Motihari

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Motihari
City
Motihari station, India, ca. 1906 (IMP-CSCNWW33-OS14-6).jpg
ARERAJ INSCRIPTIONS.jpg
Kesariya-0.jpg
Bihar Government Banner.png
Nickname: 
Lake city
India Bihar location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Motihari
Location in Bihar, India
Coordinates: 26°39′00″N84°55′00″E / 26.65000°N 84.91667°E / 26.65000; 84.91667
CountryFlag of India.svg  India
State Bihar Government Banner.png Bihar
District East Champaran
Ward(s)46
Founded byMoti singh & Hari singh
Named for Champak’ and ‘Aranya’.
Government
  Type Municipal corporation
  BodyMotihari Municipal Corporation [1]
  MLAPramod Kumar (BJP) [2]
  MayorPreeti Kumari
Area
  Total
236.97 km2 (91.49 sq mi)
  Rank04
Elevation
62 m (203 ft)
Population
 (2011) [3]
  Total
426,158
  Density1,800/km2 (4,700/sq mi)
Demonym(s) Motiharivashi, Champaran vashi
Language
  Official Hindi [4]
  Additional official Urdu [4]
  Regional Bhojpuri [5]
Time zone UTC+5:30 (IST)
PIN
845401, [6] 845435, 845437
Telephone code06252
ISO 3166 code IN-BR
Vehicle registration BR-05
Lok Sabha constituency Purvi Champaran
Vidhan Sabha constituency Motihari
Website eastchamparan.bih.nic.in

Motihari is a city and headquarters of East Champaran district in the Indian state of Bihar. It is located 80 kilometres west of Muzaffarpur and 152 kilometres northwest of the state capital Patna. In early days the land of Motihari was ruled by different kingdoms as Videha, Sunga, Kanvas. It is also believed that Champaran used to be a major part of King Janak's empire. Mahatma Gandhi started his famous Satyagraha movement from here.

Contents

Geography

Motihari is located on 26°39' N and 84°55' E in northwestern Bihar. [7] It is about 165 km (103 mi) northwest from the state capital Patna, 45 km (28 mi) from Bettiah, 72 km (45 mi) from Muzaffarpur, 32 km (20 mi) from Chakia, 40 km (25 mi) from Mehsi, and 75 km (47 mi) from Sitamarhi. It is on the east bank of a lake, about 40 km (25 mi) southeast of Bettiah.

Birthplace of George Orwell, Motihari, District-East Champaran (Bihar) Birth-Place-George-Orwell-Motihari.jpg
Birthplace of George Orwell, Motihari, District-East Champaran (Bihar)

Topography

Motihari station, India, ca. 1906 Motihari station, India, ca. 1906 (IMP-CSCNWW33-OS14-6).jpg
Motihari station, India, ca. 1906

The topography of Motihari has been described as scenic, with the "stunning beauty" (in classical terms) of Moti Jheel Lake dividing the town in two halves. [8]

In Gangan Lit-Mag (Gangway Literary Magazine), Austria, wrote Anant Kumar: "The playgrounds of my childhood were the streets of Motihari. Back then that little East Indian town was not overpopulated, and the dry, clean streets of every part of town were ideal for our games: marbles, tops, badminton. And back then Motihari was a wide distance away from the big world. There were very many mango and lichee trees, fragrant lemon bushes, broad, large fields…and very few people. There were scattered decrepit hawelis and bungalows, in which frightening bhuts, geniis and juraels dwelled." [9]

The Gandhi Sangrahalaya has a wide collection of relics and photographs of the Champaran Satyagraha. The Gandhian Memorial Pillar was designed by Nand Lal Bose, a famous artist of Shantiniketan. [10] The foundation stone of the pillar was laid on 10 June 1972 by the then Governor, D. K. Barooch. It is a 48-foot (15 m) tall stone pillar and is situated at the same site where Mahatma Gandhi was presented in court.

Climate

Climate is characterised by high temperatures and precipitation mainly occurring during the Monsoon Season [June to September]. The Köppen Climate Classification sub-type for this climate is "Cwa" (Humid Subtropical). The highest maximum temperature ever recorded in Motihari was 44.4 °C on May 24, 1903, while the lowest minimum temperature ever recorded in Motihari was 0.0 °C on February 3, 1905. [11] The heaviest rainfall recorded in 24 hours in Motihari was 520 mm on 25 August 2005.

Climate data for Motihari
MonthJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecYear
Record high °C (°F)31.3
(88.3)
35.6
(96.1)
42.9
(109.2)
42.2
(108.0)
44.4
(111.9)
43.3
(109.9)
42.8
(109.0)
40.5
(104.9)
40.5
(104.9)
38.4
(101.1)
35.6
(96.1)
30.0
(86.0)
44.4
(111.9)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F)22.4
(72.3)
25.2
(77.4)
31.0
(87.8)
35.3
(95.5)
35.7
(96.3)
34.8
(94.6)
32.4
(90.3)
32.4
(90.3)
32.2
(90.0)
31.5
(88.7)
28.7
(83.7)
24.4
(75.9)
30.5
(86.9)
Daily mean °C (°F)15.4
(59.7)
17.8
(64.0)
22.9
(73.2)
27.4
(81.3)
29.3
(84.7)
29.9
(85.8)
28.9
(84.0)
28.9
(84.0)
28.3
(82.9)
26.1
(79.0)
21.5
(70.7)
17.1
(62.8)
24.4
(75.9)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F)8.4
(47.1)
10.5
(50.9)
14.8
(58.6)
19.6
(67.3)
23.0
(73.4)
25.1
(77.2)
25.4
(77.7)
25.5
(77.9)
24.5
(76.1)
20.7
(69.3)
14.4
(57.9)
9.8
(49.6)
18.5
(65.3)
Record low °C (°F)2.2
(36.0)
0.0
(32.0)
5.6
(42.1)
8.3
(46.9)
13.7
(56.7)
15.4
(59.7)
18.9
(66.0)
19.9
(67.8)
18.4
(65.1)
11.4
(52.5)
6.4
(43.5)
1.7
(35.1)
0.0
(32.0)
Average rainfall mm (inches)12.2
(0.48)
14.3
(0.56)
9.1
(0.36)
24.6
(0.97)
51.9
(2.04)
215.0
(8.46)
366.4
(14.43)
289.6
(11.40)
247.6
(9.75)
50.8
(2.00)
4.2
(0.17)
4.7
(0.19)
1,290.4
(50.80)
Average rainy days1.11.30.71.63.08.513.811.68.82.20.20.553.3
Average relative humidity (%) (at 17:30 IST)69.058.049.046.052.068.080.080.079.073.071.070.066.0
Source: Indian Meteorological Department

Demographics

Religions in Motihari (2011)
ReligionPercent
Hindus
77.45%
Muslims
21.90%
Others
0.65%

As of 2011 Indian Census, Motihari had a total population of 126,158, of which 67,861 were males and 58,297 were females, with a sex ratio of 859. Population within the age group of 0 to 6 years was 16,870. The total number of literates in Motihari was 92,798, which constituted 73.6% of the population with male literacy of 76.2% and female literacy of 70.5%. The effective literacy rate of 7+ population of Motihari was 84.9%, of which male literacy rate was 88.1% and female literacy rate was 81.2%. The Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes population was 7,373 and 333 respectively. Motihari had 22,224 households in 2011. [3]

As of 2001 India census, the population of Motihari in 2011 was 101,506, of which male and female were 54,629 and 46,877, respectively. The sex ratio of Motihari city is 858 per 1,000 males. Total literates in Motihari city are 69,576 of which 40,265 were males while 29,311 were females. The crude literacy rate of 68.5% and effective literacy (7+ population) per cent of 80.3%. The children aged 0–6 in Motihari city are 14,910, as per the Census India report, in 2001, with 7,811 males and 7,099 females. The child sex ratio of girls is 909 per 1,000 boys. [12]

Education

Motihari College of Engineering Mce photo.jpg
Motihari College of Engineering

The city hosts a number of institutes and universities for higher education supported by both state and central governments.

Notable people

George Orwell GeoreOrwell.jpg
George Orwell
Ramesh Chandra Jha R.C.Jha.jpg
Ramesh Chandra Jha
Thakur Ramapati Singh Thakur Ramapati Singh.jpg
Thakur Ramapati Singh
Sanjeev K Jha Screenwriter Sanjeev K Jha.jpg
Sanjeev K Jha
Anant Kumar Anant Kumar Dresden 2008.jpg
Anant Kumar
Both Haque and Bose eventually received honoraria and recognition from the Government of India. At the time of final approval of the honorarium for Haque, the Home Department (Government of India) noted, "It appears from the information now received that he (Haque) was Sir Edward Henry's principal helper in perfecting the scheme and he actually himself devised the method of classification which is in universal use. He thus contributed most materially to a discovery which is of worldwide importance and has brought a great credit to the police of India." [21] Upon retirement from the Police service in Bengal and Bihar, Khan Bahadur Azizul Huq settled in Motihari, and he is buried there.

Vallabha was born in a Telugu Tailang Brahmin family that was residing in Motihari. They escaped to Kashi of United Provinces state while expecting a Muslim invasion in Varanasi during the late 15th century.[2]

Connection with Gandhi

Motihari, at that time simply called Champaran, was close to Mahatma Gandhi. He came to Motihari on April 15, [30] 1917 [31] with Raj Kumar Shukla to start the Satyagraha movement in Champaran, known as Champaran Satyagraha, which concerned the exploitations of farmers. [32] [33] Gandhi with his supporters held a big campaign in Champaran. [34] His frequent visits to Champaran and its local areas showed the Gandhi's connection with land. He also understood the cultural and social backwardness of the area, he acted immediately by creating schools and ashrams. [35]

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