Mithila is a
proposed state in
India
India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...
, comprising the
Maithili speaking region of
Bihar
Bihar ( ) is a states and union territories of India, state in Eastern India. It is the list of states and union territories of India by population, second largest state by population, the List of states and union territories of India by are ...
and
Jharkhand
Jharkhand (; ) is a States and union territories of India, state in East India, eastern India. The state shares its border with the states of West Bengal to the east, Chhattisgarh to the west, Uttar Pradesh to the northwest, Bihar to the north ...
. The Maithili language has own traditional script, known as
Mithilakshar. It is part of the historical
Mithila
Mithila may refer to:
Places
* Mithilā, a synonym for the ancient Videha state
** Mithilā (ancient city), the ancient capital city of Videha
* Mithila (region), a cultural region (historical and contemporary), now divided between India and Nepa ...
region.
The proposed state will also include Whole
Angika and
Bajjika speaking districts which are considered to be dialects of Maithili.
There was also a movement in the Maithili speaking areas of
Nepal
Nepal, officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked country in South Asia. It is mainly situated in the Himalayas, but also includes parts of the Indo-Gangetic Plain. It borders the Tibet Autonomous Region of China Ch ...
for a separate state which ended in 2015, after Constitution of Nepal (2015) ensured it in form of province two.
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.
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.
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.
Political support
Mithila Rajya Nirman Sena
* Senior BJP leader, Rangnath Thakur, chairman and Founding member of Mithila Rajya Nirman Sena, has organised public rallies supporting Mithila.
Mithila Rajya Nirman Sena also did a Sankalp yatra under his leadership in 2017 and 2021 to create awareness and support for the movement
Bharatiya Janata Party
* Former BJP MP
Kirti Azad from
Darbhanga (Current Congress leader) has organised multiple
dharnas and protests in support of Mithila. He has also launched a signature campaign in Mithila aiming to raise awareness.
* Senior BJP leader,
Tarakant Jha, former chairman of
Bihar Legislative Council, has organised public rallies supporting Mithila.
Janata Dal (United)
* In November 2011, Bihar Chief Minister
Nitish Kumar also extended his support for the statehood of Mithila.
* Shravan Chaudhary, JDU state president, has openly supported the demand for the statehood of Mithila.
Rashtriya Janata Dal
*
Rabri Devi, former CM of
Bihar
Bihar ( ) is a states and union territories of India, state in Eastern India. It is the list of states and union territories of India by population, second largest state by population, the List of states and union territories of India by are ...
, has always favoured the creation of a separate Mithila state.
Justification for Separation
The demand for separate Mithila state has been there since creation of State of Bihar in 1912.
*The problems of Mithila region are different from rest of Bihar.
*Maithili the language of the region has not been properly recognised. The 8th schedule of the Constitution of India includes the recognition of the 22 languages including Maithili (but in Devanagari Script). In Bihar Maithili is yet receive any official status.
*Negligence of
Maithil identity in the state of Bihar.
Challenges
Mithila is a poor and flood-prone region dependent on
subsistence agriculture
Subsistence agriculture occurs when farmers grow crops on smallholdings to meet the needs of themselves and their families. Subsistence agriculturalists target farm output for survival and for mostly local requirements. Planting decisions occu ...
, leading to doubts over its economically feasibility as a separate state.
See also
*
Mithila, Nepal
*
Maithili language
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 Nepal's Koshi Province, Koshi and Madhesh P ...
*
Maithili literature
*
Maithil
*
Maithili Music
*
Mithila Painting
*
Mithila Makhana
*
Mithila (region)
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 foothil ...
*
Saharsa
Saharsa is a city and municipal corporation in the Saharsa District in the eastern part of the state of Bihar, India. It is situated near the eastern banks of the Kosi River. It serves as the administrative headquarters for the Saharsa District ...
*
Darbhanga
*
Maithili (disambiguation)
References
{{coord missing, Bihar
Ancient Indian cities
Historical Indian regions
Proposed states and union territories of India
Former capital cities in India