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{{About|the historical and cultural region in India and Nepal|the proposal to create a state of Mithila in India|Mithila (proposed Indian state)|other uses|Mithila (disambiguation){{!}}Mithila}}
{{for|the aspirant state in India |Mithila, India}}
{{other uses|Mithila (disambiguation)}}
{{Use Indian English|date=December 2014}}
{{Use Indian English|date=December 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2017}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2017}}
{{Infobox region
{{Infobox settlement
| name = Mithila
| name = Mithila
| native_name =
| native_name = मिथिला
| type = Region in [[Asia]]
| type = Cultural region
| subdivision_type = Continent
| image_skyline = Mithila region of India.png
| subdivision_name = [[Asia]]
| imagesize = 280px
| subdivision_type1 = Countries
| subdivision_type = Continent
| subdivision_name1 = [[India]] and [[Nepal]]
| subdivision_name = [[Asia]]
| subdivision_type2 = States or Provinces
| subdivision_type1 = Countries
| subdivision_name2 = [[Bihar]] and [[Jharkhand]] (India) and [[Madhesh Province]], [[Koshi Province|Koshi]] and [[Bagmati Province]] (Nepal)
| subdivision_name1 = {{ubl| {{flag|India}} | {{flag|Nepal}} }}
| blank_name_sec1 = Regional Language(s) and/or dialect(s)
| parts_type = Largest cities
| blank_info_sec1 = [[Maithili language|Maithili]]<br>[[Bajjika language|Bajjika]]<br>[[Angika language|Angika]] and several other dialects of Maithili
| parts_style = list
| image_map = Mithila Region of India and Nepal.png
| p1 ={{flagicon|India}} [[Muzaffarpur]]
| map_caption = Map of the Mithila region of [[India]] & [[Nepal]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://kathmandupost.com/miscellaneous/2016/02/20/the-giving-tree|title=Mithila region}}</ref>
| p2 ={{flagicon|India}} [[Bhagalpur]]
| area_total_km2 =
| p3 ={{flagicon|India}} [[Darbhanga]]
| population_as_of =
| p4 ={{flagicon|India}} [[Purnia]]
| population_total =
| p5 ={{flagicon|India}} [[Madhubani, India|Madhubani]]
| p6={{flagicon|Nepal}}[[Janakpur, Nepal|Janakpur]]
| p7={{flagicon|Nepal}}[[Biratnagar]]
| area_total_km2 =
| population_as_of = 2011
| population_total = 40 million
| population_density_km2 =
| population_density_km2 =
| population_demonym = [[Maithils]]<br>Tirhutiya<br>Mithilabasi
| image_skyline = {{Photomontage
|photo1a =Vivah Mandap, Janakpur.jpg
|photo2a =Fort of Darbhanga.jpg
| spacing =1
| position = center
| color_border = white
| color = white

| foot_montage = Top to bottom: [[Janaki Mandir|Vivah Mandap]] ([[Janakpur|Janakpurdham, Nepal]]), Royal Insigna of Raj Darbhanga & [[Darbhanga Fort]] }}
| founder = [[Videgha Mathava]]
| named_for = [[King Mithi]]
}}
}}
'''Mithila''' ({{IAST3|mithilā}}), also known as '''Tirhut''' and '''Tirabhukti''', is a geographical and cultural region located in the [[India]]n state of [[Bihar]]. This region is bounded by the [[Mahananda River]] in the east, the [[Ganges]] in the south, the [[Gandaki River]] in the west and by the foothills of the [[Himalayas]] in the north.<ref name=Jha1997>{{cite book |author=Jha, M. |year=1997 |chapter=Hindu Kingdoms at contextual level |title=Anthropology of Ancient Hindu Kingdoms: A Study in Civilizational Perspective |chapterurl=https://books.google.com/books?id=A0i94Z5C8HMC&lpg=PA30&pg=PA27#v=onepage&q&f=false |pages=27–42 |publisher=M.D. Publications Pvt. Ltd |location=New Delhi}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |author=Mishra, V. |year=1979 |publisher=Mithila Prakasana |location=Allahabad |url=https://books.google.co.uk/books?redir_esc=y&id=8FBuAAAAMAAJ&focus=searchwithinvolume&q=area+of+mithila |title=Cultural Heritage of Mithila | accessdate=28 December 2016 | pages=13}}</ref> It extends into the southeastern [[Terai]] of [[Nepal]].<ref>{{cite journal |author=Ishii, H. |year=1993 |title=Seasons, Rituals and Society: the culture and society of Mithila, the Parbate Hindus and the Newars as seen through a comparison of their annual rites |journal=Senri Ethnological Studies 36 |pages=35–84 |url=https://minpaku.repo.nii.ac.jp/?action=repository_action_common_download&item_id=3055&item_no=1&attribute_id=18&file_no=1}}</ref><ref name=Kumar2000>{{cite journal |author=Kumar, D. |year=2000 |title=Mithila after the Janakas |journal=The Proceedings of the Indian History Congress 60 |pages=51–59}}</ref>
'''Mithila''' ({{IAST3|Mithilā}}), also known as '''Tirhut''', '''Tirabhukti''' and '''Mithilanchal''', is a geographical and cultural region of the [[Indian subcontinent]] bounded by the [[Mahananda River]] in the east, the [[Ganges]] in the south, the [[Gandaki River]] in the west and by the foothills of the [[Himalayas]] in the north.<ref name="Jha1997">{{cite book |author=Jha, M. |year=1997 |chapter=Hindu Kingdoms at contextual level |title=Anthropology of Ancient Hindu Kingdoms: A Study in Civilizational Perspective |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=A0i94Z5C8HMC&pg=PA27 |pages=27–42 |publisher=M.D. Publications Pvt. Ltd |location=New Delhi|isbn=9788175330344 }}</ref><ref>{{cite book |author=Mishra, V. |year=1979 |publisher=Mithila Prakasana |location=Allahabad |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8FBuAAAAMAAJ&q=area+of+mithila |title=Cultural Heritage of Mithila |pages=13}}</ref> It comprises certain parts of [[Bihar]] and [[Jharkhand]] of India<ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=O49ZDwAAQBAJ&pg=RA1-PR20|title=Sushasan Ke Aaine Mein Naya Bihar|first=Pankaj Kumar|last= Jha|date=2010 |publisher=Prabhat Prakashan|location=Bihar (India)|isbn=9789380186283}}</ref> and adjoining districts of the [[Koshi Province]], [[Bagmati Pradesh]] and [[Madhesh Province]] of [[Nepal]].<ref>{{cite journal |author=Ishii, H. |year=1993 |title=Seasons, Rituals and Society: the culture and society of Mithila, the Parbate Hindus and the Newars as seen through a comparison of their annual rites |journal=Senri Ethnological Studies 36 |pages=35–84 |url=https://minpaku.repo.nii.ac.jp/?action=repository_action_common_download&item_id=3055&item_no=1&attribute_id=18&file_no=1 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170823205608/https://minpaku.repo.nii.ac.jp/?action=repository_action_common_download&item_id=3055&item_no=1&attribute_id=18&file_no=1 |archive-date=23 August 2017 |df=dmy-all }}</ref><ref name=Kumar2000>{{cite journal |author=Kumar, D. |year=2000 |title=Mithila after the Janakas |journal=The Proceedings of the Indian History Congress |volume=60 |pages=51–59}}</ref> The native language in Mithila is [[Maithili language|Maithili]], and its speakers are referred to as [[Maithil]]s.<ref name="Jha1997" />

The native language in Mithila is [[Maithili language|Maithili]], and its speakers are referred to as [[Maithil]]s.<ref name=Jha1997/>

The name Mithila is commonly used to refer to the [[Videha]] Kingdom, as well as to the modern-day territories that fall within the ancient boundaries of Videha.<ref name=Kumar2000/>
In the 18th century, when Mithila was still ruled by the [[Raj Darbhanga]], the [[British Raj]] annexed the region without recognizing it as a [[Princely states in India|princely state]].<ref>{{cite journal |author=Singh, U. N. |year=1986 |title=The Maithili Language Movement: Successes and Failures |journal=Language Planning: Proceedings of an Institute |pages=174–201}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |author=Jha, M. |year=1997 |title=Anthropology of Ancient Hindu Kingdoms: A Study in Civilizational Perspective |publisher=M.D. Publications Pvt. Ltd |location=New Delhi |chapter=Hindu Kingdoms at textual level |chapterurl=https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=A0i94Z5C8HMC&lpg=PA30&pg=PA43#v=snippet&q=Darbhanga&f=false}}</ref>
Today, Mithila comprises the [[West Champaran district|West Champaran]], [[East Champaran district|East Champaran]], [[Sheohar district|Sheohar]], [[Sitamarhi district|Sitamarhi]], [[Vaishali district|Vaishali]], [[Muzaffarpur district|Muzaffarpur]], [[Madhubani district|Madhubani]], [[Darbhanga district|Darbhanga]], [[Samastipur district|Samastipur]], [[Begusarai district|Begusarai]], [[Munger district|Munger]], [[Khagaria district|Khagaria]], [[Saharsa district|Saharsa]], [[Madhepura district|Madhepura]], [[Supaul district|Supaul]], [[Purnia district|Purnia]], [[Araria district|Araria]], [[Katihar district|Katihar]], [[Kishanganj district|Kishanganj]], [[Bhagalpur district|Bhagalpur]], [[Godda district|Godda]], [[Deoghar district|Deoghar]] and [[Banka district]]s of India and some adjoining districts of Nepal Terai.<ref name=Jha1997/><ref>{{cite web|url=https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=nKqF_AgDd4gC&pg=PA148&dq=mithila+india+state&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiL0fDo2pXSAhVEKcAKHej6AicQ6AEIGjAA#v=onepage&q=mithila+india+state&f=false|title=Small States Syndrome in India|first=Braja Bihārī|last=Kumāra|date=26 October 1998|publisher=Concept Publishing Company|access-date=26 October 2017|via=Google Books}}</ref>

==Etymology==
The name Mithila is derived after mythical King 'Miti' which means "Soil". He was supposed to have been created from the body of his father [[Nimi (Mithila king)|King Nimi]]. Since he was born out of body of his father, he took the title [[Janaka]]. After this, the [[Kings of Mithila]] were called Janaka.{{citation needed|date=August 2016}}


Mithila is commonly used to refer to the [[Videha]] Kingdom, as well as to the modern-day territories that fall within the ancient boundaries of Videha.<ref name="Kumar2000" /> Until the 20th century, Mithila was still ruled in part by the [[Raj Darbhanga]].
Another name of the region was ''Tirabhukti'' meaning "bound by rivers". This was later abbreviated to ''Tirhut''.<ref>{{cite book |author=Cust, R.N. |year=1901 |location=London |publisher=Trübner & Co. |chapter=The Indian Hero |chapterurl=https://archive.org/details/cu31924026988570 |title=Linguistic and oriental essays: written from the year 1840 to 1903 | accessdate=12 January 2017 |pages=144–158}}</ref>


==History==
==History==
{{Main article|History of Mithila Region|}}
{{Main|History of Mithila Region|}}
{{See also|Videha}}
{{See also|Videha}}


===Vedic period===
===Vedic period===
Mithila first gained prominence after being settled by [[Indo-Aryan peoples|Indo-Aryan]] peoples who established the [[Videha]] kingdom.<ref>[[Michael Witzel]] (1989), ''Tracing the Vedic dialects in Dialectes dans les litteratures Indo-Aryennes'' ed. Caillat, Paris, pages 13, 17 116–124, 141–143</ref>
Mithila first gained prominence after being settled by [[Indo-Aryan peoples|Indo-Aryan]] peoples who established the [[Videha]] kingdom.<ref>[[Michael Witzel]] (1989), ''Tracing the Vedic dialects in Dialectes dans les litteratures Indo-Aryennes'' ed. Caillat, Paris, pages 13, 17 116–124, 141–143</ref> During the Later [[Vedic period]] (c. 1100–500 BCE), Videha became one of the major political and cultural centers of Ancient India, along with [[Kuru Kingdom|Kuru]] and [[Panchala]]. The kings of the Videha Kingdom were called ''Janakas''.<ref>{{cite book |author=Witzel, M. |author-link=Michael Witzel |year=1989 |chapter=Tracing the Vedic dialects |title=Dialectes dans les litteratures Indo-Aryennes |location=Paris |editor1-last=Caillat |editor1-first=C. |pages=141–143 |publisher=Fondation Hugot}}</ref> The Videha Kingdom was incorporated into the [[Vajjika League]], which had its capital in the city of [[Vaishali (ancient city)|Vaishali]], and is also in Mithila.<ref>{{cite book |author=Hemchandra, R. |year=1972 |title=Political History of Ancient India |location=Calcutta |publisher=University of Calcutta}}</ref>
During the late Vedic period (c. 1100–500 BCE), Videha became one of the major political and cultural centers of South Asia, along with Kuru and Pañcāla. The kings of the Videha Kingdom were called [[Janaka]]s.<ref>[[Michael Witzel]] (1989), ''Tracing the Vedic dialects in Dialectes dans les litteratures Indo-Aryennes'' ed. Caillat, Paris, pages 13, 141-143</ref>

The Videha Kingdom later became incorporated into the [[Vajji]] confederacy, which had its capital in the city of [[Vaishali (ancient city)|Vaishali]], which is also in Mithila.<ref>Raychaudhuri Hemchandra (1972), ''Political History of Ancient India'', Calcutta: University of Calcutta, pp. 85–86</ref>


===Medieval period===
===Medieval period===
[[File:Shah Ghiyath al-Din Tughluq arrives in Tirhut. Depicted by eyewitness Muhammad Sadr Ala-i in his BasaUn al-uns, ca.1410. Istanbul, Topkapi Palace Museum Library, Ms. R.1032.jpg|thumb|upright=1.7|[[Ghiyath al-Din Tughluq]] leading his troops in the capture of the city of Tirhut. Depicted by eyewitness Muhammad Sadr Ala-i in his work ''Basātin al-uns'', published ca.1410. Istanbul, Topkapi Palace Museum Library, Ms. R.1032.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=ÇAĞMAN |first1=FİLİZ |last2=TANINDI |first2=ZEREN |title=Selections from Jalayirid Books in the Libraries of Istanbul |journal=Muqarnas |date=2011 |volume=28 |pages=230, 258 Fig.56 |jstor=23350289 |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/pdf/23350289.pdf |issn=0732-2992}}</ref>]]
{{Main article|Oinwar dynasty|Raj Darbhanga|Karnatas of Mithila}}
From the 11th century to the 20th century, Mithila was ruled by various indigenous dynasties. The first of these were the [[Karnatas of Mithila|Karnatas]] who were of [[Thakur]] origin, the [[Oinwar dynasty]] who were [[Maithil Brahmins]] and the Khandavalas of [[Raj Darbhanga]] who were also [[Maithil Brahmins]].<ref>{{cite web | url=https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=A0i94Z5C8HMC&pg=PA55&dq=karnataka,+oinwars&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwj5xOfAyezQAhUsIcAKHWA6CVMQ6AEIHTAA#v=onepage&q=karnataka%2C%20oinwars&f=false | title=Anthropology of Ancient Hindu Kingdoms: A Study in Civilizational Perspective | accessdate=11 December 2016}}</ref>
From the 11th century to the 20th century, Mithila was ruled by various indigenous dynasties. The first of these was the [[Karnats of Mithila]], the [[Oiniwar Dynasty]] and the Khandwala Dynasty, also known as [[Raj Darbhanga]]. The Malla dynasty and Licchavi dynasty of Nepal are also Maithil in origin. The rulers of the Oiniwar Dynasty and the Raj Darbhanga were [[Maithil Brahmin]]s. It was during the reign of the Raj Darbhanga family that the capital of Mithila was shifted to [[Darbhanga]].<ref>{{cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=A0i94Z5C8HMC&pg=PA56 | title=Anthropology of Ancient Hindu Kingdoms: A Study in Civilizational Perspective|pages=55–56| isbn=9788175330344| last1=Jha| first1=Makhan| year=1997| publisher=M.D. Publications Pvt.}}</ref>
It was during this period that the capital of Mithila was shifted to [[Darbhanga]].<ref>{{cite web | url=https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=EzPYdQo3vZgC&pg=PA165&dq=darbhanga+capital&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjz6p_Z5_TQAhXBCcAKHcACBNAQ6AEIPDAH#v=onepage&q=darbhanga%20capital&f=false | title=Wetlands management in North Bihar | accessdate=14 December 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=A0i94Z5C8HMC&pg=PA56&dq=darbhanga+capital+mithila&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjaytH16PTQAhULLsAKHUJhDxoQ6AEIJzAD#v=onepage&q=darbhanga%20capital%20mithila&f=false | title=Anthropology of Ancient Hindu Kingdoms: A Study in Civilizational Perspective | accessdate=14 December 2016}}</ref>


Tughlaq had attacked and taken control of Bihar, and from the end of the [[Tughlaq dynasty|Tughlaq Dynasty]] until the establishment of the [[Mughal Empire]] in 1526, there was anarchy and chaos in the region. [[Akbar]] (reigned from 1556 to 1605) realised that taxes from Mithila could only be collected if there was a king who could ensure peace there. The Brahmins were dominant in the Mithila region and Mithila had Brahmin kings in the past.{{citation needed|date=March 2021}}
==Geography==
Mithila is distinct geographical region with natural boundaries like rivers and hills. It is largely a flat and fertile alluvial plain criss-crossed by numerous rivers which originate from the Himalayas. The flat plains and fertile land have meant that Mithila has a rich variety of biotic resources; however, frequent floods have restricted the people from taking advantage of these.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=odCJoIaDqZ0C&pg=PA424&dq=mithila+flat+plains&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiJqdXDoJ3SAhUBK8AKHfuKC9gQ6AEIGjAA#v=onepage&q=mithila%20flat%20plains&f=false | title=City, Society, and Planning: Society | accessdate=19 February 2017 | pages=424}}</ref>


Akbar summoned Rajpandit Chandrapati Thakur to [[Delhi]] and asked him to name one of his sons who could be made caretaker and tax collector for his lands in Mithila. Chandrapati Thakur named his middle son, [[Mahesha Thakura|Mahesh Thakur]], and Akbar declared [[Mahesha Thakura|Mahesh Thakur]] as the caretaker of Mithila on the day of [[Ram Navami]] in 1557 AD.
===Rivers and floods===
Mithila has seven major rivers, [[Mahananda River|Mahananda]], [[Gandaki River|Gandak]], [[Koshi River|Kosi]], [[Bagmati River|Bagmati]], [[Kamala River|Kamala]], [[Balan River|Balan]], and the [[Burhi Gandak River|Budhi Gandak]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bihar.ws/info/Geography-of-Bihar/Rivers-of-Bihar.html |title=Rivers of Bihar &#124; Bihar Articles |publisher=Bihar.ws |accessdate=4 May 2012}}</ref> They flow from the [[Himalaya]] mountains in the north to the [[Ganges]] river in the south. These rivers regularly flood, depositing silt onto the farmlands and sometimes causing death or hardship.


Lakshmeshwar Singh (reigned from 1860 to 1898) was the eldest son of Maharaja Maheshwar Singh of Darbhanga. He, along with his younger brother, Rameshwar Singh received a western education from Government appointed tutors as well as a traditional Indian education from a [[Sanskrit]] [[Pandit]]. He spent approximately £300,000 on relief work during the [[Bihar famine of 1873–74]]. He constructed hundreds of miles of roads in various parts of the Raj, planting them with tens of thousands of trees for the comfort of travellers, as part of generating employment for people effected by famine. He constructed iron bridges over all the navigable rivers
==People==
{{Main article|Maithils}}
Maithili language speakers are referred to as Maithils and they are an [[Indo-Aryan peoples|Indo-Aryan]] [[ethno-linguistic]] group. There are an estimated 35 million Maithils in India alone. The vast majority of them are [[Hindu]] but there is a small [[Muslim]] minority.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=fOQkpcVcd9AC&pg=PT215#v=onepage&q&f=false | title=Ethnic Groups of South Asia and the Pacific: An Encyclopedia: An Encyclopedia | accessdate=21 March 2017 | author=James B. Minahan}}</ref>


He built, and entirely supported, a first-class Dispensary at Darbhanga, which cost £3400; a similar one at Kharakpur, which cost £3500; and largely contributed to many others.
The people of Mithila can be split into various [[Indian caste system|caste]]/[[jāti|clan]] affiliations such as [[Brahmins]], [[Thakur]]s, [[Kayastha]]s, [[Dhanuk]]s,[[Ahir]]s, [[Kurmi]]s, [[Koeri]]s, [[Baniya]]s and many more.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=A0i94Z5C8HMC&pg=PA33&dq=rajputs+mithila&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjliZrsydDQAhXoBsAKHWGcAtEQ6AEIGzAA#v=onepage&q=brahmins%20mithila&f=false | title=Anthropology of Ancient Hindu Kingdoms: A Study in Civilizational Perspective | accessdate=21 March 2017 | author=Makhan Jha | pages=33–40}}</ref>
[[File:Maharaja_Lakshmeshwar_Singh_statue_-_Kolkata.JPG|thumb|right|Maharaja Lakshmeshwar Singh|193x193px]]
He built an Anglo-vernacular school at a cost of £1490, which he maintained, as well as nearly 30 vernacular schools of different grades; and subsidised a much larger number of educational institutions. He was also one of the founders of [[Indian National Congress]] as well as one of the main financial contributors thereto. Maharaja Lakshmeshwar Singh is known for purchasing Lowhter Castle for the venue of the 1888 Allahabad Congress session when the British denied permission to use any public place. The British Governor<sup>[''[[wikipedia:Manual of Style/Words to watch#Unsupported attributions|who?]]'']</sup> commissioned [[Edward Onslow Ford]] to make a statue of Lakshmeshwar Singh. This is installed at [[Dalhousie Square]] in [[Kolkata]].


On the occasion of the Jubilee of the reign of Queen Victoria, Lakshmeshwar Singh was declared as a [[Order of the Indian Empire|Knight Commander of the Most Eminent Order of the Indian Empire]], and was promoted to Knight Grand Commander in 1897.
== Notable people from Mithila region ==
He was also a member of the [[Royal Commission on Opium]] of 1895, formed by British Government along with [[Haridas Viharidas Desai]] who was the Diwan of [[Junagadh]]. The Royal Opium Commission consisted of a 9-member team of which 7 were British and 2 were Indians and its chairman was [[Earl Brassey]].


==Geography==
The following are notable residents (past and present) of Mithila region.
{{Multiple image
* [[Vidyapati]], also known by the sobriquet ''Maithil Kavi Kokil'' (the poet [[cuckoo]] of [[Maithili language|Maithili]]) was a [[Maithili language|Maithili]] poet and a [[Sanskrit]] writer. He was born in the village [[Bisfi]] in [[Madhubani district]] of Mithila region of present-day [[Bihar]], [[India]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://m.poemhunter.com/vidyapati-thakur/biography/|title=The birth place of Vidyapati is Known to be Madhubani in Present day Bihar, India}}</ref>
| direction = vertical
* Ayachi Mishra who was a renowned Sanskrit scholar and great thinker of Mithila and his son shankar called as the “Shankaracharya of northernbihar/mithilanchal” who narrated the poem at the age of five in font of Darbhanga Mahraj "“ Balo aham Jagadananda, na me bala saraswati Apurne panchame varshe, varenyam Jagatrayam”.
| image1 = Mithila region of Nepal.png
| caption1 = Mithila region of Nepal|
| caption2 = Mithila region of India
| alt1 = Mithila region of Nepal
| image2 = Mithila region of India.png
}}
Mithila is a distinct geographical region with natural boundaries like rivers and hills. It is largely a flat and fertile [[alluvial]] plain criss-crossed by numerous rivers which originate from the [[Himalayas]]. Due to the flat plains and fertile land Mithila has a rich variety of biotic resources; however, because of frequent floods people could not take full advantage of these resources.<ref>{{cite book |author=Thakur, B.|author2= Singh, D.P.|author3= Jha, T. |year=2007 |chapter=The Folk Culture of Mithila |editor=Thakur, B.|editor2= Pomeroy, G.|editor3= Cusack, C.|editor4= Thakur, S.K. |pages=422–446 |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=odCJoIaDqZ0C&pg=PA422 |title=City, Society, and Planning. Volume 2: Society|publisher= Concept Publishing Company|isbn= 9788180694608}}{{dead link|date=July 2018|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref>


Seven major rivers flow through Mithila: [[Gandaki River|Gandak]], [[Koshi River|Kosi]], [[Mahananda River|Mahananda]], [[Bagmati River|Bagmati]], [[Kamala River|Kamala]], [[Balan River|Balan]], and the [[Burhi Gandak River|Budhi Gandak]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.bihar.ws/info/Geography-of-Bihar/Rivers-of-Bihar.html |title=Rivers of Bihar &#124; Bihar Articles |publisher=Bihar.ws |access-date=4 May 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120723055131/http://www.bihar.ws/info/Geography-of-Bihar/Rivers-of-Bihar.html |archive-date=23 July 2012 |df=dmy-all }}</ref> They flow from the Himalayas in the north to the [[Ganges]] river in the south. These rivers regularly flood, depositing silt onto the farmlands and sometimes causing death or hardship.{{citation needed|date=June 2018}}
* [[Ramdhari Singh 'Dinkar']] was an [[Indian people|Indian]] [[Hindi]] poet, essayist, patriot and academic.<ref>[http://www.anubhuti-hindi.org/gauravgram/dinker/index.htm Biography and Works] anubhuti-hindi.org.</ref><ref name=sahitya>{{cite web|url=http://www.indiapicks.com/Literature/Sahitya_Academy/Hindi/Hindi-1959.htm|title=Sahitya Akademi Award Citation|author=|date=|website=IndiaPicks.com|access-date=26 October 2017}}</ref> He was born in present-day [[Begusarai district]] of Mithila region of Bihar, India. He has been hailed as a ''[[Rashtrakavi (disambiguation)|Rashtrakavi]]'' ("National poet") on account of his inspiring patriotic compositions.<ref name="pib.nic.in">{{cite web
|url=http://pib.nic.in/archieve/lreleng/l0999/r140999.html
|title=Special Postage Stamps on Linguistic Harmony of India
|work=Latest PIB Releases
|date=September 1999
|access-date=26 September 2008
|publisher=Press Information Bureau of the Government of India
}}</ref>
* [[Bindheshwari Prasad Mandal]] was an Indian parliamentarian and social reformer who served as the chairman of the Second Backward Classes Commission (popularly known as the [[Mandal Commission]]). Mandal was a big and rich zamindar (landlord)<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=rT2xWp_iTCYC|title=Nitish Kumar and the Rise of Bihar|date=2011-01-01|publisher=Penguin Books India|isbn=9780670084593|language=en}}</ref><ref>Nitish Kumar and the Rise of Bihar By Arun Sinha page 53</ref> from [[Saharsa district]] of Mithila region of Bihar, India.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=XAO3i_gS61wC|title=Religion, Caste, and Politics in India|last=Jaffrelot|first=Christophe|date=2010-01-01|publisher=Primus Books|isbn=9789380607047|language=en}}</ref><ref>Religion, Caste, and Politics in India By Christophe Jaffrelot page 475</ref>
* [[Phanishwar Nath 'Renu']]<ref name=padma>[http://india.gov.in/myindia/advsearch_awards.php Padma Awards Official listings] [[Govt. of India]] portal.</ref> was one of the most successful and influential writers of modern [[Hindi]] literature in the post-[[Premchand]] era. He is the author of ''[[Maila Anchal]]'', which after [[Premchand]]'s ''[[Godaan]]'', is regarded as the most significant Hindi novel. He was born in present-day [[Araria district]] of Mithila region of Bihar, India.<ref>[http://www.seasonsindia.com/art_culture/lit_hindi_sea.htm#renu Phanishwar Nath 'Renu' Profile] ''Seasoninindia''.</ref> By origin, he was a bengali and his real name was Fanindranath Mukhopadhaya.<ref>{{Cite book|title=Sansad Bengali Charitavidhan (Bengali)|last=Edited by S.Sengupta & Anjali Basu|first=|publisher=Sahitya Sansad|year=2002|isbn=81-85626-65-0|location=kolkata|pages=324, 325|quote=|via=}}</ref>
* [[Ram Vilas Paswan]] is an Indian politician, from Mithila region of Bihar, India, and the current Union Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution. Paswan is also the president of the [[Lok Janshakti Party]], eight-time [[Lok Sabha]] member and former [[Rajya Sabha]] [[Member of Parliament|MP]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/bihar-elections-ram-vilas-paswan-remained-a-facilitator-never-the-face/1/449322.html|title=Bihar elections: Ram Vilas Paswan remained a facilitator, never the face}}</ref>
* [[Syed Shahnawaz Hussain]] is an Indian politician and the current spokesperson of the [[Bharatiya Janata Party]] and a former Union cabinet minister. He was born in [[Supaul]] in the Mithila region of [[Bihar]], [[India]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.business-standard.com/article/politics/bjp-s-shahnawaz-hussain-on-im-hit-list-113121000234_1.html|title=BJP's Shahnawaz Hussain on IM hit list|first=|last=IANS|date=10 December 2013|publisher=|access-date=26 October 2017|via=Business Standard}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ndtv.com/article/cities/bjp-leader-shahnawaz-hussain-s-impersonator-arrested-76095|title=BJP leader Shahnawaz Hussain's impersonator arrested|author=|date=|website=NDTV.com|access-date=26 October 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.newindianexpress.com/nation/article542836.ece|title=PM's ‘lack’ of leadership has made UPA ‘sinking ship’: BJP|author=|date=|website=NewIndianExpress.com|access-date=26 October 2017}}</ref>
* [[Lalit Narayan Mishra]] - Former union [[Railway Minister]] of India
* [[Jagannath Mishra]] - Former [[Chief Minister]] of [[Bihar]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://cm.bih.nic.in/formercm-bihar.htm|title=Chief Minister list, cm.bih.nic.in, accessed March 2009|author=|date=|website=bih.nic.in|access-date=26 October 2017}}</ref>
* [[Bhola Paswan Shastri]] was an Indian freedom fighter<ref name="Google Books 2015">{{cite web | title=Dalit Freedom Fighters | website=Google Books | date=17 September 2015 | url=https://books.google.co.in/books/about/Dalit_Freedom_Fighters.html?id=EnjcqD5GkJkC | accessdate=7 October 2015}}</ref> and on three occasions between 1968-71 was the [[Chief Minister]] of [[Bihar]] state of [[India]]. He was born in [[Purnia district]] of Mithila region of Bihar, India.<ref name="Jha 2015">{{cite web | last=Jha | first=Dhirendra K | title=How Bihar chief minister Manjhi revived Dalit politics in the Hindi belt | website=Scroll.in | date=7 October 2015 | url=http://scroll.in/article/699711/how-bihar-chief-minister-manjhi-revived-dalit-politics-in-the-hindi-belt | accessdate=7 October 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=http://biharjagran.com/government.php | work=BiharJagran.com | title=Chief Ministers of Bihar Since 1947 | accessdate=2011-09-06}}</ref>
* [[Bhagwat Jha Azad]] was the Chief Minister of [[Bihar]], [[India]] and a member of [[Lok Sabha]]. He was born in [[Godda district]] of Mithila region of present-day [[Jharkhand]], India.<ref>http://164.100.47.132/LssNew/biodata_1_12/598.htm</ref>
* [[Udit Narayan]] - Bollywood playback singer
* [[Mridula Sinha]] - [[Governor of Goa]]<ref name="Goa- App">{{cite news|title=PRESS COMMUNIQUE|url=http://pib.nic.in/newsite/erelease.aspx?relid=109069|access-date=26 August 2014|work=Press Information Bureau|date=26 August 2014}}</ref>
* [[Ram Baran Yadav|Dr. Ram Baran Yadav]], The first President of Nepal was born in [[Dhanusa District]] of Mithila region in Nepal. He was elected in July 2008 and was the country's first President. He previously served as Minister of Health and as General Secretary of the [[Nepali Congress]] party.<ref>[[Ram Baran Yadav]]</ref>
* [[Parmanand Jha]] was born in the [[Darbhanga District]] of Mithila region of India but settled in Nepal. He is the current [[Vice President of Nepal]] and a former [[Supreme Court of Nepal|Supreme Court]] judge.
* [[Madhav Kumar Nepal]] was born in the [[Saptari District]] of Mithila region of Nepal. He is a Nepali politician who was [[Prime Minister of Nepal]] from 25 May 2009 until 6 February 2011.<ref>{{Cite news | url = https://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5gD6g0JrxeQ5R-4t1N1bfBE0CSOwQ | title = Nepal parliament elects new PM | publisher = AFP via Google News }}</ref> Nepal announced his resignation as Prime Minister on 30 June 2010.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/world/south_asia/10464705.stm | work=BBC News | title=Nepal PM quits in live TV address | date=30 June 2010}}</ref> He was previously the General Secretary of [[Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist-Leninist)]] for 15 years.<ref>[[Madhav Kumar Nepal]]</ref>


==Culture==
==Culture==
{{Main|Mithila culture}}
===Madhubani art===
[[File:Map of full Mithila.jpg|thumb|alt=Map of full Mithila|Map of full Mithila]]
{{Main article|Madhubani art}}
Men and women in Mithila are very religious and dress for the festivals as well. The costumes of Mithila stem from the rich traditional culture of Mithila. [[Punjabi Tamba and Kurta|Panjabi Kurta]] and [[Dhoti]] with a [[Mithila Painting]] bordered [[gamucha|Maroon coloured Gamchha]] which is the Symbol of Passion, Love, Bravery and Courage are common clothing items for men. Men wear Gold ring in their nose which symbolizes prosperity, happiness and wealth inspired by [[Lord Vishnu]]. Also wear Balla on their wrist and [[Paag|Mithila Paag]] on their Head. In ancient times there was no colour option in Mithila, so the Maithil women wore white or yellow Saree with red Border but now they have a lot of variety and colour options and wear ''Laal-Paara'' (the traditional red-boarded white or yellow [[sari|Saree]])<ref name="youtube.com">{{cite AV media |url= https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MqbPoGYxjS0 |title= Maithil women wore Red Boarded Yellow or White Saree during Jhijhiya Naach|access-date=27 March 2017}}</ref> on some special occasions, and also wear ''Shakha-Pola''<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.jhajistore.com/blogs/news/mithilas-bengal-connection-a-conversation-with-shalini-ji|title=Mithila as well as Bengal wearing शाखा पोला" www.jhajistore.com |access-date= 12 August 2019}}</ref> with lahthi in their hand. In [[Mithila culture]], this represents new beginnings, passion and prosperity. Red also represents the Hindu goddess [[Durga]], a symbol of new beginnings and feminine power. During Chhaith, the women of Mithila wear pure cotton dhoti without stitching which reflects the pure, traditional Culture of Mithila. Usually crafted from pure cotton for daily use and from pure silk for more glamorous occasions, traditional attire for the women of Mithila includes Jamdani, Banarisi and Bhagalpuri and many more.
Madhubani painting/Mithila painting was traditionally created by the women of different communities in [[Mithila (ancient)|Mithila]] region of [[India]] and [[Nepal]]. It is named after [[Madhubani district]] of [[Bihar]], India which is where it originated.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=UvuJyvtsCjwC&pg=PA96 | title=Madhubani Painting | accessdate=20 February 2017 | pages=96}}</ref> This painting as a form of wall art was practiced widely throughout the region; the more recent development of painting on paper and canvas originated among the villages around Madhubani, and it is these latter developments that may correctly be referred to as ''Madhubani art.''<ref>Carolyn Brown Heinz, 2006, "Documenting the Image in Mithila Art," Visual Anthropology Review, Vol. 22, Issue 2, pp. 5-33</ref>


[[Jhijhiya]] and [[Dhunuchi|Dhuno-Naach]] are the Cultural Dance of Mithila. Jhijhiya is performed in Darbhanga, Muzaffarpur, Madhubani and their Neighbour Districts on the other hand [[Dhunuchi|Dhuno-Naach]] is performed in Begusarai, Khagaria, Katihar, Naugachia during Durga Puja and Kalipuja with Shankha-Dhaak Sound.
===Mithila Madhuri===
Many festivals are celebrated throughout the year in Mithila. [[Chhath|Chhaith]], [[Durga Puja]] and [[Kali puja]] is celebrated as perhaps the most important of all the celebrations of Mithila.
Mithila Madhuri is a YouTube Channel of Maithili (Mithila Region) songs which provides historical, cultural and wedding ceremony songs to the viewers.


===Mithila Paag===
==Proposed Indian state==
{{Main|Mithila, India}}
{{Main|Paag}}
There is an ongoing movement in the Maithili speaking region of Bihar for a separate [[Indian state]] of Mithila. A likely candidate for the capital of the proposed state is [[Darbhanga]], while other potential sites include [[Muzaffarpur]], [[Purnia]], and [[Begusarai]].<ref>{{cite web | url=https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=nKqF_AgDd4gC&pg=PA148&dq=mithila+india+state&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiL0fDo2pXSAhVEKcAKHej6AicQ6AEIGjAA#v=onepage&q=mithila%20india%20state&f=false | title=Small States Syndrome in India | accessdate=16 February 2017 | pages=146}}</ref>


The '''Paag''' is a headdress in the [[Mithila, India|Mithila region]] of [[India]] and [[Nepal]] worn by [[Maithil]] people. It is a symbol of honour and respect and a significant part of [[Mithila culture|Maithil culture]].
==Nepalese Province==
{{Main|Province No. 2}}
There was also a movement in the Maithili speaking areas of Nepal for a separate state, which ended after the [[Constitution of Nepal 2015]] guaranteed it and '''[[Province No. 2]]''' was established. The 2015 Constitution transformed the country into the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, with a total of 7 provinces.<ref>{{cite book |author=Burkert, C. |chapter=Defining Maithil Identity |chapterurl=https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=n4FQMEiZcrIC&lpg=PP1&pg=PA245#v=onepage&q&f=false |title=Nationalism and Ethnicity in a Hindu Kingdom: The Politics and Culture of Contemporary Nepal |year=2012 |editor1=Gellner, D.|editor2=Pfaff-Czarnecka, J.|editor3=Whelpton, J.|publisher=Routledge |location=London, New York |isbn=9781136649561| pages=241–273}}</ref>


The Paag dates back to pre-historic times when it was made of plant leaves. It exists today in a modified form. The Paag is wore by the whole Maithil community. The colour of the Paag also carries a lot of significance. The red Paag is worn by the [[bridegroom]] and by those who are undergoing the [[Upanayana|sacred thread rituals]]. Paag of mustard colour is donned by those attending wedding ceremonies and the elders wear a white Paag.
==Hinduism==
Mithila holds a significant value in Hinduism as it is thought to be the birthplace of [[Sita]], the wife of [[Rama]].<ref name="Ethnic Groups of South Asia and the Pacific: An Encyclopedia: An Encyclopedia">{{cite book|title=Ethnic Groups of South Asia and the Pacific: An Encyclopedia: An Encyclopedia|author=Minahan, J.B.|date=2012|publisher=ABC-CLIO|isbn=9781598846607|url=https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=fOQkpcVcd9AC&pg=PT215|accessdate=14 February 2017}}</ref>


This Paag now features place in the popular Macmillan Dictionary. For now, Macmillan Dictionary explains Paag as “a kind of headwear worn by people in the Mithila belt of India.”<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/nation/2019/dec/26/maithili-paag-finds-place-in-macmillan-dictionary-2081124.html|title=Maithili 'paag' finds place in Macmillan Dictionary|date=26 December 2019 }}</ref>[[File:Paag.jpg|thumb|right|Paag]]
==Jainism==
In the Jain tradition, it is believed that the 24th [[Tirthankara]] [[Mahavira]] was born in early part of the 6th-century BC into a royal family in what is now [[Vaishali district]] in Mithila region of Bihar, India.
According to [[Jain Agamas]], 21st Tirthankara [[Naminatha]] was born in Mithila{{sfn|Tukol|1980|p=31}} to King Vijaya and Queen Vapra.{{sfn|Jain|2009|p=87-88}} Mithila was ruled by King Vijaya of [[Ikshvaku dynasty]] and after him, by Lord [[Naminatha]].{{sfn|Shah|1987|p=163-164}}


On 10 February 2017, [[India Posts]] released a set of sixteen [[Commemorative stamp|commemorative postage stamps]] on "Headgears of India". The Mithila Paag was featured on one of those postage stamps.
==See more==

The [[Mithilalok Foundation]] was (in 2017) a social service organization whose flagship programme was Paag Bachau Abhiyan (Save the Paag Campaign). NOTE - it is not clear (as at April 2024) whether this campaign or the Foundation still exist.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/patna/Save-the-Paag-campaign-kicks-off-on-Feb-28-in-Delhi/articleshow/51157643.cms|title=Save the 'Paag' campaign kicks off on Feb 28 in Delhi|newspaper=The Times of India|date=27 February 2016 |accessdate=2 September 2017}}</ref>

===Languages and dialects===
{{Main|Maithili language}}

People of Mithila primarily speak in Maithili and its various dialects including [[Thēthi]]<ref>{{Cite web |first=M |last=Asad |year=2013 |title=Reduplication in Modern Maithili |website=Language in India.com |url=http://www.languageinindia.com/april2015/asadmaithilireduplicationfinal.pdf }}</ref> and its perceived dialects [[Bajjika]],<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Kashyap |first=Abhishek Kumar |date=2014-05-01 |title=The Bajjika language and speech community Abhishek Kumar Kashyap |url=https://www.degruyter.com/document/doi/10.1515/ijsl-2014-0001/html |journal=International Journal of the Sociology of Language |language=en |issue=227 |pages=209–224 |doi=10.1515/ijsl-2014-0001 |s2cid=147345446 |issn=1613-3668}}</ref> and [[Angika]] while also being well versed in other languages like [[English language|English]], [[Hindi language|Hindi]] and [[Nepali language|Nepali]] for official or administrative purposes.{{citation needed|date=June 2023}}

This language is an [[Indo-Aryan language]] native to the [[Indian subcontinent]], mainly spoken in [[India]] and [[Nepal]] and is one of the 22 [[Eighth Schedule to the Constitution of India|recognised]] [[Languages of India|Indian languages]]. In Nepal, it is spoken in the eastern [[Terai]] and is the second most prevalent language of Nepal. [[Tirhuta]] is formerly the primary script for written Maithili. Less commonly, it was also written in the local variant of [[Kaithi]]. Today it is written in the [[Devanagari]] adopted script.

===Maithil Cuisine===
{{Main|Maithil cuisine}}

{{multiple image
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| image1 = Gujhia.JPG
| alt1 = Pilukia
| image2 = Cacik-1.jpg
| alt2 = Dahi
| image3 = Boyal Macher Jhol.jpg
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| image4 = Manghser Ghugni.jpg
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Maithil cuisine is a part of [[Indian cuisine]] and [[Nepalese cuisine]]. It is a culinary style which originated in Mithila. Some traditional Maithil dishes are:
* [[Curd|Dahi]]-[[Flattened rice|Chura]]
* Vegetable of [[Taro|Arikanchan]]
* [[Ghugni|Ghooghni]]
* [[Pickling|Traditional Pickles]], made of fruits and vegetables which are generally mixed with ingredients like salt, spices, and vegetable oils and are set to mature in a moistureless medium.
* [[Tilkor Tarua|Tarua of Tilkor]]
* Bada
* Badee
* [[Yogurt]]
* [[Fish as food|Maachh]]
* [[Mutton]]
* Irhar
* Pudukiya (Purukiya) ( also known as [[Gujia]]) which is basically dumplings.
* [[Foxnut|Makhan]] Payas
* [[Anarsa|Anarasa]]
* [[Bagiya]]

===Madhubani/Mithila Painting===
{{Main|Madhubani/Mithila Painting}}[[File:National Institute Of Mithila Art.jpg|thumb|National Institute Of Mithila Art|183x183px]]
Madhubani art or Mithila painting is practiced in the Mithila region of India and Nepal.
It was traditionally created by the women of different communities of the Mithila region. It is named after [[Madhubani district]] of [[Bihar]], India which is where it originated.<ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=UvuJyvtsCjwC&pg=PA96 |title=Madhubani Painting |year=2003 |isbn=9788170171560 |pages=96 |publisher=Abhinav Publications |access-date=20 February 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171028144752/https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=UvuJyvtsCjwC&pg=PA96 |archive-date=28 October 2017 |url-status=live |df=dmy-all}}</ref>

This painting as a form of wall art was practiced widely throughout the region; the more recent development of painting on paper and canvas originated among the villages around Madhubani, and it is these latter developments that may correctly be referred to as ''Madhubani art.''<ref>Carolyn Brown Heinz, 2006, "Documenting the Image in Mithila Art," Visual Anthropology Review, Vol. 22, Issue 2, pp. 5-33</ref>

== Main festivals ==
* [[Chhath|Chhaith]]: Prayers during Chhath [[Puja (Hinduism)|puja]] are dedicated to the [[solar deity]], [[Surya]], to show gratitude and thankfulness
* [[Sama Chakeva|Saama-Chakeba]]: includes folk theater and song, celebrates the love between brothers and sisters and is based on a legend recounted in the [[Purana]]s.
* [[Chhath|Aghaniya Chhaith]] (Chhotka Pabni): Very popular with the name of "Chhotka-Pabni" and Dopaharka Aragh in Mithila.Celebrated in Aghan Shukla-paksha Shasthi tithi.
* [[Chhath|Baisakkha Chhaith]] (Chhotka Pabni): This is celebrated in month of Baishakh Shukla-paksha Shasthi tithi and It is also called Chhotka-Pabni(Dopaharka Aragh) in Mithila.
* [[Chaurchan]]: Along with [[Ganesha|Lord Ganesha]], [[Vishnu|Lord Vishnu]], [[Parvati|Goddess Parvati]] and the moon god is worshipped. The story of Chorchan Puja is also heard on this day after that [[Tarpana|arghya]] is offered to the [[moon]] god ([[Chandra|Chandra Deva]]).<ref>{{Cite web |title=Chauth Chand 2022: आज मनाई जाएगी चौठ चन्द्र पूजा, चांद की इस तरह होती है पूजा |url=https://www.prabhatkhabar.com/religion/ganesh-chaturthi-2022-mithila-chaurchan-parv-puja-vidhi-shubh-muhurat-know-how-to-worship-moon-sry |access-date=2022-08-30 |website=Prabhat Khabar |date=30 August 2022 |language=hi}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-08-30 |title=Chaurchan Puja 2022 Wishes & Chauth Chandra Puja HD Images: Celebrate This Bihar Festival of the Moon on Ganesh Chaturthi Sharing Chaurchan Photos, Messages & Wallpapers {{!}} 🙏🏻 LatestLY |url=https://www.latestly.com/lifestyle/festivals-events/chaurchan-puja-2022-wishes-chauth-chandra-puja-hd-images-celebrate-this-bihar-festival-of-the-moon-on-ganesh-chaturthi-sharing-chaurchan-photos-messages-wallpapers-4143117.html |access-date=2022-08-30 |website=LatestLY |language=en}}</ref>
* [[Jivitputrika|Jitiya]]: celebrated mainly in Indian states of [[Bihar]], [[Jharkhand]] and [[Uttar Pradesh]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.prabhatkhabar.com/religion/jivitputrika-vrat-2020-jitiya-puja-vidhi-nahay-khay-date-and-timing-shubh-muhurt-jeevaputrika-vow-will-start-from-today-with-hi-khay-know-what-is-important-to-keep-in-mind-during-the-fast-rdy-2|title = Jivitputrika Vrat 2020: जीवित्पुत्रिका व्रती महिलाएं आज खोलेंगी व्रत, जानें पारण करने के लिए हर एक शुभ समय और विधि| date=11 September 2020 }}</ref> and Nepal; mothers fast (without water) for wellbeing of their children.<ref name="indastro1">{{cite web|url=http://indianastrology.co.in/4117-jivitputrika-vrat-2016-jitiya-2016-date-hindu-panchang/|title=Jivitputrika Vrat 2016 (Jitiya 2016) Date & Hindu Panchang - Indian Astrology|date=July 18, 2016|publisher=|access-date=September 4, 2016|archive-date=25 January 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170125122123/http://indianastrology.co.in/4117-jivitputrika-vrat-2016-jitiya-2016-date-hindu-panchang/|url-status=dead}}</ref>
* [[Vivaha Panchami]]: Hindu festival celebrating the wedding of Rama and Sita. It is observed on the fifth day of the Shukla paksha or waxing phase of moon in the Agrahayana month (November – December) as per Maithili calendar and in the month of Margashirsha in the Hindu calendar.
* [[Sita|Sita Navami]]
* [[Ganga Dussehra]]: Ganga Dussehra, also known as '''Gangavataran''', is a [[Hinduism|Hindu]] festival celebrated by Maithils in [[Simaria|Mokshdhaam Simaria Dhaam]] (The Welcome Gate of Mithila). [[Ganges in Hinduism#Legend|''avatarana'' (descent) of the Ganges]]. It is believed by Hindus that the [[holy river]] [[Ganges]] descended from heaven to earth on this day.<ref name=today>{{cite news|last1=Agnihotri|first1=Sanjana|title=All you need to know about Ganga Dussehra|url=http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/ganga-dussehra-june-significance-history/1/691870.html|access-date=4 July 2016|work=India Today|date=14 June 2016}}</ref>
* Kalpwas: Celebrated every in the Kartik month at [[Simaria Ghat]] in [[Simaria]] Dhaam, [[Begusarai district|Begusarai]].
* [[Kojagiri]] (Lachhmi Puja): harvest festival marking the end of monsoon season
* [[Durga Puja|Paata Puja]] (Durga Maay Aagmon)
* [[Durga Puja|Khutti Puja]] (Ritual of Durga Puja)
* [[Mahalaya|Mohalaya]]
* [[Durga Puja]]: a ten-day festival,{{sfn| Doniger|1999|p=306}}{{sfn| Lochtefeld|2002|p=208}} of which the last five are of the most significance.<ref>{{cite news |author=Parmita Borah |date=2 October 2011 |title=Durga Puja - a Celebration of Female Supremacy |url=http://www.efi-news.com/2011/10/durga-puja-celebration-of-female.html |publisher=EF News International |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120425051716/http://www.efi-news.com/2011/10/durga-puja-celebration-of-female.html |archive-date=25 April 2012 |access-date=26 October 2011}}</ref> is an important festival in the [[Shaktism]] tradition of Hinduism.{{sfn| McDermott|2001|pp=172-174}}{{sfn|Foulston|Abbott|2009|pp=162-169}}{{sfn|Rodrigues|2003|pp=7-8}} It marks the victory of goddess Durga in her battle against the shape-shifting [[asura]], [[Mahishasura]].{{sfn|Daniélou|1991|p=288}}{{sfn|McDaniel|2004|pp=215-219}}{{efn-ua|group=note|In the Shakta tradition of [[Hinduism]], many of the stories about obstacles and battles have been considered as metaphors for the divine and demonic within each human being, with liberation being the state of self-understanding whereby a virtuous nature & society emerging victorious over the vicious.{{sfn| McDaniel|2004|pp=20–21, 217–219}}}} Thus, the festival epitomizes the victory of good over evil, though it is also in part a harvest festival celebrating the goddess as the motherly power behind all of life and creation.{{sfn|Kinsley|1988|pp=111–112}}{{sfn|Donner|2016|p=25}}
* [[Kali Puja]]: dedicated to the Hindu goddess Kali, celebrated on the new moon day [[Diwali|Dipannita Amavasya]] of the Hindu month Kartik
* [[Vasant Panchami|Saraswati Puja]]: marks the preparation for the arrival of [[Spring (season)|spring]]. The festival is celebrated by people of [[Indian religions|Dharmic religions]] in the [[South Asia]]n countries in different ways depending on the region. Vasant Panchami also marks the start of preparation for [[Holika Dahan|Holika]] and [[Holi]], which take place forty days later.<ref name="Roy2005p192">Christian Roy (2005). Traditional Festivals: A Multicultural Encyclopedia. ABC-CLIO. pp. 192–193. {{ISBN|978-1-57607-089-5}}.</ref>
* [[Rama Navami]]: celebrates the descent of Vishnu as the Rama avatar, through his birth to King [[Dasharatha]] and Queen [[Kausalya]] in [[Ayodhya (Ramayana)|Ayodhya]], [[Kosala]].<ref name=dna8apr2014>[http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report-hindus-around-the-world-celebrate-ram-navami-today-1976344 Hindus around the world celebrate Ram Navami today], DNA, 8 April 2014</ref>
* [[Basant (season)|Basanti Puja]] (Chaiti Durga Puja)
* [[Makar Sankranti|Til Sakraait]]
* [[Jur Sital|Aakhar Bochhor]]
* [[Naga Panchami|Naag Panchami]]
* [[Vat Purnima|Barsaait]]
* [[Vishwakarma Puja]]
* [[Holi]]

==People==
{{Main|Maithils}}Maithili language speakers are referred to as Maithils and they are an [[Indo-Aryan peoples|Indo-Aryan]] [[ethno-linguistic]] group. There are an estimated 75 million Maithils in India alone. The vast majority of them are [[Hindu]].<ref>{{cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=fOQkpcVcd9AC&pg=PT215 | title=Ethnic Groups of South Asia and the Pacific: An Encyclopedia: An Encyclopedia | author=James B. Minahan| isbn=9781598846607 | date=30 August 2012 | publisher=Abc-Clio }}</ref>

The people of Mithila can be split into various [[Indian caste system|caste]]/[[jāti|clan]] affiliations such as [[Brahmins]], [[Kayastha]]s, [[Kandu|Kanu]], [[Kewat]]s, [[Bhumihar]]s, [[Rajput]]s, [[Koeri|Kushwaha]]s, [[Bania (caste)|Baniya]]s, [[Kamata (clan)|Kamatas]], [[Ahir]]s, [[Kurmi]]s, [[Paswan|Dushads]], [[Kujra]]s, [[Manush (clan)|Manush]] and many more.<ref>{{cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=A0i94Z5C8HMC&pg=PA33 | title=Anthropology of Ancient Hindu Kingdoms: A Study in Civilizational Perspective | author=Makhan Jha | pages=33–40| isbn=9788175330344 | year=1997 | publisher=M.D. Publications Pvt. }}</ref>

==Demands for administrative units==
===Proposed Indian state===
{{Main|Mithila, India|Mithila State Movement}}

There is an [[Mithila State Movement|ongoing movement]] in the Maithili speaking region of Bihar and Jharkhand for a separate [[Indian state]] of Mithila.<ref>{{cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=nKqF_AgDd4gC&q=mithila+india+state&pg=PA148 | title=Small States Syndrome in India | access-date=16 February 2017 | pages=146 | url-status=live | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170217143622/https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=nKqF_AgDd4gC&pg=PA148&dq=mithila+india+state&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiL0fDo2pXSAhVEKcAKHej6AicQ6AEIGjAA#v=onepage&q=mithila%20india%20state&f=false | archive-date=17 February 2017 | df=dmy-all | isbn=9788170226918 | last1=Kumāra | first1=Braja Bihārī | year=1998 | publisher=Concept Publishing Company }}</ref>

===Proposed Nepalese province===
{{See also|Madhesh Province}}
There was a movement in the Maithili speaking areas of Nepal for a separate province.<ref>{{cite book |author=Burkert, C. |chapter=Defining Maithil Identity |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=n4FQMEiZcrIC&pg=PA245 |title=Nationalism and Ethnicity in a Hindu Kingdom: The Politics and Culture of Contemporary Nepal |year=2012 |editor1=Gellner, D. |editor2=Pfaff-Czarnecka, J. |editor3=Whelpton, J. |publisher=Routledge |location=London, New York |isbn=9781136649561 |pages=241–273 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170820000356/https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=n4FQMEiZcrIC&lpg=PP1&pg=PA245 |archive-date=20 August 2017 |df=dmy-all }}</ref> [[Province No. 2]] was established under the 2015 Constitution, which transformed Nepal into a Federal Democratic Republic, with a total of 7 provinces. Province No. 2 has a substantial Maithili speaking population and consists most of the Maithili speaking areas of Nepal. It was demanded by some Mithila activists that Province No. 2 be named 'Mithila Province'.<ref>{{Cite web | url=http://kathmandupost.ekantipur.com/printedition/news/2018-05-02/samiti-vows-to-protest-for-mithila-province.html |title = Samiti vows to protest for Mithila Province}}</ref>
On 23 December 2021, four different names for the Province No. 2 were presented by the various parties of the [[Provincial Assembly of Madhesh Province]]. The four names were ‘Madhesh Pradesh’, ‘Janaki Pradesh’, ‘Madhya Madhesh Pradesh’ and ‘Mithila Bhojpura’.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Five names proposed for Province 2 |url=https://english.khabarhub.com/2021/23/228334/ |access-date=2022-09-14 |website=Khabarhub |language=en}}</ref>

Among the four names, Madhesh Pradesh (Madhesh Province) was chosen and finalized on 17 January 2022. The name was finalized with 80 percent majority in the Provincial Assembly. [[Janakpur]] was named as the capital of the province.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Pradhan |first=Shirish B. |date=2022-01-18 |title=Nepal's Province 2 renamed 'Madhes Pradesh' |url=https://theprint.in/world/nepals-province-2-renamed-madhes-pradesh/806579/ |access-date=2022-09-14 |website=ThePrint |language=en-US}}</ref>

== Notable people ==
{{dynamic list}}
The following are notable residents (past and present) of Mithila region.

===Historical===
[[File:Udyanacharya Sanskrit Vidyalaya.jpg|thumb|Statue of the 11th century philosopher [[Udayana]] ]]
[[File:Statue of Maha Kavi Kokil Vidyapati.jpg|thumb|Statue of Maithili language poet, [[Vidyapati]]]]
* [[Janaka]], King of Mithila and Father in Law of King [[Rama]]
* [[Sita]], Princess of [[Mithila Kingdom]] and wife of King [[Rama]]
* [[Udayana]]charya, 10th/11th-century philosopher and [[Indian logic|logician]] of the [[Nyaya]] school.
* [[Vidyapati]], 14th/15th century Maithili and Sanskrit poet-saint
*[[Bhanudatta Misra]], 15th/16th-century [[Sanskrit]] poet from Mithila
*[[Harisimhadeva]], King of Mithila during the [[Karnats of Mithila|Karnat dynasty]] from 1304 - 1324 CE
*[[Gangadeva]], King of Mithila during the [[Karnats of Mithila|Karnat dynasty]] from 1147-1187 CE
*[[Narsimhadeva]], King of Mithila during the [[Karnats of Mithila|Karnat dynasty]] from 1174-1227 CE
*[[Ramasimhadeva]], King of Mithila during the [[Karnats of Mithila|Karnat dynasty]] from 1227-1285 CE
*[[Jyotirishwar Thakur]], 14th-century [[poet]], [[playwright]] and [[musician]] who composed the earliest prose work in the [[Maithili language]], the [[Varna Ratnakara]]
*[[Caṇḍeśvara Ṭhakkura]], political theorist and general from the 14th century
*[[Gaṅgeśa]], 13th/14th century [[philosopher]], [[logic]]ian and [[mathematician]]
*[[Pakshadhara Mishra]], 15th-century philosopher
*[[Vāchaspati Misra]], 9th/10th-century philosopher of the [[Advaita Vedanta]] tradition
*[[Lakshmeshwar Singh]], zamindar and principal landowner of [[Raj Darbhanga]], 1860–1898
*[[Rameshwar Singh]], zamindar and principal landowner of [[Raj Darbhanga]], 1898–1929

===Modern===
* [[Maghfoor Ahmad Ajazi]], Indian [[Indian independence movement|Freedom fighter]], political activist, social worker, poet and writer, born in [[Muzaffarpur]]<ref name="Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav">{{cite web|last1=Ministry of Culture|first1=Government of India|title=Maghfoor Ahmad Ajazi|url=https://amritmahotsav.nic.in/unsung-heroes-detail.htm?138|website=amritmahotsav.nic.in}}</ref><ref name="twocircles">{{cite web|last1=Sajjad|first1=Mohammad|title=Maghfur Aijazi: A freedom-fighter and a builder of Indian democracy|url=http://twocircles.net/2013jan06/maghfur_aijazi_freedomfighter_and_builder_indian_democracy.html#.VPkHguHN45w|website=TwoCircles.net|date=6 January 2013|access-date=5 March 2015}}</ref>
* [[Bimalendra Nidhi]], Member of Nepalese parliament, Vice president of ruling party [[Nepali Congress]] and former [[Deputy Prime Minister of Nepal]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Nidhi appointed NC Vice-Prez, Khadka Gen Secy|url=https://kathmandupost.com/national/2018/05/04/nidhi-appointed-nc-vice-prez-khadka-general-secy|access-date=2022-01-15|website=kathmandupost.com|language=English}}</ref>
*[[Ramdhari Singh 'Dinkar']] was an [[Indian people|Indian]] [[Hindi]] poet, essayist, patriot and academic.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.anubhuti-hindi.org/gauravgram/dinker/index.htm |title=Ramdhari Singh Dinker - Hindi ke Chhayavadi Kavi |website=www.anubhuti-hindi.org |access-date=2020-04-26}}</ref>
* [[Bindheshwari Prasad Mandal]] was an Indian parliamentarian and social reformer who served as the chairman of the Second Backward Classes Commission (popularly known as the [[Mandal Commission]]).<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=rT2xWp_iTCYC|title=Nitish Kumar and the Rise of Bihar|date=2011-01-01|publisher=Penguin Books India|isbn=9780670084593|language=en}}</ref>
* [[C. K. Raut]], formerly US-based computer scientist, author and political leader of Nepal.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ekantipur.com/nepal/article/?id=222 |title=" मुख्य समाचार " :: नेपाल :: |publisher=Ekantipur.com |date=24 May 2015 |access-date=28 May 2015 |archive-date=4 July 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150704035340/http://www.ekantipur.com/nepal/article/?id=222 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
* [[C. K. Lal]], Nepalese journalist and writer from [[Mahottari District]] of Nepal.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Lal |first=C. K. |title=Art and identity |url=http://myrepublica.nagariknetwork.com/news/60528/ |access-date=2022-10-12 |website=My Republica |language=en}}</ref>
* [[Phanishwar Nath 'Renu']], influential writer of modern [[Hindi]] literature in the post-[[Premchand]] era.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.seasonsindia.com/art_culture/lit_hindi_sea.htm |title=Seasons India :: Hindi Literature of India |website=www.seasonsindia.com |access-date=2020-04-26}}</ref>
* [[Gopal Jee Thakur]], Indian Politician and Member of Parliament from [[Darbhanga Lok Sabha constituency|Darbhanga Lok Sabha Constituency]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Shri Gopal Jee Thakur{{!}} National Portal of India |url=https://www.india.gov.in/my-government/indian-parliament/shri-gopal-jee-thakur |access-date=2023-03-03 |website=www.india.gov.in}}</ref>
* [[Syed Shahnawaz Hussain]], Indian politician, born in [[Supaul]]<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.business-standard.com/article/politics/bjp-s-shahnawaz-hussain-on-im-hit-list-113121000234_1.html|title=BJP's Shahnawaz Hussain on IM hit list|last=IANS|date=10 December 2013|access-date=26 October 2017|via=Business Standard|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171026111054/http://www.business-standard.com/article/politics/bjp-s-shahnawaz-hussain-on-im-hit-list-113121000234_1.html|archive-date=26 October 2017|df=dmy-all|newspaper=Business Standard India}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ndtv.com/article/cities/bjp-leader-shahnawaz-hussain-s-impersonator-arrested-76095|title=BJP leader Shahnawaz Hussain's impersonator arrested|website=NDTV.com|access-date=26 October 2017|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131219094253/http://www.ndtv.com/article/cities/bjp-leader-shahnawaz-hussain-s-impersonator-arrested-76095|archive-date=19 December 2013|df=dmy-all}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.newindianexpress.com/nation/article542836.ece|title=PM's 'lack' of leadership has made UPA 'sinking ship': BJP|website=NewIndianExpress.com|access-date=26 October 2017|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304220836/http://www.newindianexpress.com/nation/article542836.ece|archive-date=4 March 2016|df=dmy-all}}</ref>
* [[Bhagwat Jha Azad]] was the Chief Minister of [[Bihar]] and a member of [[Lok Sabha]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://164.100.47.132/LssNew/biodata_1_12/598.htm |title=8th Lok Sabha – Members Bioprofile – AZAD, SHRI BHAGWAT JHA |access-date=2011-08-06 |url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111006151543/http://164.100.47.132/LssNew/biodata_1_12/598.htm |archive-date=6 October 2011 |df=dmy-all }}</ref>
* [[Maithili Thakur]], Indian singer
* [[Ram Baran Yadav]], First president of Nepal
*[[Ramdev Mahato]], three time Member of Bihar Legislative Assembly from [[Madhubani Assembly constituency]] of Mithila region.
* [[Sharda Sinha]], Indian folk singer
* [[Udit Narayan]], Bollywood playback singer
* [[Kanhaiya Kumar]], leader of [[Indian National Congress|Congress]]
* [[Narendra Jha]], Bollywood actor
* [[Sriti Jha]], Indian television actress
* [[Kirti Azad]], former Indian cricketer and politician
* [[Sanjay Mishra (actor)|Sanjay Mishra]], Bollywood actor
* [[Bhawana Kanth]], one of the first female fighter pilots of India
* [[Gangesha Upadhyaya]], 12th-century Indian mathematician and philosopher
* [[Vikas Kumar Jha]]
* [[George Orwell]], novelist and essayist, journalist and critic
* [[Rambriksh Benipuri]], Indian freedom fighter, [[Socialist Leader]], [[editor]] and [[Hindi literature|Hindi]] writer
* [[Devaki Nandan Khatri]], Indian writer
* [[Ganganath Jha]], Indian scholar
* [[Ramjee Singh]], former Member of Indian parliament and vice-chancellor of Jain Vishva Bharati University
* [[Acharya Ramlochan Saran]], Hindi literature, grammarian and publisher
* [[Ramesh Chandra Jha]], Indian poet, novelist and freedom fighter
* [[Acharya Rameshwar Jha]], scholar
* [[Phanishwar Nath 'Renu']], Indian author
* [[Ravindra Prabhat]] a Hindi novelist, journalist, poet, and short story writer
* [[Gajendra Thakur]], Literary critic, historian, novelist, dramatist, poet, and a lexicographer
* [[Anerood Jugnauth]], former President of [[Mauritius]]
* [[Parmanand Jha]], first vice-president of [[Nepal]]
* [[Dhirendra Premarshi]], presenter of [https://www.ilovemithila.com/ Hello Mithila] on [[Radio Kantipur]]
* [[Godawari Dutta]], madhubani artist, social activist
* [[Tarkishore Prasad]], [[Deputy Chief Minister of Bihar]], born in [[Saharsa district]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://m.hindustantimes.com/patna/i-want-self-reliant-bihar-sushil-modi-is-our-guardian-says-new-deputy-cm-tarkishore-prasad/story-JpUVa9XpDnKP1lO8GGI3pK.html|title=I want self-reliant Bihar; Sushil Modi is our guardian, says new deputy CM Tarkishore Prasad|date=19 November 2020}}</ref>
* [[Ramnath Goenka]], Indian journalist, born in [[Darbhanga]]<ref>{{cite book|last1=Reed|first1=Stanley|author-link1=Stanley Reed (British politician)|title=The Indian And Pakistan Year Book And Who's Who 1950|date=1950|publisher=[[The Times Group|Bennett Coleman and Co. Ltd.]]|page=679|url=https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.15206|access-date=20 February 2018}}</ref>
* [[Ashish Jha]], [[Internal medicine|general internist physician]] and academic serving the [[White House COVID-19 Response Team|White House Coronavirus Response Coordinator]]
* [[Vartika Jha]] (born 2000), Indian dancer, choreographer and actress
* [[Mannu Yadav]] (born 1998), Indian Scholar, Renewable Energy

==See also==
{{Portal|India|Nepal}}
{{Portal|India|Nepal}}
*[[Mithila (proposed Indian state)]]
*[[Maithils]]
*[[Mithila, India]]
*[[Mithila Painting]]
*[[Mithila, Nepal]]
*[[Mithila Makhana]]
*[[Maithili language]]
*[[Mithilā (ancient city)]]
*[[Jhijhiya]]
*[[Mithila Student Union]]
*[[Maithili duck]]
*[[King Mithi]]
*[[Gosaunik Ghar]]
*[[Industrial ruins in Mithila region]]

==Notes==
{{Notelist-ua}}


==References==
==References==
{{Reflist|2}}
{{Reflist}}


==Bibliography==
==Bibliography==
Line 143: Line 293:
|title=Jaina-Rupa Mandana: Jaina Iconography:, Volume 1
|title=Jaina-Rupa Mandana: Jaina Iconography:, Volume 1
|year=1987
|year=1987
|url=https://books.google.co.in/books?id=m_y_P4duSXsC
|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=m_y_P4duSXsC
|location=India
|location=India
|publisher=Shakti Malik Abhinav Publications
|publisher=Shakti Malik Abhinav Publications
|isbn=81-7017-208-X}}
|isbn=978-81-7017-208-6}}


==External links==
==External links==
{{EB1911 Poster|Mithila}}
{{EB1911 poster|Mithila}}
* [http://www.csuchico.edu/anth/mithila/index.htm The Maithil Brahmans - an online ethnography]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20080118130804/http://www.csuchico.edu/anth/mithila/index.htm The Maithil Brahmans - an online ethnography]
{{India topics}}
{{India topics}}
{{Historical regions of North India|state=collapsed}}
{{Historical regions of North India|state=collapsed}}
{{Nepal topics}}
{{Nepal topics}}
{{Authority control}}



[[Category:Mithila|.]]
[[Category:Mithila|.]]
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[[Category:Historical Indian regions]]
[[Category:Historical Indian regions]]
[[Category:Cultural regions]]
[[Category:Cultural regions]]
[[Category:Province No. 2|.01]]
[[Category:Madhesh Province|.01]]
[[Category:Populated places in Mithila, India|.01]]
[[Category:Populated places in Mithila, India|.01]]
[[Category:Populated places in Mithila, Nepal|.01]]
[[Category:Populated places in Mithila, Nepal|.01]]

Latest revision as of 11:26, 30 November 2024

This article is about the historical and cultural region in India and Nepal. For the proposal to create a state of Mithila in India, see Mithila (proposed Indian state). For other uses, see Mithila.

Mithila
मिथिला
Cultural region
Top to bottom: Vivah Mandap (Janakpurdham, Nepal), Royal Insigna of Raj Darbhanga & Darbhanga Fort
Map of the Mithila region of India & Nepal[1]
Map of the Mithila region of India & Nepal[1]
ContinentAsia
CountriesIndia and Nepal
States or ProvincesBihar and Jharkhand (India) and Madhesh Province, Koshi and Bagmati Province (Nepal)
Founded byVidegha Mathava
Named forKing Mithi
Demonym(s)Maithils
Tirhutiya
Mithilabasi
Regional Language(s) and/or dialect(s)Maithili
Bajjika
Angika and several other dialects of Maithili

Mithila (IAST: Mithilā), also known as Tirhut, Tirabhukti and Mithilanchal, is a geographical and cultural region of the Indian subcontinent bounded by the Mahananda River in the east, the Ganges in the south, the Gandaki River in the west and by the foothills of the Himalayas in the north.[2][3] It comprises certain parts of Bihar and Jharkhand of India[4] and adjoining districts of the Koshi Province, Bagmati Pradesh and Madhesh Province of Nepal.[5][6] The native language in Mithila is Maithili, and its speakers are referred to as Maithils.[2]

Mithila is commonly used to refer to the Videha Kingdom, as well as to the modern-day territories that fall within the ancient boundaries of Videha.[6] Until the 20th century, Mithila was still ruled in part by the Raj Darbhanga.

History

[edit]
Main article: History of Mithila Region
See also: Videha

Vedic period

[edit]

Mithila first gained prominence after being settled by Indo-Aryan peoples who established the Videha kingdom.[7] During the Later Vedic period (c. 1100–500 BCE), Videha became one of the major political and cultural centers of Ancient India, along with Kuru and Panchala. The kings of the Videha Kingdom were called Janakas.[8] The Videha Kingdom was incorporated into the Vajjika League, which had its capital in the city of Vaishali, and is also in Mithila.[9]

Medieval period

[edit]
Ghiyath al-Din Tughluq leading his troops in the capture of the city of Tirhut. Depicted by eyewitness Muhammad Sadr Ala-i in his work Basātin al-uns, published ca.1410. Istanbul, Topkapi Palace Museum Library, Ms. R.1032.[10]

From the 11th century to the 20th century, Mithila was ruled by various indigenous dynasties. The first of these was the Karnats of Mithila, the Oiniwar Dynasty and the Khandwala Dynasty, also known as Raj Darbhanga. The Malla dynasty and Licchavi dynasty of Nepal are also Maithil in origin. The rulers of the Oiniwar Dynasty and the Raj Darbhanga were Maithil Brahmins. It was during the reign of the Raj Darbhanga family that the capital of Mithila was shifted to Darbhanga.[11]

Tughlaq had attacked and taken control of Bihar, and from the end of the Tughlaq Dynasty until the establishment of the Mughal Empire in 1526, there was anarchy and chaos in the region. Akbar (reigned from 1556 to 1605) realised that taxes from Mithila could only be collected if there was a king who could ensure peace there. The Brahmins were dominant in the Mithila region and Mithila had Brahmin kings in the past.[citation needed]

Akbar summoned Rajpandit Chandrapati Thakur to Delhi and asked him to name one of his sons who could be made caretaker and tax collector for his lands in Mithila. Chandrapati Thakur named his middle son, Mahesh Thakur, and Akbar declared Mahesh Thakur as the caretaker of Mithila on the day of Ram Navami in 1557 AD.

Lakshmeshwar Singh (reigned from 1860 to 1898) was the eldest son of Maharaja Maheshwar Singh of Darbhanga. He, along with his younger brother, Rameshwar Singh received a western education from Government appointed tutors as well as a traditional Indian education from a Sanskrit Pandit. He spent approximately £300,000 on relief work during the Bihar famine of 1873–74. He constructed hundreds of miles of roads in various parts of the Raj, planting them with tens of thousands of trees for the comfort of travellers, as part of generating employment for people effected by famine. He constructed iron bridges over all the navigable rivers

He built, and entirely supported, a first-class Dispensary at Darbhanga, which cost £3400; a similar one at Kharakpur, which cost £3500; and largely contributed to many others.

Maharaja Lakshmeshwar Singh

He built an Anglo-vernacular school at a cost of £1490, which he maintained, as well as nearly 30 vernacular schools of different grades; and subsidised a much larger number of educational institutions. He was also one of the founders of Indian National Congress as well as one of the main financial contributors thereto. Maharaja Lakshmeshwar Singh is known for purchasing Lowhter Castle for the venue of the 1888 Allahabad Congress session when the British denied permission to use any public place. The British Governor[who?] commissioned Edward Onslow Ford to make a statue of Lakshmeshwar Singh. This is installed at Dalhousie Square in Kolkata.

On the occasion of the Jubilee of the reign of Queen Victoria, Lakshmeshwar Singh was declared as a Knight Commander of the Most Eminent Order of the Indian Empire, and was promoted to Knight Grand Commander in 1897. He was also a member of the Royal Commission on Opium of 1895, formed by British Government along with Haridas Viharidas Desai who was the Diwan of Junagadh. The Royal Opium Commission consisted of a 9-member team of which 7 were British and 2 were Indians and its chairman was Earl Brassey.

Geography

[edit]
Mithila region of Nepal
Mithila region of Nepal
Mithila region of India

Mithila is a distinct geographical region with natural boundaries like rivers and hills. It is largely a flat and fertile alluvial plain criss-crossed by numerous rivers which originate from the Himalayas. Due to the flat plains and fertile land Mithila has a rich variety of biotic resources; however, because of frequent floods people could not take full advantage of these resources.[12]

Seven major rivers flow through Mithila: Gandak, Kosi, Mahananda, Bagmati, Kamala, Balan, and the Budhi Gandak.[13] They flow from the Himalayas in the north to the Ganges river in the south. These rivers regularly flood, depositing silt onto the farmlands and sometimes causing death or hardship.[citation needed]

Culture

[edit]
Main article: Mithila culture
Map of full Mithila
Map of full Mithila

Men and women in Mithila are very religious and dress for the festivals as well. The costumes of Mithila stem from the rich traditional culture of Mithila. Panjabi Kurta and Dhoti with a Mithila Painting bordered Maroon coloured Gamchha which is the Symbol of Passion, Love, Bravery and Courage are common clothing items for men. Men wear Gold ring in their nose which symbolizes prosperity, happiness and wealth inspired by Lord Vishnu. Also wear Balla on their wrist and Mithila Paag on their Head. In ancient times there was no colour option in Mithila, so the Maithil women wore white or yellow Saree with red Border but now they have a lot of variety and colour options and wear Laal-Paara (the traditional red-boarded white or yellow Saree)[14] on some special occasions, and also wear Shakha-Pola[15] with lahthi in their hand. In Mithila culture, this represents new beginnings, passion and prosperity. Red also represents the Hindu goddess Durga, a symbol of new beginnings and feminine power. During Chhaith, the women of Mithila wear pure cotton dhoti without stitching which reflects the pure, traditional Culture of Mithila. Usually crafted from pure cotton for daily use and from pure silk for more glamorous occasions, traditional attire for the women of Mithila includes Jamdani, Banarisi and Bhagalpuri and many more.

Jhijhiya and Dhuno-Naach are the Cultural Dance of Mithila. Jhijhiya is performed in Darbhanga, Muzaffarpur, Madhubani and their Neighbour Districts on the other hand Dhuno-Naach is performed in Begusarai, Khagaria, Katihar, Naugachia during Durga Puja and Kalipuja with Shankha-Dhaak Sound. Many festivals are celebrated throughout the year in Mithila. Chhaith, Durga Puja and Kali puja is celebrated as perhaps the most important of all the celebrations of Mithila.

Mithila Paag

[edit]
Main article: Paag

The Paag is a headdress in the Mithila region of India and Nepal worn by Maithil people. It is a symbol of honour and respect and a significant part of Maithil culture.

The Paag dates back to pre-historic times when it was made of plant leaves. It exists today in a modified form. The Paag is wore by the whole Maithil community. The colour of the Paag also carries a lot of significance. The red Paag is worn by the bridegroom and by those who are undergoing the sacred thread rituals. Paag of mustard colour is donned by those attending wedding ceremonies and the elders wear a white Paag.

This Paag now features place in the popular Macmillan Dictionary. For now, Macmillan Dictionary explains Paag as “a kind of headwear worn by people in the Mithila belt of India.”[16]

Paag

On 10 February 2017, India Posts released a set of sixteen commemorative postage stamps on "Headgears of India". The Mithila Paag was featured on one of those postage stamps.

The Mithilalok Foundation was (in 2017) a social service organization whose flagship programme was Paag Bachau Abhiyan (Save the Paag Campaign). NOTE - it is not clear (as at April 2024) whether this campaign or the Foundation still exist.[17]

Languages and dialects

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Main article: Maithili language

People of Mithila primarily speak in Maithili and its various dialects including Thēthi[18] and its perceived dialects Bajjika,[19] and Angika while also being well versed in other languages like English, Hindi and Nepali for official or administrative purposes.[citation needed]

This language is an Indo-Aryan language native to the Indian subcontinent, mainly spoken in India and Nepal and is one of the 22 recognised Indian languages. In Nepal, it is spoken in the eastern Terai and is the second most prevalent language of Nepal. Tirhuta is formerly the primary script for written Maithili. Less commonly, it was also written in the local variant of Kaithi. Today it is written in the Devanagari adopted script.

Maithil Cuisine

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Main article: Maithil cuisine
Pilukia
Dahi
Maachh
Ghughnee
Traditional Maithil cuisine

Maithil cuisine is a part of Indian cuisine and Nepalese cuisine. It is a culinary style which originated in Mithila. Some traditional Maithil dishes are:

Madhubani/Mithila Painting

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Main article: Madhubani/Mithila Painting
National Institute Of Mithila Art

Madhubani art or Mithila painting is practiced in the Mithila region of India and Nepal. It was traditionally created by the women of different communities of the Mithila region. It is named after Madhubani district of Bihar, India which is where it originated.[20]

This painting as a form of wall art was practiced widely throughout the region; the more recent development of painting on paper and canvas originated among the villages around Madhubani, and it is these latter developments that may correctly be referred to as Madhubani art.[21]

Main festivals

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People

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Main article: Maithils

Maithili language speakers are referred to as Maithils and they are an Indo-Aryan ethno-linguistic group. There are an estimated 75 million Maithils in India alone. The vast majority of them are Hindu.[40]

The people of Mithila can be split into various caste/clan affiliations such as Brahmins, Kayasthas, Kanu, Kewats, Bhumihars, Rajputs, Kushwahas, Baniyas, Kamatas, Ahirs, Kurmis, Dushads, Kujras, Manush and many more.[41]

Demands for administrative units

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Proposed Indian state

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Main articles: Mithila, India and Mithila State Movement

There is an ongoing movement in the Maithili speaking region of Bihar and Jharkhand for a separate Indian state of Mithila.[42]

Proposed Nepalese province

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See also: Madhesh Province

There was a movement in the Maithili speaking areas of Nepal for a separate province.[43] Province No. 2 was established under the 2015 Constitution, which transformed Nepal into a Federal Democratic Republic, with a total of 7 provinces. Province No. 2 has a substantial Maithili speaking population and consists most of the Maithili speaking areas of Nepal. It was demanded by some Mithila activists that Province No. 2 be named 'Mithila Province'.[44] On 23 December 2021, four different names for the Province No. 2 were presented by the various parties of the Provincial Assembly of Madhesh Province. The four names were ‘Madhesh Pradesh’, ‘Janaki Pradesh’, ‘Madhya Madhesh Pradesh’ and ‘Mithila Bhojpura’.[45]

Among the four names, Madhesh Pradesh (Madhesh Province) was chosen and finalized on 17 January 2022. The name was finalized with 80 percent majority in the Provincial Assembly. Janakpur was named as the capital of the province.[46]

Notable people

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This is a dynamic list and may never be able to satisfy particular standards for completeness. You can help by adding missing items with reliable sources.

The following are notable residents (past and present) of Mithila region.

Historical

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Statue of the 11th century philosopher Udayana
Statue of Maithili language poet, Vidyapati

Modern

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See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ In the Shakta tradition of Hinduism, many of the stories about obstacles and battles have been considered as metaphors for the divine and demonic within each human being, with liberation being the state of self-understanding whereby a virtuous nature & society emerging victorious over the vicious.[35]

References

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  2. ^ a b Jha, M. (1997). "Hindu Kingdoms at contextual level". Anthropology of Ancient Hindu Kingdoms: A Study in Civilizational Perspective. New Delhi: M.D. Publications Pvt. Ltd. pp. 27–42. ISBN 9788175330344.
  3. ^ Mishra, V. (1979). Cultural Heritage of Mithila. Allahabad: Mithila Prakasana. p. 13.
  4. ^ Jha, Pankaj Kumar (2010). Sushasan Ke Aaine Mein Naya Bihar. Bihar (India): Prabhat Prakashan. ISBN 9789380186283.
  5. ^ Ishii, H. (1993). "Seasons, Rituals and Society: the culture and society of Mithila, the Parbate Hindus and the Newars as seen through a comparison of their annual rites". Senri Ethnological Studies 36: 35–84. Archived from the original on 23 August 2017.
  6. ^ a b Kumar, D. (2000). "Mithila after the Janakas". The Proceedings of the Indian History Congress. 60: 51–59.
  7. ^ Michael Witzel (1989), Tracing the Vedic dialects in Dialectes dans les litteratures Indo-Aryennes ed. Caillat, Paris, pages 13, 17 116–124, 141–143
  8. ^ Witzel, M. (1989). "Tracing the Vedic dialects". In Caillat, C. (ed.). Dialectes dans les litteratures Indo-Aryennes. Paris: Fondation Hugot. pp. 141–143.
  9. ^ Hemchandra, R. (1972). Political History of Ancient India. Calcutta: University of Calcutta.
  10. ^ ÇAĞMAN, FİLİZ; TANINDI, ZEREN (2011). "Selections from Jalayirid Books in the Libraries of Istanbul" (PDF). Muqarnas. 28: 230, 258 Fig.56. ISSN 0732-2992. JSTOR 23350289.
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  28. ^ Lochtefeld 2002, p. 208.
  29. ^ Parmita Borah (2 October 2011). "Durga Puja - a Celebration of Female Supremacy". EF News International. Archived from the original on 25 April 2012. Retrieved 26 October 2011.
  30. ^ McDermott 2001, pp. 172–174.
  31. ^ Foulston & Abbott 2009, pp. 162–169.
  32. ^ Rodrigues 2003, pp. 7–8.
  33. ^ Daniélou 1991, p. 288.
  34. ^ McDaniel 2004, pp. 215–219.
  35. ^ McDaniel 2004, pp. 20–21, 217–219.
  36. ^ Kinsley 1988, pp. 111–112.
  37. ^ Donner 2016, p. 25.
  38. ^ Christian Roy (2005). Traditional Festivals: A Multicultural Encyclopedia. ABC-CLIO. pp. 192–193. ISBN 978-1-57607-089-5.
  39. ^ Hindus around the world celebrate Ram Navami today, DNA, 8 April 2014
  40. ^ James B. Minahan (30 August 2012). Ethnic Groups of South Asia and the Pacific: An Encyclopedia: An Encyclopedia. Abc-Clio. ISBN 9781598846607.
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Bibliography

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  • Tukol, T. K. (1980). Compendium of Jainism. Dharwad: University of Karnataka.
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Wikisource has the text of the 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica article "Mithila".
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