Mithila (proposed Indian state)

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Mithila
Proposed state
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Mithila region of India.png
CountryFlag of India.svg  India
Region Mithila
Language Maithili

Mithila is a proposed state in India, comprising the Maithili speaking region of Bihar and Jharkhand. The Maithili language has own traditional script, known as Mithilakshar. It is part of the historical Mithila region. [1] The proposed state will also include Whole Angika and Bajjika speaking districts which are considered to be dialects of Maithili. [2]

Contents

There was also a movement in the Maithili speaking areas of Nepal for a separate state which ended in 2015, after Constitution of Nepal (2015) ensured it in form of province two. [3]

History

Dr Laksman Jha and Others demanded a Mithila state shortly after independence and the former Chief Minister of Bihar, Jagannath Mishra has also expressed support for the creation of the state. [1]

Various organisations have been formed that demand the formation of a state including the Maithil Mahasabha and the Mithilanchal Vikash Congress the former received support from Raj Darbhanga. [4] Various demonstrations have taken place demanding a Mithila state with a major protest taking place in Delhi in 2009 organised by the Akhil Bharatiya Mithila Rajya Sangharsh Samiti. [5]

Political support

Mithila Rajya Nirman Sena

Mithila Rajya Nirman Sena also did a Sankalp yatra under his leadership in 2017 and 2021 to create awareness and support for the movement [6]

Bharatiya Janata Party

Janata Dal (United)

Rashtriya Janata Dal

Justification for Separation

The demand for separate Mithila state has been there since creation of State of Bihar in 1912. [14]

Challenges

Mithila is a poor and flood-prone region dependent on subsistence agriculture, leading to doubts over its economically feasibility as a separate state. [16]

The demand for a separate Mithila stems mostly from Darbhanga-Madhubani region, with virtually no support from Tirhut, Seemanchal, Angika speaking Bhagalpur & Munger divisions and Bhojpuri speaking East & West Champaran districts. [17]

See also

Related Research Articles

Bihari languages are a group of the Indo-Aryan languages. The Bihari languages are mainly spoken in the Indian states of Bihar, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal, and also in Nepal. The most widely spoken languages of the Bihari group are Bhojpuri, Magahi and Maithili.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Maithili language</span> Indo-Aryan language spoken in India and Nepal

Maithili is an Indo-Aryan language spoken in parts of India and Nepal. It is native to the Mithila region, which encompasses parts of the eastern Indian states of Bihar and Jharkhand as well as the Nepal's Koshi and Madhesh Provinces. It is one of the 22 scheduled languages of India. It is the second most commonly spoken language of Nepal. It is also one of the fourteen provincial official languages of Nepal.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Magahi language</span> Indo-Aryan language spoken in India

Magahi, also known as Magadhi, is a Indo-Aryan language spoken in Bihar, Jharkhand and West Bengal states of eastern India, and in the Terai of Nepal. Magadhi Prakrit was the ancestor of Magahi, from which the latter's name derives.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Madhubani district</span> District in Bihar, India

Madhubani district is one of the thirty-eight districts of Bihar, India, and is a part of Darbhanga division. Its administrative headquarters are located in Madhubani. The district has an area of 3,501 square kilometres (1,352 sq mi) and has a population of 4,487,379.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Maithils</span> Maithili speaking ethno-linguistic group

Maithils, also known as Maithili people, are an Indo-Aryan cultural and ethno-linguistic group from the Indian subcontinent, who speak the Maithili language as their native language. They inhabit the Mithila region, which comprises Northern and Eastern Bihar and Northeastern Jharkhand in India & in Nepal constituting Madhesh Province in addition to some terai districts of Bagmati and Koshi Provinces.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Panjis</span> Genealogical records in Mithila

Panjis or Panji Prabandh are extensive genealogical records maintained among the Maithili Kayasthas and Maithili Brahmins of the Mithila region similar to the Hindu genealogy registers at Haridwar.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mithila (region)</span> Cultural region in India and Nepal, Asia

Mithila, 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. It comprises certain parts of Bihar and Jharkhand of India and adjoining districts of the Koshi Province, Bagmati Pradesh and Madhesh Province of Nepal. The native language in Mithila is Maithili, and its speakers are referred to as Maithils.

Bajjika is an Indo-Aryan language variety spoken in parts of Bihar, India and in Nepal.

Most of the languages of Bihar, the third most populous state of India, belong to the Bihari subgroup of the Indo-Aryan family. Chief among them are Bhojpuri, spoken in the west of the state, Maithili in the north, Magahi in center around capital Patna and in the south of the state. Maithili has official recognition under the Eighth Schedule to the Constitution of India. The official language of Bihar is Modern Standard Hindi, with Standard Urdu serving as a second official language in 15 districts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Madhwapur</span> Village in Bihar, India

Madhwapur is a village cum block in the Madhubani district of the Mithila region in the state of Bihar in India. Madhwapur is a small block with population of 113,459. It situated on the border of Nepal and India. Business is the main backbone of this village. The native language of the village is Maithili. Apart from the native language some people also speak in the languages of Angika, Hindi and Nepali.

Surjapuri is an Indo-Aryan language of the Bengali-Assamese branch, spoken in Eastern India including North Bengal, West Bengal, and some eastern parts of Purnia division of Bihar, as well as Jhapa District in Nepal, Goalpara Division of Assam in India and Rangpur Division in Bangladesh. Among speakers in some regions, it is known as 'Deshi Bhasa'. It possesses similarities with Kamatapuri, Assamese, Bengali, and Maithili.

Jur Sital or Maithil New Year is the celebration of the first day of the Maithil new year also called Aakhar Bochhor. Maithils eat Bori with Bhaat and Sondesh on the day. This day which usually falls on 14th or 15th April on Gregorian calendar is celebrated by the Maithils and Tharu people of India and Nepal. This is also called Nirayana Mesh Sankranti and Tirhuta new year. The festive occasion is in keeping with the Tirhuta Panchang calendar used in the Mithila region.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Angika</span> Bihari language of India and Nepal

Angika is an Eastern Indo-Aryan language spoken in some parts of the Indian states of Bihar and Jharkhand, as well as in parts of Nepal.

Mithila Student Union (MSU) (Maithili : मिथिला स्टूडेंट यूनियन) is a non-political student organisation whose sole purpose is the development of Mithila and Maithils living in India. It is one of the largest student organisations in Bihar. It is a registered organization under the provisions of the Societies Registration Act, 1860 under the Indian constitution. Anup Maithil is the founder president of Mithila Student Union. They mostly keep Mithila Art Boarded Maroon Gamchha on their Sholder which is the Symbol of Passion, Love, Bravery and Courage.

Kosi-Seemanchal is a subregion of Mithila region in the Northeastern part of Bihar. It consists of Kosi and Purnia divisions. It has seven districts — Araria, Madhepura, Saharsa, Supaul, Purnea, Kishanganj and Katihar.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mithila Makhana</span> Special food of Mithila

Mithila Makhana is a special variety of aquatic fox nut cultivated in Mithila region of Bihar state in India and in Nepal.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mithila State Movement</span> Movement for proposed separate Mithila state in India

Mithila State Movement is a movement advocating a separate Mithila state in India. This movement gained momentum in 1902 AD when Sir George Grierson, an official of the British Indian government, prepared a map of Mithila state by conducting a language-based survey. In 1881 AD, the word Mithila was added to the dictionary of the British India government. According to the founder, president Dr. Dhanakar Thakur of the International Maithili Council in the proposed Mithila state, 24 districts of Bihar and six districts of Jharkhand, a total of 30 districts, have been included, which has a population of about 70 million. At the same time, the area is 70 thousand square km.

<i>Aina-i-Tirhut</i> Book written by Bihari Lal Fitrat

'Aina-i-Tirhut is a history book written by Bihari Lal Fitrat in Urdu language. It is one of the first attempt to cataloguing and compiling the history of Mithila, Bihar. It was first published in 1883 by Bahar Kashmir Press, Lucknow. The book full name is 'Tawarikh-ul-Fitrat Maroof Aina-i-Tirhut'.

Laxman Jha was a freedom fighter in the freedom movement of India from the Mithila region. He was also a pioneer activist in the separate Mithila state movement.

Mithila Rajya Sangharsh Samiti is a social organisation in India which advocates the demand of separate Mithila state for Maithils in the present state of Bihar. It organises several protests in the favour of creation of separate Mithila state in India. It had been continuously staging a strike for a separate Mithila state on the first day of every session of the Indian parliament for the previous several years at the premises of the Jantar Mantar in the national capital New Delhi of India.

References

  1. 1 2 Kumāra, Braja Bihārī (1998). Small States Syndrome in India. Concept Publishing Company. p. 146. ISBN   9788170226918. Archived from the original on 17 February 2017. Retrieved 16 February 2017.
  2. ↑ L. P. Vidyarthi (1981). "Development of Researches in Anthropology in India: A Case Study of Bihar". Archived from the original on 20 February 2017. Retrieved 19 February 2017.
  3. ↑ Gellner, D.; Pfaff-Czarnecka, J.; Whelpton, J. (6 December 2012). Nationalism and Ethnicity in a Hindu Kingdom: The Politics and Culture of contemporary Nepal. Routledge. p. 251. ISBN   9781136649561. Archived from the original on 22 March 2017. Retrieved 21 March 2017.
  4. ↑ Kumāra, Braja Bihārī (1998). Small States Syndrome in India. Concept Publishing Company. pp. 148–152. ISBN   9788170226918. Archived from the original on 17 February 2017. Retrieved 16 February 2017.
  5. ↑ "Demonstration planned in Delhi for separate Mithila state | india | Hindustan Times". 14 December 2009. Archived from the original on 20 February 2017. Retrieved 19 February 2017.
  6. ↑ "मिथिला राज्य स्थापना को करेंगे संघर्ष तेज". Archived from the original on 23 October 2021. Retrieved 14 January 2017.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  7. ↑ "Demand for Mithila state gains momentum, politicians join demonstration at Jantar Mantar". Post.jagran.com. 2 August 2011. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 4 May 2012.
  8. ↑ "Maithili speaking people want own state | patna | Hindustan Times". 30 June 2007. Archived from the original on 22 February 2017. Retrieved 21 February 2017.
  9. ↑ "Yahoo Search - Web Search". Archived from the original on 17 March 2013. Retrieved 10 March 2012.
  10. ↑ "article". Post.jagran.com. Archived from the original on 15 January 2012. Retrieved 4 May 2012.
  11. ↑ "राज्य पुनर्गठन : व्यापक हो नजरिया « संपादकीय ब्लॉग". Jagraneditorial.jagranjunction.com. Archived from the original on 25 December 2011. Retrieved 4 May 2012.
  12. ↑ "जेडी(यू) ने पृथक मिथिला राज्य की मांग का समर्थन किया- Navbharat Times". Navbharat Times. 22 January 2008. Retrieved 4 May 2012.
  13. ↑ "Archived copy". The Times of India . Retrieved 10 March 2012.
  14. ↑ "Demand for Mithilanchal: Why carving out a new state from Bihar may backfire". India Today.
  15. ↑ "Who are those demanding a separate Mithila state from Bihar?". 5 July 2022. Retrieved 2 September 2022.
  16. ↑ Darpan Singh (23 August 2022). "Demand for Mithilanchal: Why carving out a new state from Bihar may backfire". India Today.
  17. ↑ Kumāra, Braja Bihārī (1998). Small State Syndrome in India. Concept Publishing Company. p. 148. ISBN   9788170226918 . Retrieved 2 September 2022.

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