentils (green and yellow), root and leafy vegetables, Indian spices, ground nut oil, Mustard seed oil, ghee
, sugar
and jaggery
, among others. The traditional breakfast includes jalebi
, poori, samosa
or potato curry
served hot with any of a variety of chutney
s and finished with milk tea
. Indianised Chinese dishes such as noodles, Tandoori dishes and South Indian dishes are also eaten. Most of the ethnic cuisine and special dishes are cooked during festivals, religious functions and marriages. In modern Muzaffarpur, ethnic cuisines have given way to the oily, hot and spicy foods of the Pan-Indian type.
Toddy
is a fermented juice of the palm tree which has about 5%–8% alcohol and is very popular as "Poor Man's Beer" in Muzaffarpur.
A variety of spicy dry, baked, fried, deep fried or curried mutton, chicken
, fish
and shellfish
are prepared and eaten. Mughalai and a few Continental dishes
, such as macaroni
or spaghetti
, duly Indianised, are home cooked and relished by some people. Pre- and post-dinner Betel nut
(Paan) chewing is very popular, along with chewing tobacco.
after [Patna & darbhanga]. It has a medical and an engineering college and is seat of one of the oldest universities of Bihar (Bihar University, now known as B. R. Ambedkar Bihar University
). The first President of Indian Republic – "Dr Rajendra Prasad" was a teacher in the Greer Bhumihiar Brahman College, Muzaffarpur.
and very close to government bus stand and Muzaffarpur Railway station.
the city. It has been founded by the SMART group(represents the five rebellion teachers of Shantiniketan Awasiya Bal Vidayala.
There are several other schools for secondary and higher secondary studies.
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....
in the Indian 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:...
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....
. It serves as the headquarters of Muzaffarpur district and Tirhut division.
Muzaffarpur, famous for Shahi lychee
Lychee
The lychee is the sole member of the genus Litchi in the soapberry family, Sapindaceae. It is a tropical and subtropical fruit tree native to Southern China and Southeast Asia, and now cultivated in many parts of the world...
s, is the largest city of northern Bihar. It is situated on the banks of the perennial Burhi Gandak River, which flows from the Someshwar Hills http://www.scribd.com/doc/54830331/8/A-River-System-in-Bihar of Himalayas
Himalayas
The Himalaya Range or Himalaya Mountains Sanskrit: Devanagari: हिमालय, literally "abode of snow"), usually called the Himalayas or Himalaya for short, is a mountain range in Asia, separating the Indian subcontinent from the Tibetan Plateau...
. Muzaffarpur is one of the many gateways to Nepal
Nepal
Nepal , officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked sovereign state located in South Asia. It is located in the Himalayas and bordered to the north by the People's Republic of China, and to the south, east, and west by the Republic of India...
. Clothes and food-grains are traded between Nepal
Nepal
Nepal , officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked sovereign state located in South Asia. It is located in the Himalayas and bordered to the north by the People's Republic of China, and to the south, east, and west by the Republic of India...
and Muzaffarpur.
Geography
Muzaffarpur, Bihar is located at 26.12°N 85.4°E. The town lies in a highly active seismic zone of India. In the disastrous earthquake on 15 January 1934, much of the town suffered severe damage and many lives were lost. It has an average elevation of 47 meters (154 feet). This saucer shaped, low-centered town lies on the great Indo-Gangetic plains of Bihar, over Himalayan silt and sand brought by the glaciers-fed and rain-fed meandering rivers of the Himalayas. The soil of the town is highly fertile, well drained and sandy, white colored and very soft. The landscape is green all year round. The town is surrounded by the flood plain dotted with ponds and oxbow lakeOxbow lake
An oxbow lake is a U-shaped body of water formed when a wide meander from the main stem of a river is cut off to create a lake. This landform is called an oxbow lake for the distinctive curved shape, named after part of a yoke for oxen. In Australia, an oxbow lake is called a billabong, derived...
s, with sparkling sandy river banks and clean air and water. Numerous private fruit orchards and idyllic rivers are also nearby. The city has a water-table just 20 ft. below ground level. The city has a non-operational civil Aerodrome, Patahi, belonging to the Airport Authority of India which is now somewhat damaged.
Muzaffarpur now is a rapidly growing city. The unplanned growth in the last decade has been phenomenal. Thousands of villagers migrated to this town from nearby villages in the rapid urbanization of post-independence India, and this has created serious infrastructure problem. The drainage system and garbage disposal system is disorderly and practically non-existent.
The downtown areas of Muzaffarpur are Tilak Maidan Road, Kalyani and Saraiyagunj and Motijheel. These areas are densely populated with small shops as well as branded shops selling a plethora of goods and services. Motijheel is the main shopping area. Chakkar Maidan has a small encampment of members of the Territorial Army non-departmental unit 151 Inf Bn (TA) JAT. Muzaffarpur Town has old temples like Baba Garib Nath (Shiva
Shiva
Shiva is a major Hindu deity, and is the destroyer god or transformer among the Trimurti, the Hindu Trinity of the primary aspects of the divine. God Shiva is a yogi who has notice of everything that happens in the world and is the main aspect of life. Yet one with great power lives a life of a...
Temple) http://www.garibnathdham.com, Chaturbhuj-sthan,which has also a red light area, Raj Rajeswar Devi Kali (Durga
Durga
For the 1985 Hindi Film of Rajesh Khanna see DurgaaIn Hinduism, Durga ; ; meaning "the inaccessible" or "the invincible"; , durga) or Maa Durga "one who can redeem in situations of utmost distress" is a form of Devi, the supremely radiant goddess, depicted as having eighteen arms, riding a lion...
)build by Darbhanga Maharaj, Temple of Raj Darbhanga and Kalibari, the Kali
Kali
' , also known as ' , is the Hindu goddess associated with power, shakti. The name Kali comes from kāla, which means black, time, death, lord of death, Shiva. Kali means "the black one". Since Shiva is called Kāla - the eternal time, Kālī, his consort, also means "Time" or "Death" . Hence, Kāli is...
temple. There are also several large and small places of worship of other minority communities .
History
Muzaffarpur town was established by and named after an Afghan Md.Muzaffar Khan, an Amil (Revenue Officer) . The district is bounded by the East Champaran,Sitamarhi,Vaishali,Saran, Darbhanga and Samastipur districts . It has won international encomiums for its delicious Shahi(Royal) and China Lychee species.While the history of this town is not available fully but that of the recorded history of the district dates back to the rise of the Vrijjan Republic, when the center of political power shifted from Mithila to Vaishali. The Vrijjan Republic was a confederation of eight clans of which the Licchavis were the most powerful and influential. Even the powerful kingdom of Magadh had to conclude matrimonial alliances in 519 B.C. with the neighboring estates of the Licchavis. Ajatshatru invaded Vaishali and extended his sway over Tirhut. It was at this time that Patliputra (the modern Patna) was founded at the village Patali on the banks of the sacred Ganges river, and Ajatshatru built an invincible fortress to keep vigil over the Licchavis on the other side of the river. Ambarati, 40 km from Muzaffarpur is believed to be the village home of Amrapali, the famous Royal court dancer of Vaishali.
From the visit of the Hieuen Tsang until the rise of the Pala dynasty, Muzaffarpur was under the control of Maharaja Harsha Vardhan, a powerful sovereign of North India. After 647 A.D. the district passed to the local chiefs. In the 8th century A.D. the Pala kings gained control over Tirhut and kept it until 1019 A.D. Chedi kings of Central India also exercised their influence over Tirhut until they were replaced by the rulers of the Sena dynasty towards the close of the 11th century.
Sometime between 1211 and 1226, Ghais-u-ddin Iwaz, the ruler of Bengal, became the first Muslim invader of Tirhut. However, he could not succeed in conquering the kingdom, merely extorting tributes. It was in 1323 that Ghiyasuddin Tughlaq established his control over the district.
The history of Muzaffarpur would be incomplete without a reference to the Simraon dynasty (in the north-east part of Champaran) and its founder, Nanyupa Deva, who extended his power over the whole of Mithila and Nepal
Nepal
Nepal , officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked sovereign state located in South Asia. It is located in the Himalayas and bordered to the north by the People's Republic of China, and to the south, east, and west by the Republic of India...
. During the regime of Harasimha Deva, the last king of the dynasty, Tughlaq Shah invaded Tirhut in 1323 and gained control over the territory. Tughlaq Shah handed over the management of Tirhut to Kameshwar Thakur. Thus, the sovereign power of Tirhut passed from the Hindu chiefs to the Muslims.
Towards the close of the 14th century the whole of North Bihar, including Tirhut, passed to the kings of Jaunpur and remained under their control for nearly a century, until Sikandar Lodi of Delhi defeated the king of Jaunpur. Meanwhile, Hussain Shah, the Nawab of Bengal, had become so powerful that he exercised his control over large tracts including Tirhut. The emperor of Delhi advanced against Hussain Shah in 1499 and got control over Tirhut after defeating its Raja. The power of the Nawabs of Bengal began to wane and, with the decline and fall of Mahood Shah, north Bihar formed a part of the mighty Mughal Empire. Though Muzaffarpur with the entire north Bihar had been annexed, the petty chieftains continued to exercise effective control over this area until the days of Daud Khan, the Nawab of Bengal. Daud Khan had his stronghold at Patna and Hajipur, and after his fall, a separate Subah of Bihar was constituted under the Mughal dynasty, with Tirhut forming a part of it.
The victory of East India Company in 1764 at the battle of Buxar
Battle of Buxar
The Battle of Buxar was fought on 22 October 1764 between the forces under the command of the British East India Company, and the combined armies of Mir Qasim, the Nawab of Bengal; Shuja-ud-Daula Nawab of Awadh; and Shah Alam II, the Mughal Emperor...
gave them control over the whole of Bihar and they succeeded in subduing the entire district. The success of the insurgency in Delhi in 1857 caused grave concern to the English inhabitants in this district and revolutionary fervor began to permeate the entire district. Muzaffarpur played its role and was the site of the famous bombing case of 1908. The young Bengali revolutionary, Khudi Ram Bose, a boy of barely 18 years, was hanged for throwing the bomb at the carriage of Pringle Kennedy, who was mistaken for Kingsford, the District Judge of Muzaffarpur. After independence, a memorial to this young revolutionary patriot was constructed at Muzaffarpur, which still stands. The political awakening in the country after the First World War stimulated nationalist movement in Muzaffarpur district as well. The visit of Mahatma Gandhi to Muzaffarpur district in December 1920 and again in January 1927 had tremendous political effect in arousing the latent feelings of the people and the district continued to play a prominent role in the country's struggle for freedom.
Muzaffarpur played a very significant role in the history of North-Eastern India. The peculiarity of Muzaffarpur in Indian civilization arises out of its position on the frontier line between two most vibrant spiritual influences. To this day, it is a meeting place of Hindu and Islamic culture and thoughts. All sorts of modified institutions, representing mutual assimilation, rise along this border line. It has undoubtedly been this highly diversified element within her boundaries that has so often made Muzaffarpur the birthplace of geniuses.
In January 1934, a colossal 8.1 magnitude earthquake
1934 Bihar earthquake
The 1934 Bihar earthquake was one of the worst earthquakes in India's history. Some 30,000 people were said to have died. Munger and Muzaffarpur were completely destroyed. This 8.4 magnitude earthquake occurred on January 15, 1934 at around 2:13 PM and caused widespread damage in the northern...
struck the area, completely demolishing part of the city. The region was shaken strongly again in the 1988 Bihar earthquake
1988 Bihar earthquake
1988 Nepal earthquake occurred in 1988 in Nepal near the Indian border, affecting much of northern Bihar.The magnitude 6.6 earthquake shook the region on August 21, 1988, killing about 1004 persons and injuring more than 16,000....
.
Climate
The summer, between April and June, is extremely hot and humid (28/40 deg C,90% Max.) and winter is pleasantly cool, around 06/20 deg C. The air pollution is lower than in other areas, so the air is comparatively clean. The best months to visit are October through March. It is best to avoid visits in the summer and the monsoon season (Mid June to September) due to prolonged power cuts, the heat, and flooding in the town.Economy
Muzaffarpur is famous for exporting Lichi. Long ago, the area was famous for hand-woven textiles, sugar cane, and other products. The district has a few sugar mills, which are now old and dilapidated. It is the commercial hub of North Bihar and the wholesale market of MumbaiMumbai
Mumbai , formerly known as Bombay in English, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the most populous city in India, and the fourth most populous city in the world, with a total metropolitan area population of approximately 20.5 million...
, Surat
Surat
Surat , also known as Suryapur, is the commercial capital city of the Indian state of Gujarat. Surat is India's Eighth most populous city and Ninth-most populous urban agglomeration. It is also administrative capital of Surat district and one of the fastest growing cities in India. The city proper...
and Ahmedabad
Ahmedabad
Ahmedabad also known as Karnavati is the largest city in Gujarat, India. It is the former capital of Gujarat and is also the judicial capital of Gujarat as the Gujarat High Court has its seat in Ahmedabad...
. Textile
Textile
A textile or cloth is a flexible woven material consisting of a network of natural or artificial fibres often referred to as thread or yarn. Yarn is produced by spinning raw fibres of wool, flax, cotton, or other material to produce long strands...
mills in the famous Marwari
Marwaris
Marwari or Marwadi or Rajasthani people are Indian ethnic group, that inhabit the Rajasthan region of India. Their language Rajasthani is a part of the western group of Indo-Aryan languages....
community dominate Suta Patti. The commercial hub of the town is Motijheel.
The land use around Muzaffarpur is mainly agricultural and horticultural .While Litchee and Mangoes are abundantly grown, principal crops are rice, wheat, pulses, jute, maize and oil seeds. Vegetables like Cauliflower, cabbage, tomato, radish, carrot, beetroot, among others, are also grown. Sugar- cane, potato and barley are some of the non-cereal crops grown.
The main livestock of the town are cattle, buffalo, goats, and poultry.
Muzaffarpur Town has several industries, big and small. The Railway wagon industry is one of the town's land-mark. Muzaffarpur is a important centre for the wholesale cloth trade.
Lychee http://www.fao.org/docrep/005/ac684e/ac684e08.htm
The litchi crop, which is available from May to June, is mainly cultivated in the districts of Muzaffarpur and surrounding districts, in an area of about 25,800 hectare producing about 3 Lakh tonnes every year. Lychee is exported to big cities like Bombay, Kolkata and to other countries. India's share in the world litchi market amounts to less than 1%. The names of the litchi produced in Muzaffarpur are Shahi and China. The fruits are known for excellent aroma and quality.Demographics
As of the 2011 India censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
, Muzaffarpur had a population of 3,746,714. Males constituted 54%(1951466) of the population and females 46%(1795248). Muzaffarpur had a literacy rate of 60%, close to the national average of 74%. Male literacy was 62%, and female literacy was 57%. Thirteen percent of the population was under 6 years of age.
Many languages are spoken in Muzaffarpur. The major dialect of the region is Vajjika – a mix of Maithili and Bhojpuri. Hindi
Hindi
Standard Hindi, or more precisely Modern Standard Hindi, also known as Manak Hindi , High Hindi, Nagari Hindi, and Literary Hindi, is a standardized and sanskritized register of the Hindustani language derived from the Khariboli dialect of Delhi...
and Urdu
Urdu
Urdu is a register of the Hindustani language that is identified with Muslims in South Asia. It belongs to the Indo-European family. Urdu is the national language and lingua franca of Pakistan. It is also widely spoken in some regions of India, where it is one of the 22 scheduled languages and an...
are the official languages. Other dialects spoken, from various regions of Bihar, include Angika, Bhojpuri, Maithili and Bengali, Nepali, Punjabi, Sindhi, Marwari etc. 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 spoken by about 10 percent of the population.
Cuisine
There is no specific, authentic and purely "Muzaffarpur cuisine" as such: most of the cuisine can at best be termed regional cuisine. The basic ingredients are riceRice
Rice is the seed of the monocot plants Oryza sativa or Oryza glaberrima . As a cereal grain, it is the most important staple food for a large part of the world's human population, especially in East Asia, Southeast Asia, South Asia, the Middle East, and the West Indies...
, wheat flour
Wheat flour
Wheat flour is a powder made from the grinding of wheat used for human consumption. More wheat flour is produced than any other flour. Wheat varieties are called "clean," "white," or "brown" if they have high gluten content, and they are called "soft" or "weak" flour if gluten content is low...
, lentils (green and yellow), root and leafy vegetables, Indian spices, ground nut oil, Mustard seed oil, ghee
Ghee
Ghee is a class of clarified butter that originated in South Asia and is commonly used in South Asian cuisine....
, sugar
Sugar
Sugar is a class of edible crystalline carbohydrates, mainly sucrose, lactose, and fructose, characterized by a sweet flavor.Sucrose in its refined form primarily comes from sugar cane and sugar beet...
and jaggery
Jaggery
Jaggery is a traditional unrefined non-centrifugal whole cane sugar consumed in Asia, Africa, Latin America, and the Caribbean. It is a concentrated product of cane juice without separation of the molasses and crystals, and can vary from golden brown to dark brown in color...
, among others. The traditional breakfast includes jalebi
Jalebi
-Further reading:*Epicure's Delectable Desserts of the World By Asha Khatau ISBN 81-7991-119-5...
, poori, samosa
Samosa
A samosa is a stuffed, deep fried,snack that is very popular in the Indian Subcontinent, Southeast Asia, Central Asia and Southwest Asia, the Arabian Peninsula, the Mediterranean, the Horn of Africa, North Africa and South Africa...
or potato curry
Curry
Curry is a generic description used throughout Western culture to describe a variety of dishes from Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi, Sri Lankan, Thai or other Southeast Asian cuisines...
served hot with any of a variety of chutney
Chutney
Chutney is a a condiment used in South Asian cuisine that usually contains a spice and vegetable mix.Chutneys are wet or dry, having a coarse to fine texture. The Anglo-Indian loan word refers to fresh and pickled preparations indiscriminately, with preserves often sweetened. At least several...
s and finished with milk tea
Milk tea
Milk tea may refer to* Tea with the addition of a small amount of milk*Bubble tea, one of famous categories of bubble teas is "pearl milk tea"...
. Indianised Chinese dishes such as noodles, Tandoori dishes and South Indian dishes are also eaten. Most of the ethnic cuisine and special dishes are cooked during festivals, religious functions and marriages. In modern Muzaffarpur, ethnic cuisines have given way to the oily, hot and spicy foods of the Pan-Indian type.
Toddy
Toddy
Toddy may be:* Hot toddy, a mixed drink served hot* Palm wine, also known as palm toddy, an alcoholic beverage.* The toddy palm...
is a fermented juice of the palm tree which has about 5%–8% alcohol and is very popular as "Poor Man's Beer" in Muzaffarpur.
A variety of spicy dry, baked, fried, deep fried or curried mutton, chicken
Chicken
The chicken is a domesticated fowl, a subspecies of the Red Junglefowl. As one of the most common and widespread domestic animals, and with a population of more than 24 billion in 2003, there are more chickens in the world than any other species of bird...
, fish
Fish
Fish are a paraphyletic group of organisms that consist of all gill-bearing aquatic vertebrate animals that lack limbs with digits. Included in this definition are the living hagfish, lampreys, and cartilaginous and bony fish, as well as various extinct related groups...
and shellfish
Shellfish
Shellfish is a culinary and fisheries term for exoskeleton-bearing aquatic invertebrates used as food, including various species of molluscs, crustaceans, and echinoderms. Although most kinds of shellfish are harvested from saltwater environments, some kinds are found only in freshwater...
are prepared and eaten. Mughalai and a few Continental dishes
European cuisine
European cuisine, or alternatively Western cuisine, is a generalised term collectively referring to the cuisines of Europe and other Western countries...
, such as macaroni
Macaroni
Macaroni is a variety of moderately extended, machine-made, dry pasta made with durum wheat. Macaroni noodles do not contain eggs, and are normally cut in short, hollow shapes; however, the term refers not to the shape of the pasta, but to the kind of dough from which the noodle is made...
or spaghetti
Spaghetti
Spaghetti is a long, thin, cylindrical pasta of Italian origin. Spaghetti is made of semolina or flour and water. Italian dried spaghetti is made from durum wheat semolina, but outside of Italy it may be made with other kinds of flour...
, duly Indianised, are home cooked and relished by some people. Pre- and post-dinner Betel nut
Betel nut
The Areca nut is the seed of the Areca palm , which grows in much of the tropical Pacific, Asia, and parts of east Africa. It is commonly referred to as "betel nut" as it is often chewed wrapped in betel leaves.-Description:...
(Paan) chewing is very popular, along with chewing tobacco.
Transit
Muzaffarpur Railway Station is a main railway junction, with two suburban stations, Ram Dayalu Nagar and Narayanpur. Local and inter-state buses start from Bairiya and Imli Chatti Bus Station. The airport, Patahi Aerodrome, had regular flights to some cities but does not operate any commercial flights now.Education
Muzaffarpur is the 3rd leading centre of education in BiharBihar
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....
after [Patna & darbhanga]. It has a medical and an engineering college and is seat of one of the oldest universities of Bihar (Bihar University, now known as B. R. Ambedkar Bihar University
B. R. Ambedkar Bihar University
B. R. Ambedkar Bihar University, officially Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar Bihar University, is a public university located in the north prime of Bihar state in the city of Muzaffarpur in India. Established in 1960, this university has 37 constituent colleges. Distance education courses are also...
). The first President of Indian Republic – "Dr Rajendra Prasad" was a teacher in the Greer Bhumihiar Brahman College, Muzaffarpur.
Institutions of Higher Education
- Muzaffarpur Institute of TechnologyMuzaffarpur Institute of TechnologyMuzaffarpur Institute of Technology is a public, coeducational engineering college located in Muzaffarpur, Bihar, India. It is wholly funded by the government of Bihar . It was founded in 1954, just after India attained independence in 1947...
(1954): Muzaffarpur Institute of Technology is one of the premier technical institutions of eastern India. It is under administrative control of the Department of Science and Technology and wholly funded by the Government of Bihar. It is affiliated with B.R.A. Bihar University, and offers UG courses in seven streams of engineering, with postgraduate specialisation in Machine Design and Thermal Engineering. The institute caters to the research and development activities of the state of Bihar. - Government Ploytechnic, Muzaffarpur: One of the oldest Technical Institute of eastern India, initially known as Trihut School of Engineering.
- S.K.Medical College (1969)
- B. R. Ambedkar Bihar UniversityB. R. Ambedkar Bihar UniversityB. R. Ambedkar Bihar University, officially Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar Bihar University, is a public university located in the north prime of Bihar state in the city of Muzaffarpur in India. Established in 1960, this university has 37 constituent colleges. Distance education courses are also...
: Bihar University is a public university located in the north prime of Bihar state in the city of Muzaffarpur in India. This university has 37 constituent colleges. Distance education courses are also offered, and the university also organizes symposia, seminars and workshops. The university is a premier institution of teaching and learning in the city and has various full-time and part-time offerings ranging from undergraduate to postgraduate and research level courses. The university also acts as a link between colleges and institutes located across the state in providing higher education. The following colleges are associated with Bihar University.- Langat Singh College: This is the oldest college of Muzaffarpur. Affiliated to the University of Bihar, it has had the likes of DinkarRamdhari Singh 'Dinkar'Ramdhari Singh 'Dinkar was an Indian Hindi poet, essayist and academic, who is considered as one of the most important modern Hindi poets. He remerged as a poet of rebellion as a consequence of his nationalist poetry written in the days before Indian independence...
, a famous HindiHindiStandard Hindi, or more precisely Modern Standard Hindi, also known as Manak Hindi , High Hindi, Nagari Hindi, and Literary Hindi, is a standardized and sanskritized register of the Hindustani language derived from the Khariboli dialect of Delhi...
poet, Dr. Rajendra PrasadRajendra PrasadDr. Rajendra Prasad was an Indian politician and educator. He was one of the architects of the Indian Republic, having drafted its first constitution and serving as the first president of independent India...
the first President of IndiaPresident of IndiaThe President of India is the head of state and first citizen of India, as well as the Supreme Commander of the Indian Armed Forces. President of India is also the formal head of all the three branches of Indian Democracy - Legislature, Executive and Judiciary...
, and Acharya J. B. Kripalani as its faculty members. - Ram Dayalu Singh College: The college has been established by and named after the first speaker of Bihar Vidhan Sabha (Shri Ram Dayalu Singh).
- Langat Singh College: This is the oldest college of Muzaffarpur. Affiliated to the University of Bihar, it has had the likes of Dinkar
- M.D.D.M College (Mahant Darshan Das Mahila Mahavidyalaya) : It was the first women college in North Bihar established in 1949. It is a constituent unit of B.R.A. Bihar University. It offers both UG and PG courses with excellent hostel facilities.
Schools of Muzaffarpur
- Shantiniketan Awasiya Bal Vidyalaya, North Bihar's first CBSE affiliated School.
- Zila School, Its a government high school once known for its proud students.
- D.A.V. Public School, Khabra A very reputed school with good infrastructure.
- The Jaintpur Public School, Founded by Late Sri Birendra Kumar Singh of Jaintpur State. Its situated in the heart of the city
and very close to government bus stand and Muzaffarpur Railway station.
- Sunshine Preparatory High School, It is currently one of the leading schools of the city.
- North Point High SchoolNorth Point High SchoolNorth Point High School is a school for science, technology, and industry. It is located in the far western area of Waldorf, Maryland, United States. At and with about 2,200 students enrolled, it is the largest high school in Charles County. It is also the newest high school, having opened its...
, It is the only ICSE affiliated school of the city. - Prabhat Tara, A very famous girls' school affiliated to the state board.
- Holy Mission Sr. Secondary School, In very short span of time the school has risen to become one of the reputed schools of
the city. It has been founded by the SMART group(represents the five rebellion teachers of Shantiniketan Awasiya Bal Vidayala.
- St. Xavier's High School It is a school, one would ever have attended.
- The Takshila School
- Government High School, Jarang, Near Gayghat on Muzaffarpur Darbhanga Road.
- Muradpur public school,Muradpur
There are several other schools for secondary and higher secondary studies.
Notable people of Muzaffarpur
- Janki Ballabh ShastriJanki Ballabh ShastriAcharya Janki Ballabh Shastri was an Indian Hindi poet, writer and critic. He declined to accept Padma Shri in 2010 stating his disciples now deserve much more than Shri...
, author [Late] - Khudi Ram Bose
- Chandeshwar Prasad Narayan SinghChandeshwar Prasad Narayan SinghSir Chandeshwar Prasad Narayan Singh was India's first ambassador to Nepal and later an ambassador to Japan and also the second Governor of Punjab in 1953 and then governor of Uttar Pradesh from 1980 to 1985. A distinguished educator, an able administrator and an inspiring leadership interpreter...
, India's first ambassador to NepalNepalNepal , officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked sovereign state located in South Asia. It is located in the Himalayas and bordered to the north by the People's Republic of China, and to the south, east, and west by the Republic of India...
and later ambassador to Japan (from 1958). He was also the second Governor of PunjabPunjab (India)Punjab ) is a state in the northwest of the Republic of India, forming part of the larger Punjab region. The state is bordered by the Indian states of Himachal Pradesh to the east, Haryana to the south and southeast and Rajasthan to the southwest as well as the Pakistani province of Punjab to the...
in 1953 and then governor of Uttar PradeshUttar PradeshUttar Pradesh abbreviation U.P. , is a state located in the northern part of India. With a population of over 200 million people, it is India's most populous state, as well as the world's most populous sub-national entity...
from 1980 to 1985. - Shri Mahesh Prasad, Prominent leader and politician and Minister.