History of Mithila Region

Mithila (IAST: mithilā, also known as Mithilanchal, Tirhut and Tirabhukti) is a geographical and cultural region located in the Indian subcontinent, comprising Tirhut, Darbhanga, Kosi, Purnia of India[1] and some adjoining districts of Nepal. The native language is known as Maithili and its speakers are referred to as Maithils.[2] The majority of the Mithila region falls within modern-day India, more specifically in the state of Bihar.[3] Mithila is bounded in the north by the Himalayas, and in the south, west and east by the Ganges, Gandaki and Mahananda respectively.[4][5] It extends into the southeastern Terai of Nepal.[6][7][8] This region was also called Tirabhukti, the ancient name of Tirhut.[9]

Ancient history
See also: Mithila (region)

The name Mithila is believed to be derived from the King Mithi. He established Mithilapuri.[10] Since he was born out of the body of his father, he was called Janaka.

After this, the later kings of Mithila adopted the title Janaka. The most famous Janaka was Seeradhwaja Janaka, father of Sita. There were 52 kings in the dynasty of Janaka.[11]

The region was also known as Videha. The kingdom of Videha is mentioned for the first time in Yajurveda Samhita. Mithila, is mentioned in Buddhist Jatakas, the Brahamanas, the Puranas (described in detail in Brhadvisnu Purana) and various epics such as the Ramayana and the Mahabharata.

However, according to the Shatapatha Brahmana, a chieftain named Videha Mathava migrated from the Saraswati Valley to Mithila during the Vedic period and established the Videha kingdom.[12] This leads to confusion whether the Videha kingdom was established during the Vedic period or not, since one of the Janakas of Videha was also the father-in-law of King Rama, who ruled much earlier. Archaeological evidence is lacking to realistically assess the period of their migration.

A list of kings is mentioned in Mahabharata and Jatakas. All the kings either adopted the title Videha or Janaka.[10]

Vedic period, Videha Kingdom
Main article: Videha

During the Vedic period, Mithila was the centre of the Videha kingdom.[13] The rulers of the Videha kingdom were called Janakas.

c. 600 BCE–c. 300 BCE, Vajji Mahajanapada
Main article: Vajji

Following the fall of the Videhas, Mithila came under the control of the Vajji mahajanapada which was a confederacy of clans the most famous of which was the Licchavi.[14] The capital was in the city of Vaishali in modern-day Bihar.[15] Mithila under the Vajji's was eventually conquered by the king of Magadha, Ajatashatru.

6th century to 11th century: Pala and Sena rule

Mithila was a tributary of the Pala Empire for almost three centuries. The rulers of the Pala Empire were followers of Buddhism and according to some texts, they were Kayasthas. Their capital is believed to be located at present town of Balirajgarh (Babubarhi-Madhubani district). The last king of the Pala Empire was Madanapala. Madanapal was a weak king, as he was defeated by Samanta Sena's army, eventually leading to the establishment of the Sena Dynasty.

The founder of the Pala Empire was Gopala. He was the first independent Buddhist king of Bengal and came to power in 750 in Gaur by democratic election, which was unique at the time. He reigned from 750 to 770 and consolidated his position by extending his control over all of Bengal. His successors Dharmapala (r. 770-810) and Devapala (r. 810-850) expanded the empire across the northern and eastern Indian subcontinent. The Pala Empire eventually disintegrated in the 12th century under the attack of the Sena Dynasty.

Sena Dynasty belonged to Brahmakshatriya(The Brahmin who rulled as Kshatriya) according to their copperplates.[16] They were ardent followers of Hinduism and hence, people of Mithila, themselves being followers of Hinduism, helped Samanta Sena in defeating Madanapala. Eminent scholar Vachaspati Mishra (from village Thardhi in Madhubani district) was from this period.

11th century to 14th century: Simroon/Karnata Dynasty
Main article: Karnat Dynasty

The Karnata or Simroon dynasty was founded by Nanyadeva with the capital being in Simraon in Mithila.[17][18][19][20][21][22]

In the court of Hari Singh Deva the Royal Priest was Jyotirishwar, the author of Varna Ratnakar. Upon Ghiyasuddin Tughlak's invasion of Mithila (Tirhut), King Harisimhadeva, along with many Maithil Brahmins, fled to Nepal and founded a new dynasty in Nepal.[23]

The dynasty had six kings of note:[24]

  • Nanyadeva (Nanya Singh Dev) apart from being a great warrior, also had a keen interest in music. He classified and analyzed the Ragas and opines Madhya Laya is chosen for Hasya (humorous) and Sringar (libido) rasa, Bilambit is chosen for Karun (compassion) rasa and Drut is chosen for Veer (brave), Rodra (anger), Adbhut (marvellous) and Bhayanak (fearful) rasas. He wrote a treaty on music 'Saraswati Hridayalankar' which is preserved in the Bhandarkar Research Institute of Pune.[25] Nanya Dev is also considered to be the "forgotten King of Mithila".
  • Gangadeva (Ganga Singh Dev)
  • Narasimhadeva (Nar Singh Dev)
  • Ramasimhadeva (Ram Singh Dev)
  • Shaktisimhadeva (Shakti Singh Dev)
  • Harisimhadeva (Hari Singh Dev) was the most famous. He was instrumental in initiating and implementing Panji Vyavastha or Panji Prabandha in Maithil Brahmins and Maithil Kayasthas (Karn Kayasthas). He was also great patron of art and literature.

14th to 16th century: Oiniwar Dynasty
Main article: Oiniwar Dynasty

In 1325, following the collapse of the Karnat dynasty in 1324,[26] Nath Thakur became the first Maithil ruler. The dynasty that followed from him was called Oiniwar Dynasty, and comprised a further 20 rulers.[27]

1526 to 1577: period of anarchy

Sikandar Lodhi made his son-in-law, Alauddin, the ruler of this area. During this period, Mughal Empire was beginning to take its root in Delhi. Alauddin was not a successful ruler and for next 50 years, anarchy prevailed in Mithila region. During this period the Gandhavariya Rajputs acquired power ruling various estates in the area particularly in Saharsa.[28]

When Akbar became emperor, he tried to bring normalcy to Mithila region. He came to the conclusion that only after a Maithil Brahmin was made King, peace can prevail and rent can be collected in Mithila. In 1577, Emperor Akbar declared Pt. Mahesh Thakkur as the ruler of Mithila. Pt. Mahesh Thakkur was of the mool, Kharaure Bhaur and hence that dynasty was called 'Khandwala Kul' and the capital was made at Rajgram in Madhubani District.

16th century to 20th century : Raj Darbhanga
Main article: Raj Darbhanga

The Khandwala dynasty ruled as the Raj Darbhanga, beginning with Mahesh Thakur, who died in 1558. The last ruler was Kameshwar Singh, whose reign from 1929 came to an end in 1947 with the independence of India, when all the kingdoms merged with Union of India.

References

Notes

    1. Jha, Pankaj Kumar (2010). Sushasan Ke Aaine Mein Naya Bihar. Bihar (India): Prabhat Prakashan. ISBN 9789380186283.
    2. Jha, Makhan (1997). Anthropology of Ancient Hindu Kingdoms: A Study in Civilizational Perspective. p. 27. ISBN 9788175330344. Retrieved 11 January 2017.
    3. Mishra, V. (1979). Cultural Heritage of Mithila. Mithila Prakasana. p. 13. Retrieved 28 December 2016.
    4. 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.
    5. Mishra, V. (1979). Cultural Heritage of Mithila. Allahabad: Mithila Prakasana. p. 13. Retrieved 28 December 2016.
    6. 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.
    7. Kumar, D. (2000). "Mithila after the Janakas". The Proceedings of the Indian History Congress. 60: 51–59.
    8. Radhakrishna Choudhary (1976). A Survey of Maithili Literature. ISBN 9789380538365. Retrieved 22 December 2016.
    9. Yadav, Yogendra P. date missing. Reading Asia: New Research in Asian Studies; Frans Hüsken, Dick van der Meij; Chapter 12 – The Maithili Language at page 240
    10. Encyclopaedia of Hinduism. Nagendra Kumar Singh, p. 3239.
    11. Dr. Kamal Kant Jha, Pt. Sri ganeshrai Vidyabhushan, Dr. Dhanakar Thakur. "A Brief History of Mithila State | Bihar Articles". Archived from the original on 1 March 2012. Retrieved 10 January 2008.CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
    12. Verma, Harsh (2013), "Leadership and Dharma: The Indian Epics Ramayana and Mahabharata and Their Significance for Leadership Today", Fictional Leaders, Palgrave Macmillan UK, pp. 182–201, doi:10.1057/9781137272751_13, ISBN 978-1-349-44498-4
    13. Michael Witzel (1989), Tracing the Vedic dialects in Dialectes dans les litteratures Indo-Aryennes ed. Caillat, Paris, pages 13, 17 116-124, 141-143
    14. Raychaudhuri, Hemchandra (1972), Political History of Ancient India, University of Calcutta, Calcutta, pp. 106–113, 186–90
    15. Milestones Social Science – 6 (History, Geography, Social and Political Life). p. 80. ISBN 9789325982666. Retrieved 26 January 2017.
    16. https://www.nepjol.info/index.php/AV/article/view/12350/10009&ved=2ahUKEwj9rOLn0_PsAhWAyDgGHUjyDOc4ChAWMAN6BAgAEAE&usg=AOvVaw0UE1aB3yvWJ5_PJpYYQSZb
    17. Jha, Makhan (1991). Complex Societies and Other Anthropological Essays. p. 14. ISBN 9788170130703. Retrieved 27 January 2017.
    18. Parishad, Bihar Purāvid (1981). "The Journal of the Bihar Purävid Parishad, Volumes 4-5". p. 414. Retrieved 26 January 2017.
    19. Sinha, Chandreshwar Prasad Narayan (1979). "Mithila Under the Karnatas, C. 1097-1325 A.D". p. 55. Retrieved 26 January 2017.
    20. Choudhary, Radhakrishna (1970). "History of Muslim rule in Tirhut, 1206-1765, A.D." p. 28. Retrieved 26 January 2017.
    21. "The Journal of the Bihar Research Society, Volume 46". 1960. pp. 22–25. Retrieved 26 January 2017.
    22. "Publications, Volume 33". 1935. p. 193. Retrieved 26 January 2017.
    23. "Mithila, Maithili and Maithil: the Field in Historical Context" (PDF). ShodhGanga. INFLIBNET. pp. 88–89, 101–102.
    24. Jha, M. (1997). Anthropology of Ancient Hindu Kingdoms: A Study in Civilizational Perspective. M.D. Publications. p. 153. ISBN 9788175330344. Retrieved 3 February 2017.
    25. http://www.mithilaonline.com/music.html Archived 27 November 2006 at the Wayback Machine accessed on 25 January 2008
    26. Jha, Makhan (1997). Anthropology of Ancient Hindu Kingdoms: A Study in Civilizational Perspective. M.D. Publications Pvt. Ltd. pp. 52–53. ISBN 9788175330344.
    27. Jha, Makhan (1997). Anthropology of Ancient Hindu Kingdoms: A Study in Civilizational Perspective. M.D. Publications Pvt. Ltd. pp. 55–57. ISBN 9788175330344.
    28. "Saharsa [1966]". p. 18. Retrieved 28 January 2017.
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