Champaran | History Of Bihar | Part-2|BPSC Solution

Champaran | History Of Bihar | Part-2|BPSC Solution

Champaran was a district in the state of Bihar. There are now two districts named East Champaran and West Champaran.

The region bordering India and Nepal has been very active during the freedom struggle. Champaran derives its name from Champa + Aranya which means the forest covered with Champa trees.

Mahatma Gandhi launched his first movement from here with the Neel movement against the British. Bettiah is the district headquarters of West Champaran and Motihari in East Champaran.

The ancient historical site Kesariya is located near Lal Chhapra Chowk on Dakshin Sahebganj-Chakia road, 35 km from Champaran. There is a large Buddhist stupa here which is known as Kesariya Stupa.

The history of Champaran has been very proud and important. It is mentioned in the Purana that the devotee Dhruva, the son of King Uttanapada, had done austerities here to attain knowledge at a place called Tapovan.

On one hand, the land of Champaran is sanctified by being a refuge of Goddess Sita, on the other hand, Gandhiji's Champaran Satyagraha in modern India is an invaluable page in the history of Indian independence.

It was a part of the Mithila (Tirhut) region at the time of King Janaka. People believe that Janakigarh, also known as Jankigadh, was the capital of the Mithila region of King Janak. Which later became part of the empire of Vazji in the sixth century BC.

Lord Buddha gave his sermon here, in memory of which Priyadarshi Ashoka erected pillars and built stupas in the third century BC.

After the decline of the Gupta dynasty and the Pala dynasty, Champaran came under the Karnat dynasty. There was direct rule of local satraps till and after Muslim rule.

Also read: History Of Bihar

East Champaran

East Champaran is a district in the Tirhut division of Bihar. Motihari is the headquarters of East Champaran, formed in 1971 by dividing Champaran. To the north of East Champaran lies Nepal and Muzaffarpur on the south, on the other side are the districts of Shivahar and Sitamarhi in the east and West Champaran district in the west.

Tourist places here

Buddhist Stupa of Kesariya

The ancient historical site Kesariya is located near Lal Chhapra Chowk on Sahebganj-Chakia road, 35 km from Motihari. There is a large Buddhist stupa known as Kesariya Stupa. 

After the excavation by the Indian Archaeological Department in 1998, the place has grown in tourism and historical importance. According to archaeologists, this Buddhist stupa is the tallest stupa in the world.

The place is 120 kilometers from the capital Patna and 30 miles from Vaishali. Originally 150 feet high, the height of this stupa was 123 feet before the terrible earthquake in 1934. 

According to Indian archaeologists, the Borobudur Stupa of Java is currently 103 feet high while the Stupa at Kesaria has a height of 104 feet.

Sanchi Stupa, which is included in the World Heritage, has a height of 77.50 feet. Seeing its historical importance, the Bihar government is planning to develop it as a historical tourist destination with the help of the Center. The importance of saffron in Bihar tourism is increasing.

Lauria Village (Ashoka Pillar)

Ashoka Pillar, located in village Lauria of Areraj subdivision, has a height of 36.5 feet. This pillar (made of sandstone) was built by Emperor Ashoka in 249 BC. Priyadarshi Ashoka is written on it.

Its base diameter is 41.8 inches and the peak diameter is 37.6 inches. This pillar is also known as 'Stambha Dharmalekh'. Emperor Ashoka has written about his 6 orders in it. The weight of the pillar (above ground) is around 34 tonnes.

It is estimated that the total weight of this pillar is 40 tons. It is said that there was a statue of the animal on top of this pillar which has been sent to Kolkata Museum. The order written on this column is in 18 lines.

Also read: Modern History Of Bihar

Gandhi Memorial (Motihari)

The foundation stone of Gandhi Memorial Pillar, a symbol of the glory of Champaran, was laid on 10 June 1972 by Governor D.K. Was done by Baruch.

On 18 April 1978, the senior Gandhian Vidyakar poet dedicated this pillar to the nation. 

This pillar was built by Nand Lal Bose, the famous artist of Shanti Niketan, in memory of Mahatma Gandhi's Champaran Satyagraha.

Made of Chunar stone, the pillar is 48 feet in length. The memorial has been constructed at the exact place where Gandhiji was presented in the court of the Sub-Divisional Officer on 18 April 1917 for violating Section 144.

George Orwell Memorial

George Orwell, the great writer of English literature, was born on 25 June 1903 in Motihari. 

His father Richard Welmejli Blair at that time was a civil officer in the opium department of Champaran. 

A few days after birth, Orwell moved to England with his mother and sister, where he started writing from student life itself.

Some of his books, such as Animal Farm, Burmese Days, A Hanging, are a masterpiece of English literature.

 In the year 2004, with the efforts of Rotary Club Motihari and the district administration, the condition of his birthplace was rectified and a plaque was written on which his brief life cycle is written.

World Kabir Peace Pillar, Belwatiya

Ten kilometers from the district headquarters, Belwatiya village of Piprakothi block, the eighth of the whole of India and the only World Kabir Shanti Pillar in Bihar, 

is established by the then Mahanta late Ramasnehi Das in 2002, while this ashram was in 1875 AD. Late Keshav Saheb established that apart from this pillar, all other columns have been made by the Madhya Pradesh government.

Every year at this ashram, a three-day saint conference is organized on Anant Chaturdashi, in which the saint Mahatma Bhakta is organized in the country, 

this ashram has been the center of religious social, political and spiritual practice. Operations are being done by whom efforts are being made for the development of this ashram in the country and abroad.

Also read: Indus Valley Civilization 

West Champaran

West Champaran is a Bhojpuri speaking district under the Tirhut division of Bihar. Situated in the Terai region of the Himalayas, this historic district is full of water and forests. The headquarters of Bettiah district is the city.

This district of Bihar holds a special place for its geographical features and history. From here, Mahatma Gandhi lit the torch of Satyagraha from the Nil movement against the British.

Nepal is located in the north of West Champaran and Gopalganj district in the south. It is bounded by East Champaran in the east while in the west it is bordered by Padrauna and Deoria districts of Uttar Pradesh.

The district has an area of 5228 square kilometers which is the first among the districts of Bihar. The district has an international border with Nepal from northwest to southeast of Bagaha-1, Bagaha-2, Gounha, Manatand, Ramnagar and Sikta blocks of 35 km

TOURIST PALACE HERE

Balmikinagar National Park and Tiger Sanctuary

The only national park in Bihar, spread over an area of about 880 square kilometers, is adjacent to the Government Chitwan National Park in Nepal. 

In 1990, the inner 335 sq km portion of this national park of Balmikinagar, 80 km from Bettiah, was made the 18th tiger reserve in the country.

Apart from wild animals like deer, chital, bull, leopard, nilgai, wild cat, unicorn Gada, and wild buffalo are also seen in the park from Chitwan National Park

Triveni Sangam and Bawangadi

On the one side, there is Triveni Sangam between Nepal's Triveni village and Champaran's Bhainsalotan village on the Nepal border, 5 kilometers from Balmikinagar. Panchanad and Son river meet with Gandak here.

According to the Srimad Bhagwat Purana, the battle of 'Gaja' and 'Graha', a devotee of Vishnu, started from this place which ended at Konhara Ghat near Hajipur.
Like Hariharkshetra, every year Magh Sankranti is fair here.

The ruins of the Bawangadi Fort are located near the village of Darwabari in Bagaha-2 block, 8 km from Triveni. 

Nearby is a b fifty-three market. There is a lack of factual information about the archaeological significance of this ancient fort

Bhikhana Thodhi

Bhikhana Thodhi Narkatiaganj-Bhikhana Thodhi railway station is the last station in the Gounha block in the north of the district. This small place on the border of Nepal is known for its natural beauty.

The snowy Dhawal peaks of the Himalayas and the Annapurna range are clearly visible from here in winter. 

The quiet and scenic surroundings of this place were also enjoyed by King George V of England. Apart from the old bungalow of the British, there are many places to stay here.

Balmikinagar Ashram and Gandak Project

Maharishi Balmiki's ashram is on the left side of Valmikinagar National Park, where Goddess Sita took shelter after Rama left. 

Sita gave birth to her two sons 'Love' and 'Kush' here. Maharishi Valmiki also composed the Hindu epic Ramayana here.

There is a multipurpose project on the Gandak river near the panoramic surroundings of the ashram where 15 MW of electricity is produced.

 And the canals extracted from here are irrigated in large part of Uttar Pradesh except for Champaran.

The serene surroundings surrounding the Gandak barrage are striking. The Shiva-Parvati temple built by Bettiah Raj is also worth visiting.

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