SARAN, Bihar

Main Attraction: Cattle fair of Sonepur

According the story in Purana goes in olden era, on the eve of Kartika Purnima (Full Moon day of Kartika) a crocodile caught a crazy elephant in the water of Narayani (Gandaki) river while he was joyfully taking bath. A horrible fight between crocodile and the elephant continued for several days. When the elephant realized his defeat and death coming closer he very fervently prayed Lord Vishnu to save his soul. Lord Vishnu emerged immediately and salvaged the elephant by killing the crocodile. Since then, due to this episode in the region, on Kartika Purnima every year, the largest cattle fair in Asia is held here.

Brief History

Various hypothesis have been put forward about the origin of the name Saran. General Cunningham suggested that Saran was earlier known as Sarana or asylum which was a name given to a stumbled (pillar) built by Emperor Ashoka to commemorate the conversion to Buddhism of some legendary demons who ate human flesh. He considered that the site of stupa must be some where near Arrah. Another view holds that the name Saran has been derived from saranga-aranya or the deer forest. 

The district being famous for its wide expanses of forest and deer in prehistoric time. According to another account worthy of recapitulation, Saran is a derivative of Sakra Aranya, the forest of Sakra which is another name for Indra. This forest is said to have covered the country around Visala at which place king Sumati received Lord Ramchandra when he was proceeding with Vaishwamitra on way from Ayodhya to Mithila.Yet another legend explains the three names Arrah, Saran and Champaran as corrupt forms of old Sanskrit names Aranya, Saranya and Champaranya derived from the thick forests covering these areas.

Early history

The Cheros are believed to have been the chief among the pre-Aryan inhabitants of the district. According to the vedic literature, the Aryan videhas came from the west and settled largely in the area east of the Gandak river as ordained by Agni, the God of fire. However many of them remained to the west of the river and settled in the area now comprising the Saran district.Saran formed the part of the kingdom of Kosala (Uttar Kosala) which figured prominently in the history of eastern India during the time of Gautama Buddha. In the travel memoirs of Hiuen-Tsang, the Chinese pilgrim who traveled in the country between 620 and 645 A.D. there is mention of three places he visited towards the north of the Ganges. The places were (1) Narayan deo Temple which has balconies as well as sculptured and ornamented towers, (2) a stupa (pillar) built by Ashoka towards the east of the Narayandeo Temple and (3) another stupa built by a Brahmin over the kumbha (pitcher) with which he had measured the ashes of Buddha and divided them into the eight equal parts for distribution to the eight kings of the areas. 

The Dighwara. Hiuen Tsang mentioned the aleove description in his diary relating to Chenchu district, which correspond with modern Gajipur in Uttar Pradesh. This indicates that Saran was probably a part of the kingdom of Gajipur in that period. The earliest authentic historical fact or record concerning this district may perhaps be related to 898 A.D. which suggest that the village of Dighwa-Dubauli in Saran had supplied a copper plate issued in the reign of king Mahendra Paldeva. It records the grant of land in Sravasti Bhukti there by suggesting that the Guryara Pratihara empire extended upto Gandak, if not further east, on the northern banks of the Ganges. It follows, therefore, that Saran in the ninth century of the Christian era was a part of Sravasti Bhyukti, just as it is now part of Saran Division.

Mention may also be made here of the probable ravaging of the district by the Chinese General Wang-Hiuen-Tse in 647 A.D. A part from these disjointed inklings, the history of the district in mediaeval period is largely strouded in darkness.

Muslim period

Ghyasuddin, the Muslim Governor of Bengal, waged a war against the Raja of Tirhut between 1211 and 1226 A.D. Tirhut was for the first time subjugated by the Muslims during this period and obliged to pay tribute to them. Towards the close of the 13th century Nasiruddin Bughra Khan fought against his son, Muizuddin Kaikobad when the latter was installed at Delhi after the death of his grand father. The two armies of the son and the father met on the bank of river, Gogra in Saran, but truce were arrived at without any actual fighting. According to its term Nasiruddin gave up his claim to Delhi, but retained the right to hold Bengal as an independent kingdom.

The next event of important was the invasion of Tirhut by Shamsuddin Ilyas Shah, the first independent Sultan of Bengal (1339 to 1538). He ravaged Saran extended his hold over the entire district and built a fortress at Hazipur. Saran continued to be a part of Bengal being separated from the Delhi empire by the river Gogra. In 1397 Saran alongwith Champaran was taken over by the king of Jaunpur and continued to be a part of this kingdom over a century until Alauddin Hussain Shah, king of Bengal (1493-1518) managed to bring it back in the kingdom of Bengal. When Sikander Lodi marched into Bihar subjugating Jaunpur, he did not dare to clash with the powerful Bengal army and preferred to conclude a treaty with Alauddin Hussain Shah in 1499. According to this treaty Sarkar Saran was added to Sikander Lodi who in his turn agreed not to extend his influence to Bengal proper. It may be noted here that though Saran was at his time included in the Muslim empire, the Muslims did not actually exercise any effective control. Thus Ferista mentions that when Sinkander Lodi subdued the district it was in the hands of Hindu Zamindars. This state of affairs did not remain un-noticed and emperor Sikander Lodi made Hussain Khan Formuli, the jagirdar of Saran and Champaran which were called Jalkhet or fields of water because of their lowlying lands. Formuli was a religious fanatic and with an unparalleled frenzy, managed to confiscate twenty thousand villages of Hindu Zamindars and extended his own Jagir.

Mughal period

Nasrat Shah son of Hussain Shah, disregarded the treaty concluded by his father with Sikander Lodi & invaded Tirhut. He established his authority over Saran & extended it across the Gogra to the district of Balia as well. This was much to the dislike of Babar the mughal emperor at Delhi. Babar moved to Bihar with large force in 1529. While camping at arrah he learnt that the army of Nasrat Shah was camping near the Junction of Ganges & the Gogra. This was considered to be a hostile act by Babar and he demanded that Nasrot Shah should withdraw his army which the latter refused to do. In the battle that followed Nasrat Sah was thoroughly vanquished. Babar made a grant of Saran to Saran Muhammad maruf who has secured the emperors confidence. About 50 years later Aker defeated Daud Khan the Afgan King of Bangal at Patna in 1574. Saran then became one of the six Sarkars constituting the Subah of Bihar. Todermal, the finance minister of Akbar, assessed the revenue of Saran in 1582.

Thereafter the district had an uneventful history till the advent of Europeans. By 1666 the Dutch had established there trade in saltpeter and built a depot and the factory at Chapra. Saltpeter had a wide market all over Europe as it was used in the manufacture of gun powder & the Dutch naturally did very good business. Not to be outdone, the English also started trade in saltpeter though their main establishment was located at Patna.

An important event took place in the year 1726 when Fakhra-ud-daula the Governor of Bihar, sent a force into the district against Sheikh Abdullah. The Sheikh had been held in esteem by the earlier governors, but because of persecutions by Fakru-ud-daulla he had shifted is headquarters from Azimabad (Patna) to a place near Siwan where he build a mud fort for his protection. Further pursuit by Fakhru-ud-daula’s forces made him flee from Siwan and seek asylum in Oudh.

The British forces made their first appearance in Bihar in 1757. A small section under Eyre Coote reached Chapra on the Forth August, in pursuit of Maonsieur Law, the French adventurer who had espoused the cause Sirj-uddaula and thereby offended the British. However, Law had fled to Banaras before the British forces could arrive at Chapra and consequently there was no engagement.

When the attempt of the English to seize Patna was foiled by Mire Qasim Ali and they were obliged to remain within their fort for a long time, they had no option but to leave stealthily. On the 29th June 1763 they left by boat for Chapra. They were sort of supply and ammunitions and the weather was very heavy. The Nawab’s force pursued them after apprehending them near Manjhi and brought them back to Patna as prisoners. A small British army followed the Nawab and while crossing the Saran ravaged the countryside on their way. The forces had to camp at Manjhi. Since rains had set in by that time, it was not possible to proceed further. In September that year, Indians in the British force stationed at Manjhi rebelled and managed to take all their British officers at prisoners who were how ever, released after being stripped of their equipment.

The battle of Buxer in 1785 was a turning point in the history of British rule in India. Saran also became a part of the lower provinces of Bengal. Lord Clive paid a visit to Chapra in 1766 when the Nawab of Oudh, a Minister of Emperor Shah Alam, and the Raja of Banarash met him in a conference designed to work out a common approach against the invading Maratha armies.

Although technically masters of Bengal including Saran, the English could succeed in establishing themselves with great difficulty in the face of the strong opposition by independent minded Zamindars, chiefs and princes in the district. Maharaja Fateh Sahi of Husepur, a relative of the Raja of Banarash refused to pay the revenue to the British. The undaunted rebel was however, defeated by a British army and expelled from his territory which coincided roughly with Siwan and Gopalganj districts. Govind Ram was appointed a revenue farmer. Fateh Sahi fled to a forest named Baghjogni and continued his struggle from there in spite of heavy odds. Since Fateh Sahi was held in high esteem by his people, his exhortion to them not to pay revenue to foreign rulers was largely followed and the collection of revenue, by the British almost ceased completely. Gobind Ram was killed in 1772. This forced the British to come to terms with Fateh Sahi who was allowed to return to Husepur. 

However his Zamindari was not restored to him and it continued to, be farmed out to other though he was paid a maintenance allowance. Basant Sahi a cousin of Fateh Sahi and the progenitor of the line of Hathua Rajas was appointed a revenue farmer by the British and Mir Jamal as the Superintendent of the Government revenue. Fateh Sahi managed to kill both Basant Sahi and Mir Jamal in 1775. It is believed that Basant Sahi’s head was cut off and sent to his widow who performed Sati with the head of her dead husband in her lap. Fateh Sahi had a band of trained men at his command and his popularity was ever increasing. Even though the British managed to secure the assistance of the Nawab of Oudh in their attempt to capture Fateh Sahi, and a huge reward was offered for his capture, he remained free. In 1808 he became a Sanyasi and thus ended an eventful period in the history of this district.

Movement of 1857

The freedom loving people of Saran played their due role in the national liberation movement. Among the various factors fanning their indignation against the foreign rulers were, (a) ill-treatment of sepoys in the police and the army, (b) high handedness and extortions of the European indigo planters, (c) conversion of people to Christianity by the missionaries, and (d) introduction of common messing in the Jails. The seething discontent among the people seems to have been fired by the events in Meerut and Banaras. The yoke of foreign rule was once again sought to be over thrown for good. The British administration on their part after realizing that trouble was in the offing took steps to fight the impending menace. The strength of the police force in the district was augmented. Very strict watch was kept on the ghats and the frontiers. The Treasury was moved from Chapra to Patna. 

The British found an ally in the Zamindars of Hathwa who promised loyalty to support and assist them in quelling the expected disturbances. The banner of revolt was first raised in the district on the 25th July at Sugauli. The Indian soldiers of the 12th Irregular Cavalry mutinised and killed the despotic Commandant, Major Holmes and other European officers. The rebels then proceeded to join other forces. They attacked the Magistrate and the Opium agent at Siwan. The European resident of Chapra panicked and fled to Dinapure on the 28th July but returned later after violence was no longer apprehended. Some revolutionaries in the district attacked the indigo factories at Ganga and Darauli in October. The British sent a Gorkha regiment and a Nepali Brigade to Saran. In December 1857, the outpost at Guthni was stormed and occupied by the rebels. Such events continued till the insurgents were finally defeated by the British forces aided by the Nepalese army under Rana Jangbahadur at Sohanpur on the 26th December, 1857 which, for the time being, put an end to the struggle for emancipation from foreign rule. As stated earlier, Saran and Champaran continued to comprise a single district till 1866.

Present era

The district of Saran played a glorious role in the movement in the present century. Prominent persons who took part in the freedom movement wee Dr. Rajendra Prasad,Sri Jaiprakash Narayan and others. Pride of Bihar Babu Braj Kishor Prasad who rendered his valuable support to Mahatma Gandhi in epic struggle in Champaran in 1917 was born at Shrinagar which falls now in Siwan district.

Dr. Rajendra Prasad the first President of Indian Republic was born at Ziradei (now in Siwan district) which before recognisation of district was a part of old Saran district. His association with the Congress started as far back as 1906 when he was a volunteer in the annual session of the Indian National Congress at Calcutta (now Kolkata). He was actively associated with Mahatma Gandhi’s epic struggle in Champaran. Thereafter, his political stature grew day by day and he played a decisive role in the affaires of this country before and after independence. He was undoubtedly the greatest son of Bihar in the present era. Another important and illustrious leader produced by this district was Sri Jaiprakash Narayan.

The history of the district during the following year is of too recent origin and perhaps needs no recapitulation here. Suffice to say that Saran is among the enlightened and progressive district of the state with a healthy and sturdy people full of initiative and enterprise. Its biggest problem, the heavy pressure of population on land, is reflected in the large number of emigrants mostly males and working as general labours, mill hands, plantation workers, constable, etc, who are often met with in the streets of Calcutta (Kolkata) or in the tea garden of Assam and other distant places.