MADHUBANI, Bihar

Main Attraction: Mithila Painting

Mithila painting or Madhubani form of painting has come to stay as internationally acclaimed form of painting. Madhubani painting mostly depict nature and Hindu religious figures and the themes generally associated with Hindu deities, Natural objects like sun, moon and religious plants like tulsi. Besides this scenes from the royal court and social events like weddings are also widely drawn. Madhubani Paintings has two varieties: Bhittichitra and Aripana. Generally Bhittichitra is done on the mud-walls of houses particularly at three places: room of the family god/goddess, room of the newly wedded couple and the drawing room. Paintings are done on the outer and inner walls of these rooms on some auspicious occasions like marriage, upnayana and festivities like Dussehra and Deepawal

Brief History

Bounded on the north by a hilly region of Nepal and extending to the border of its parent district Darbhanga in the south, Sitamarhi in the west and Saharsa in the east, Madhubani fairly represents the centre of the territory once known as Mithila and the district has maintained a distinct individuality of its own. The geographical features of the district, assuring a certain amount of security and seclusion, are responsible for the evolution of a somewhat characteristic culture. It was as a result of this assured security on account of geographical features that traditions could grow unhampered and the literacy pursuits in different directions could continue unabated through the ages. Naturally, therefore, the philosophical discussions and erotic poems found a fertile soil in the district. The district has a number of important villages and could be said to be the core of Maithili culture.

Practically there are no prehistoric sites in the district though remains of the earliest aboriginal population can be seen in some parts of district. Hanter in his ‘Statistical Account’ has referred to the existence of the people, known as the Tharus in the erstwhile old subdivision of Mandhubani. The bhars are also believed to have belonged some aboriginal race though nothing positive about them is known from any reliable source. The Bhar settlements in the northeastern part of the district indicate that they possibly wielded some power in the remote part. From the work of Dr. Suniti Kuamr Chatterji entitled ‘Kiratajanakirti’ it appears that Kiratas also inhabited the district for a considerable period. The Mahabharat throws light on the Kirata culture. 

Prior to the Aryanisation of this land the area seem to have been under the aboriginal population and Shvia worship was predominant. The association of the family Janaka with the worship of lord Shiva is an indication of the fact that though they formed the vanguard of Aryan culture they ahd to compromise with the local religious belief, dominated by the Shaiyas. The kingdom of Videha included a greater portion of the district. In course of time it was ruled by a successive line of kings commonly known as Janakas. If tradition is to be relied upon, the Pandavas during their exile stayed in some portion of the present district and Pandaul (block headquarters) is associated with them. Janakpur, capital of Videha is situated at a short distance to the north-west of the district in the Nepalaese territory and tradition points to the village of Phulbar in the north-east corner of the Benipatti thana as the flower-garden where the kings’ priests used to gather flower for worship and identifies its temple with that of Devi Girija, which was worshipped by Sita before her marriage with Rama. Legends and traditions associated this district with a number of sages and master-minds of ancient times. Village Kakraul is associated with Kapil, Ahiari with Ahilya wife of Gautama, Bisaul with Vishwamitra and Jagban with Yajnavalkaya (ascribed to the great saga of Mithila).

There is historical evidence to show that Videha (non Mithila) was one of the eight republics of Vrijian confederacy long before the advent of Buddha. Though the headquarters of the Lichchavis was at Vaishali, they wielded political power over certain parts of the present district of Madhubani also. The growing powr of the Vrijji confederacy brought them into collision with the kingdom of Magadh.

Bimbisar, the founder the Magadhan imperial power aspired from imperial power and the ambition ran in the veins of his son, Ajat Shatru as well. Ajat Shatru subdued the Lichchhavis and conquered the whole of North Bihar. He brought Mithila under the control of the Magadhan empire. The history of the Lichchhavis comes down unbroken to the days of the imperial Guptas. The Lichchhavis founded a kingdom in Nepal and even the earliest royal house of Tibet owed its origin to the Lichchavis of Vaishali. The migration of Lichchavis to Nepal and Tibet marks a great event in the history of North Biahr and the district of Madhbani being at the core of the region must have palced a dominant part in this great trek as the route to Nepal lay through this district.

Madhubani msut have shared in the religious and cultural ferment which so deeply stirred the hearts of the people of the Gangetic Valley in the 6th century B.C. Since the whole of North Bihar was deeply influenced by the teachings of two great reformers (Mahavira and Buddha), it is only natural to infer that the people of Madhubani actively participated in the propagation of these reform movements. According to one theory Mahavira himself was a Vaideha domiciled in the suburb- of Vaishali and was the son of a daughter of Mithila. Buddha also visited Mithila thrice and he had a great love for Vaishali. It may be further noted here that Buddha’s most devoted disciple, Anand was a Vaidehamuni, a monk of the land of Videhas. Both the Jain and the Buddhist literature contain innumerable references to the district of Madhubani and its neighbouring territories. Very little is known about the history of Madhubani from the time of the Kusanas to the rise of the Gutpas. If the traditional belief of Kanishka’s taking away of Buddha’s alms bowl can be given any credence, then it may be presumed that the Kushans ruled over the portions of North Bihar including Madhubani. 

According to a tradition in Mithila, the village Andhra Tharhi is associated with the rule of the Andhras (Satvahanas) in Bihar. Between the fall of the Kushanas and the rise of the Guptas, the Bharasivas are associated with the Bhars of the erstwhile Darbhanga, Saharsa and North Munger. Numerous villages of the district are associated with the Bhars and they claimed power down to the 15th century. It also appears that after the fall of the Kushanas, the Lichchavis regained political power and it was as a result of the matrimonial alliance between the Lichchavis and the Gutpa that the latter came to power in Magadha.

As a result of the aforesaid matrimonial alliance the Gupta succeeded in carving out a powerful empire. The Gutpa renaissance brought in its trail the revival of the classical Sanskrit language. The temple at Uchchaith is fondly associated with Kalidasa though there is nothing positive to show that Kalidasa was a Maithil.

After a temporary period of instability, Madhubani came under the control of the Oinwaras, also known as the Kameshwara, Thakura or the Sugauna dynasty. These Hindu chiefs were left undisturbed by the Muslim conquerors who had by then conquered the whoel of Mithila. When Haji Ilyas of Bengal divided Tribut into two parts, the Oinwar Raja shifted his capital of Sugauna near Madhubani.

The district thereafter remained a part of the Mughal Subah. There was no event of great significance during the next century and a half. The Aghans who had settled in the district became active when they saw Mughal power declining. Alivardi Khan, however, hurried with his forces and inflicted a crushing defeat on the Afghans and quietened them for ever. British Period

The decisive victory of the British in the battle of Buxar in 1764 gave them indisputed sway over the Lower Provinces of Bengal. As a consequence, Madhubani, along with other parts of Bihar, passed under the control of British. The history of the district thereafter is merged with the history of British rule in India. The British administrators took steps to establish law and order. Besides the trouble-mongers in Mithila, they had also to deal with the incursions of the Nepalese. The trouble with Nepal culminated in the Indo-Nepalese war. After concluding peace with Nepal, the British administrators had a comparatively quiet time till the 1857 movement.

In 1857, patriotic fervour raged high in Mahdubani district as in many other districts of Bihar. Later the call of the non-co-operation movement also found adequate response in the district of Madhubani and many people volunteered to serve the cause championed by Mahatma Gandhi. Khadi spinning and weaving was adopted as a must for congress workers. A Khadi centre was opened at Madubani. It gradually expanded its activities. Khadi became very popular and Madhubani soon emerged as a renowned centre of Khadi production. The popularity of Khadi weaving and spinning in the district went a long way in inspiring the people towards the nationalist cause. Madhubani district played an important role in the country’s freedom struggle.