Sitamarhi district

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Sitamarhi district
Sitamarhi district
Janaki kund, Sitamarhi, Bihar.jpg
Janaki Kund, Sitamarhi
Bihar district location map Sitamarhi.svg
Location of Sitamarhi district in Bihar
CountryFlag of India.svg  India
State Bihar
Region Mithila
Division Tirhut
Headquarters Dumra, Sitamarhi
Government
   Lok Sabha constituencies Sitamarhi
   Vidhan Sabha constituencies Riga, Bathnaha, Parihar, Sursand, Bajpatti, Sitamarhi, Runnisaidpur, Belsand
Area
  Total2,185 km2 (844 sq mi)
Population
 (2022)
  Total3,423,574
  Density1,600/km2 (4,100/sq mi)
   Urban
5.71 per cent
Demographics
   Literacy 53.53 per cent
  Sex ratio899 females \ 1000 males
Time zone UTC+05:30 (IST)
Major highways NH 104
HDI (2016)Increase2.svg 0.132 [1] (low)
Website sitamarhi.nic.in

Sitamarhi is one of the districts in the Mithila region of the Indian state of Bihar, India. Dumra is the administrative headquarters of this district. The district is a part of the Tirhut Division and is located along the border of Nepal.

Contents

History

This place is considered as birthplace of Sita, the main character of the epic Ramayana and a temple dedicated to Sita lies near Sitamarhi town. [2] A Rock cut sanctuary of Mauryan period is found near Sitamarhi. [3]

In 1875, a Sitamarhi subdistrict was created within the Muzaffarpur district. [4] Sitmarhi was detached from Muzaffarpur and became a separate district as of 11 December 1972. [5] It is situated in the northern part of Bihar. The district headquarters is located in Dumra, five kilometers south of Sitamarhi.[ clarification needed ]

Sitamarhi district became a full-fledged district when it was split from Muzaffarpur district in 1972. [6] 1994 saw the split of Sheohar district from Sitamarhi. [6]

The district was a part of the Red Corridor.The Indian government recently declared it naxal-free.

Communal riots

Sitamarhi district has a history of communal riots dating back to the partition of India. [7] In 1948, violence broke out in Belsand, following by riots in 1959 over issue of the Mahavir Flag; roughly 50 people, mostly Muslims, were killed. Further violence occurred around the issue of Durga Mela - these riots began after a false rumour that Muslims had slaughtered a cow, which was eventually found alive. Another riot in 1959 on the issue of cow slaughter killed 11 people, again mostly Muslims, and destroyed 200 houses. Subsequent riots occurred in 1967, 1968, 1969, and 1989.

Geography

Sitamarhi district occupies an area of 2,294 square kilometres (886 sq mi), [8] comparatively equivalent to Australia's Groote Eylandt. [9]

It is bordered by Nepal to the north, Madhubani district to the east, Darbhanga and Muzaffarpur districts to the south, and Sheohar and East Champaran districts to the west.

It is situated on a flood plain. In August 2019, Sitamarhi district suffered heavy flooding.

Politics

DistrictNo.ConstituencyNamePartyAllianceRemarks
Sitamarhi 23 Riga Moti Lal Prasad BJP NDA
24 Bathnaha Anil Kumar BJP NDA
25 Parihar Gayatri Devi Yadav BJP NDA
26 Sursand Dilip Kumar Ray JD(U) NDA
27 Bajpatti Mukesh Kumar Yadav RJD MGB
28 Sitamarhi Mithilesh Kumar BJP NDA
29 Runnisaidpur Pankaj Kumar Mishra JD(U) NDA
30 Belsand Sanjay Kumar Gupta RJD MGB

Block

1. Dumra, Sitamarhi
2. Runni Saidpur
3. Parihar
4. Bathnaha
5. Sonbarsa
6. Bajpatti
7. Sursand
8. Riga
9. Nanpur
10. Pupri
11. Bairgania
12. Bokhara
13. Suppi
14. Belsand
15. Majorganj
16. [Parsauni]
17. Choraut

Economy

It is one of the 38 districts in Bihar currently receiving funds from the Backward Regions Grant Fund Programme (BRGF). [10]

Education

The following is a list of Schools in Sitamarhi, Bihar, India

Tourism

Transport

National Highway 77 connects the area to the Muzaffarpur district and Patna to the South. Sitamarhi has road connections to adjoining districts, of which the major examples are National Highway 77 and National Highway 227. It is situated on the Darbhanga Narkatiaganj railway line and has the largest railway station of the district. Another broad gauge track, running between Muzaffarpur and Sitamarhi. Direct train services are available to places such as New Delhi, Kolkata, Varanasi, Hyderabad and Kanpur. State highways link it to the Madhubani (to the east) and Sheohar (to the west) districts. Railway lines connect Sitamarhi to Darbhanga in east, and to Muzaffarpur in the south and to Raxaul in the west. Sitamarhi has a railway junction. Sitamarhi railway station is on the Raxaul-Darbhanga rail route.

The nearest airport to Sitamarhi is the Darbhanga Airport which is about 70 km from Sitamarhi.

The Sitamarhi-Bhitthamore Road is important for religious reasons as it connects Janakpur, which houses a 200-year-old Janki Temple with Sitamarhi—considered to be the birth place of Goddess Sita.

National Highway 227 passes through Bhitthamore. Thus it is a gateway to Janakpur, Nepal and other parts of Sitamarhi & Madhubani.

Demographics

Historical population
YearPop.±% p.a.
1901782,557    
1911807,936+0.32%
1921782,221−0.32%
1931835,055+0.66%
1941921,265+0.99%
1951999,655+0.82%
19611,158,546+1.49%
19711,323,793+1.34%
19811,627,716+2.09%
19912,013,796+2.15%
20012,682,720+2.91%
20113,423,574+2.47%
source: [11]
Religions in Sitamarhi district (2011) [12]
ReligionPercent
Hinduism
78.06%
Islam
21.62%
Other or not stated
0.32%

According to the 2011 census Sitamarhi district has a population of 3,423,574, [13] roughly equal to the nation of Panama [14] or the US state of Connecticut. [15] This gives it a ranking of 96th in India (out of a total of 640). [13] The district has a population density of 1,491 inhabitants per square kilometre (3,860/sq mi). [13] Its population growth rate over the decade 2001-2011 was 27.47%. [13] Sitamarhi has a sex ratio of 899 females for every 1000 males, [13] and a literacy rate of 53.53%. 5.56% of the population lives in urban areas. Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes make up 11.85% and 0.09% of the population respectively. [13]

Languages of Sitamarhi district (2011) [16]

  'Other' Hindi (49.14%)
   Hindi (33.46%)
   Urdu (13.96%)
   Maithili (3.25%)
  Others (0.19%)

At the time of the 2011 Census of India, 33.46% of the population spoke Hindi, 13.96% Urdu and 3.25% Maithili as their first language. 49.14% of the population recorded their language as 'Others' under Hindi. [16] The main dialect of the region is the Bajjika dialect of Maithili.

Notable people

Related Research Articles

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

Sitamarhi is an Indian city in the Mithila region of Bihar. It is the district headquarters of the Sitamarhi district and is a part of Tirhut Division. The city was named in honour of the birthplace of the goddess, Sita. The Bihar government declared Sitamarhi a municipal council.

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

Darbhanga is the fifth largest city and municipal corporation in the state of Bihar in India, and is considered an important city in North Bihar. It serves as the headquarters of the Darbhanga district and the Darbhanga division. It is held that the name Darbhanga has been derived from Dwar Banga or Dari – Banga, meaning the 'door of Bengal'.

Bairgania is a town and notified area in the Sitamarhi district in the state of Bihar, India. Bairgania is one of the blocks of Sitamarhi districts and is a border of India that links Nepal via Rautahat District through a custom checkpoint. Bairgania is the first town of India that is located on the bank of the Bagmati River.It has a good government medical hospital and experience doctors such as alumni from PMCH.

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

Raxaul is a sub-divisional town in the East Champaran district of the Indian state of Bihar. It is situated at the India-Nepal border with Birgunj city (Nepal). Raxaul is a major railway junction.

Janakpur Road is a town and a notified area in Sitamarhi district in the Indian state of Bihar.

Sitaram Yadav is an Indian politician who was a member of the 14th Lok Sabha of India. He represented the Sitamarhi constituency of Bihar as a member of the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) political party.

Ratwara a village in Sitamarhi district of Bihar, India also known as Vishnupur Ratwara or Bishunpur Ratwara.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dumra, Sitamarhi district</span> Town in Bihar, India

Dumra is a town and a notified area in Sitamarhi district in Bihar, India. Dumra is the headquarter of Sitamarhi district. It has approximately 16 wards.

Sita Kund is a Hindu pilgrimage site that honours the birthplace of the goddess, Sita. The Punaura Dham Janki Mandir is a Hindu pilgrimage site in Sitamarhi district, Bihar, which has an ancient Hindu temple. It is situated 5 km west of Sitamarhi City and a popular visitor's attraction.

Vijoy 15 million people voted in the state of Bihar in the 1971 Indian general election, a turnout of 49%. The Indian National Congress won 39 seats from a total of 53.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">North Bihar</span> Geographic Region in Bihar, India

North Bihar is a term used for the region of Bihar, India, which lies north of the Ganga river.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Barauni–Gorakhpur, Raxaul and Jainagar lines</span> Railway line in India

The Barauni–Gorakhpur, Raxaul and Jainagar lines are a set of three lines connecting Barauni in the Indian state of Bihar with Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh. The lines run in an east–west direction between the Ganges and India-Nepal border, covering northern Bihar west of the Kosi river and eastern Uttar Pradesh. The southernmost of the lines connects via Hajipur Junction, Sonpur Junction,Chhapra and Siwan Junction. The central line connects via Muzaffarpur, Motihari and Sugauli. The northern line connects via Darbhanga, Sitamarhi and Raxaul. The lines have interconnections between them and the northern line has extensions to places near the India–Nepal border.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Uttar Bihar Gramin Bank</span> Italian regional rural bank

Uttar Bihar Gramin Bank is a regional rural bank (RRB) in the State of Bihar, India. It is under the ownership of Ministry of Finance, Government of India. It is one of the largest regional rural banks in India in terms of branch network, staff strength and area of operation.

The Muzaffarpur–Gorakhpur line is a set of three lines connecting Muzaffarpur in the Indian state of Bihar with Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh. The lines run in an east–west direction between the Gandak and India–Nepal border, covering North Bihar west of the Kosi river and eastern Uttar Pradesh. The southernmost of the three lines connects via Hajipur Junction, Sonpur Junction and Chhapra. The central line connects via Motihari and Sugauli. The northern line connects via Sitamarhi and Raxaul. The lines have interconnections between them and the northern line has extensions to places near the India–Nepal border.

The Muzaffarpur–Sitamarhi section is a railway line connecting Muzaffarpur to Sitamarhi in the Indian state of Bihar. The 65.8 km (40.9 mi) line passes through the plains of North Bihar.

Jawabipur is a Colony/Nagar in Sitamarhi Municipal Corporation of Sitamarhi District, in Bihar, India. It is administered by the Sitamarhi Nagar nigam Nagar Nigam of Tirhut Division. Some are the Localities/Landmark in Jawabipur are Durga Chowk, Shakya Chowk, Hanuman Chowk, Utkramit Madhya Vidhyalaya, Hanuman Mandir, Brahm Sthan, Maharani Sthan, Athani and Bholahiya. It is situated 7 km (4.3 mi) away from sub-district headquarter Dumra and 6 km (3.7 mi) away from district headquarter Sitamarhi. Maithili and Vajjika is the Local Language here. JDU, BJP, RJD, and INC are the major political parties in this area. Nearest cities are Sitamarhi, Muzaffarpur, Darbhanga, Patna and Motihari. Most residents from Jawabipur having surname Mahto, Kushwaha, Shakya, Singh, Paswan, Sharma and Ram. Kushwaha family from Jawabipur claim that they are descent from Emperor Ashoka. Samrat Ashoka the great belongs to the Maurya dynasty, which was one of the dynasties in ancient Indian history. Chandragupt Maurya was the founder of Maurya dynasty and the first emperor to unify most of the Indian subcontinent.

Lataraha is a small village in Jalley Block in Darbhanga District of Bihar, India. It belongs to Darbhanga Division. It is 35 km (22 mi) north-west of Darbhanga district headquarters and 122 km (76 mi) from the state capital at Patna. The nearest satellite town is Jalley (3 km) and nearest popular market is Pupri (12 km) in Sitamadhi district.

Sitamarhi Junction railway station is a main railway station in Sitamarhi district, Bihar. Its code is SMI. It serves Sitamarhi City. The station consists of five platforms. It is an A category railway station of the Samastipur railway division.

Janakpur Road railway station is a small railway station in Sitamarhi district, Bihar. Its code is JNR. It serves Janakpur Road town. The station consists of 2 platforms. It's B category railway station of Samastipur railway division.

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

Shrikhandi Bhittha or Bhitthamore is an Indian village in the Mithila region of Bihar, situated near the Indo-Nepal border, on the banks of the perennial Ratnawati (Raato) river.

References

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  3. Sen, S N (1999). Ancient Indian History And Civilization. New Age International. p. 166. ISBN   9788122411980 . Retrieved 20 March 2013.
  4. Official Website of the District and Civil Court of Sitmahri Archived 2010-05-25 at the Wayback Machine , Retrieved 26 May 2010
  5. District Health Action Plan Archived 2011-11-25 at the Wayback Machine , National Rural Health Mission, Government of Bihar, Retrieved 25 May 2010
  6. 1 2 Law, Gwillim (25 September 2011). "Districts of India". Statoids. Archived from the original on 17 October 2011. Retrieved 11 October 2011.
  7. Engineer, Asghar Ali (1992). "Sitamarhi on Fire". Economic and Political Weekly. 27 (46): 2462–2464. ISSN   0012-9976. JSTOR   4399118.
  8. Srivastava, Dayawanti, ed. (2010). "States and Union Territories: Bihar: Government". India 2010: A Reference Annual (54th ed.). New Delhi, India: Additional Director General, Publications Division, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (India), Government of India. pp. 1118–1119. ISBN   978-81-230-1617-7.
  9. "Island Directory Tables: Islands by Land Area". United Nations Environment Program. 18 February 1998. Archived from the original on 1 December 2015. Retrieved 11 October 2011. Groote Eylandt 2,285km2
  10. Ministry of Panchayati Raj (8 September 2009). "A Note on the Backward Regions Grant Fund Programme" (PDF). National Institute of Rural Development. Archived from the original (PDF) on 5 April 2012. Retrieved 27 September 2011.
  11. Decadal Variation In Population Since 1901
  12. "Table C-01 Population by Religion: Bihar". censusindia.gov.in. Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India. 2011.
  13. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "District Census Handbook: Sitamarhi" (PDF). Census of India . Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India. 2011.
  14. US Directorate of Intelligence. "Country Comparison:Population". Archived from the original on 27 September 2011. Retrieved 1 October 2011. Panama 3,460,462 July 2011 est.
  15. "2010 Resident Population Data". U. S. Census Bureau. Archived from the original on 19 October 2013. Retrieved 30 September 2011. Connecticut 3,574,097
  16. 1 2 "Table C-16 Population by Mother Tongue: Bihar". censusindia.gov.in. Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India. 2011.

26°36′00″N85°29′00″E / 26.60000°N 85.48333°E / 26.60000; 85.48333