Raxaul

Raxaul Raxaul
city
Population  (2001)
• Total	103,425

Raxaul popularly known as the gate way of Nepal is an important sub-divisional town in the East Champaran district of Indian state of Bihar. It is situated on Indo-Nepal border with Birganj (in Nepal) on the other side of the border.

Basic information

The Champaran District was created in 1866. On 1st of December 1971 Champaran district was split into two districts, Purbi Champaran and Paschim Champaran. The headquarters of Purbi Champaran district is at Motihari. Purbi Champaran consists of six subdivisions and twentyseven blocks. Nepal forms its northern boundary, Sitamadhi and Sheohar are to the east while Muzaffarpur lies to the south and with part of Gopalganj bounds it on the west.

Name

The name Champaran derives from Champa-aranya or Champkatanys. Champa or Champaka means Magnolia and aranya mess forest. Hence, Champaranya means Forest of Magnolia trees. It is believed that the forest was named while its western portion was inhabited by solitary ascetics.

History

Ancient history

The history of East Champaran district is entwined with the Champaran district. In the prehistoric period, Champaran constituted a part of the ancient kingdom of Videha. The Aryan Videhas settled east of the Gandak or Narayani river. Among the greatest of the Videha kings was Sirdhwaj.

King Janaka was an erudite scholar as well as lord temporal and lord spiritual for his subjects. Yajnavalkya was his chief priest, who codified the Hindu law known as Yajnavalkya Smriti. Both of his wives, Gargi and Maitreyi, were renowned scholars. Gargi is credited with composing some mantras. After the fall of the Videhan empire, Champaran was ceded to Vrijjan, with Oligarchcal Vaishali as its capital. Lichohavis were the most powerful and prominent residents.

Ajatshatru, the emperor of Magadh, found the power and fame of Vaishali an eyesore. By tact and force, he annexed Lichhavis and occupied its capital, Vaishali. He ruled the present district of Purbi Champaran for nearly one hundred years. After the Mauryas, the Sungas and the Kanvas ruled over Magadh and its vast territories. Archaeological evidences found in Champaran bear testimony of Sunga and Kanva rules here.

The Kushans, who were migrant Turks, flooded northern India in the first century AD. Probably Champaran was a part of the Kushan empire at that time. Banphar Rajputs in the 3rd century AD got way by the Kushans. Champaran become a part of the Gupta empire. Along with Tirhut, Champaran was possibly annexed by Harsha. Between 750 to 1155 AD, Palas held Eastern India and Champaran formed part of their territories. Towards the close of the 10th century, Gangaya Deva of the Kalacheeri dynasty conquered Champaran. He was succeeded by Vikramaditya of the Chalukya dynasty, who was accompanied by adventurers from the Carnatic region. It is believed that one of the adventurers, Nanyadeva, founded the Carnatic dynasty of Mithila with its capital at Siaraon on the Indo-Nepal border.

Medieval period

Between 1211 and 1226, Ghyasuddin Iwaz, the Muslim governor of Bengal, attempted to invade Tirabhukti and Tirhut. His successors were only able to claim Tirhut from Narsinghdeva, a Simyaon king, in about 1323.

As Harsinghdeo, the last Simyaon king, had taken shelter in Nepal, Kameshwar Thakur, a Brahman, was crowned king in his place. The Sugaon dynasty held Tirhut as a tributary province for a century after Harsinghdeo's capture. The most famous of this dynasty was Raja Shiva Singh who was adorned by the immortal poet laureate Vidyapati.

During the period of Lakshmi Nath, Deva Tirabhukti was attacked by Sultan Alleuddin Hussain Shah of Bengal and Sikandar Lodi of Delhi. A treaty was concluded in 1499 according to which Tirabhukti was left to Delhi. Subsequently, Delhi attacked Tirabhukti and made the prince a tributary chief. However, Nasrat Shah, son of Allauddin Shah, attacked Tirabhukti in 1530 and annexed the territory, killed the Raja and thus put an end to the Thakur dynasty.

Nasrat Shah appointed his son-in-law as viceroy of Tirhut and the governate was governed by a Muslim. In 1526, Babar dynasted Sikandar Lodi but Champaran didn't regain prominence till the last days of the Muslim rule.

During the close of the Mughal empire, Champaran witnessed ravages of contending armies. Prince Al Gauhar, later known as Shah Alam, invaded Bihar in 1760 and Khadin Hussain, the Governor of Purnit was invited with his army to join him. Nawab Sirajudaulla of Bengal had already been defeated and killed as a result of the joint conspiracy of Mir Jagarkhan and the British, in June, 1757. Before Khadim Hussain could meet Shah Alam's forces captain Knox led a British force and defeated him at Hajipur. He fled to Bettiah as a result of this defeat.

British period

Champaran passed into the hands of East India Company with the rest of Bengal in 1764 but military expeditions were still necessary to curb the independent spirit of the chiefs. In 1766, Robert Barkar defeated the local chiefs and forced them to pay tribute. The Raja of Bettiah did not pay this tribute and revolted but was crushed. He fled to Bundelkhand and his estate was confiscated. The British found it difficult to manage the estate in the make of strong popular resentment. The estate was restored by the Raja in 1771.

There was a confrontation taking place in Nepal between the Gurkhas, under Prithvi Narayan of the Newar line and British forces. Ultimately a treaty was concluded at Sugauli. 25 years of peace followed the treaty but trouble started after 1840 when Gurkha troops entered the estate of Raja Ramnagar and claimed his territory. Gurkha troops had to retreat due to determined resistance from the inhabitants. Later, the Nepalese proved faithfully allies of the British in suppressing the National Movement of 1857.

The repression of the Wahabi movement at Patna furthered seething discontent of tenants and sharecroppers against the administration and landholders; the cultivators were forced to grow indigo even in the face of recurring losses. Many illegal activities were effected by the landlords. The administration was composed of the oppressors.

In the beginning of 1857, the British position was precarious. Major Holmes who was commanding the 12th Irregular cavalry, stationed at Sugauli, panicked and proclaimed martial law on his own authority. This measure was not supported by the authorities. Major Holmes lad repressive measures and executed some sepoys, causing the cavalry to revolt. The Major, his wife and other members of his family were stained. The soldiers proceeded towards Siwan to join other forces who had risen against the British authority. The revolt was calmed down when Honorary Magistrates were selected from among the indigo planters, and these magistrates were authorized to recruit local police. Some of the big estate holders like the Raja of Bettiah even supported the British as the Gurkha troops of the British were an asset to them.

The later history of the district is inter woven with the indigo planters. Britain got indigo from her American colonies but this supply dried up after the colonies gained their independence. Britain had to depend upon India for supplies of Indigo. Europeans steered many factories in the indigo producing areas of Bengal and Bihar.

The Estate of Bettiah and Ramnagar leased land to planters for cultivation of indigo under the Zirat and Tenkuthiya systems. Both systems seemed adequate to the landlords, but the peasants suffered under both the systems. Laborers' wages were inadequate, and hours were long. Sri Raj Kumar Shukla, an indigo cultivator, heard about Gandhijee's Non-Resistance Movement in South Africa met and apprised him about miserable plight of indigo Cultivators in the Champaran District. He persuaded him to visit the district. The Indian Nation congress in December, 1916 passed at Lucknow a resolution for requesting Government to appoint a committee of both officials and non-officials to enquire into the agrarian trouble facing the district.

Gandhijee visited Champaran. His visit was stoutly opposed by the British rulers. An order asking him to leave Champaran was served upon him as soon as he arrived at Motihari. Gandhijee defied the order and after considerable struggle, the government was forced to lift the ban. Satyagraha was successfully put to the test on Indian soil. A committee of enquiry was appointed by the Govt. under the chairmanship of Sri Frank shy, Gandhijee was also made one of the member of the committee. On the basis of recommendations of the committee, the Champaran Agraria (Bihar and Orissa Act I of 1918) was passed. The development of synthetic dyes made the cultivation of indigo redundant.

In 1920, Gandhijee made an extensive tour of Bihar before launching the non-co-operation movement, which earned full support in the district as well. In 1929, a group of volunteers from Champran district came to demonstrate against the Simon commission in the same year the 21st session of the Bihar students conference was held at Motihari. As a reaction against the failure of theRound table conference held in 1932 there was a popular gathering at Motihari to take pledge for Independence. Police fired upon the gatherings and charged the demonstrators, armed with lathis. People of Champaran will be remembered for their active and significant participation in the National Movement.

Place of Interest to Tourists

Sun Temple

The Sun temple is a temple to the Sun God, which is surrounded by water. It is near the Police Station, situated just beside the market

Gate Way of Nepal

This is the only official gate in India, by which any one can go abroad with no requirement of visas or even passports.

Transport

Rail

Raxaul is connected to major Indian cities by railways. There are direct trains to Delhi,Mumbai and Kolkata. There is a civilian airport which is not operational. One can reach Raxaul by train from Delhi by Satyagraha Express, Saptkranti Superfast or Sadbhavana Express.

After the completion of the Darbhanga to Narkatiyaganj broad gauge route under Unigauge, most trains (from north-east states will run along the Raxaul Route.

Roads

Raxaul is connected to major cities of India by National Highway no. 28A. The capital of Nepal,Kathmandu is connected through this highway. Their is a new bus terminal, named the "Baba Bhim Rao Ambedkar Bus Terminal".

Air

You can reach Raxaul by flying to Birgunj. This airport is 8km from Raxaul and has direct flights to Kathmandu.

Hospital

In Raxaul you can find the only secondary referral centre for medical care run by the voluntary sector for part of northern Bihar and southern Nepal, an area with a total population of 11 million. It was started by Dr H. Cecil Duncan in 1930. Later Dr Trevor Strong and his wife Patricia set the hospital on its present course, establishing a fine surgical and obstetrical tradition.

Education

Khemchand Tarachand College, recognized by Baba bhim Rao Ambedkar University, Muzzafarpur is the only government recognized institution of higher learning in this region.

References

• FallingRain Map - elevation = 68m