The Maithil region forms an important part of Hinduism as it is said to be the birthplace of Sita, the wife of Ram and incarnation of Lakshmi.[10]
History
Vedic period
Mithila first gained prominence after being settled by Indo-Aryan speaking peoples who established the Videha kingdom.
During the late Vedic period (c. 1100–500 BCE), Videha became one of the major political and cultural centers of South Asia, along with Kuru and Pañcāla. The kings of the Videha Kingdom were called Janakas.[11]
The Videha Kingdom later became incorporated into the Vajjika League which was based in Mithila.[12]
The Licchavis of Vaishali were one of the constituent tribes of the Vajjika league and the territory of the Licchavis formed a single territorial unit along with Videha within the Mithila region. The Licchavis remained in Vaishali up to the Gupta period with the fourth century A.D. Gupta Emperor, Samudragupta, being the son of a Licchavi princess from Vaishali.[13][14]
Medieval period
From the 11th century to the 20th century, Mithila was ruled by various indigenous dynasties. The first of these were the Karnatas of Mithila who ruled from 1097-1324 A.D. They were followed by the Oiniwar dynasty who ruled from 1325–1526 A.D.[15]
During the Mughal-era, Mithila was controlled by a dynasty of zamindars called the Raj Darbhanga who were tributaries to the Mughals.[16] It was during this period that the capital of Mithila was moved to Darbhanga.[17][18]
Darbhanga in particular played an important role in the history of Mithila and is considered one of its "core centers". It was the center of Raj Darbhanga who ruled most of the region.[5][27]
Madhubani was also where Madhubani paintings originated from which is a major part of Maithil culture.[28]
Sitamarhi is claimed by many to be the birthplace of Goddess Sita with Sita Kund being a major pilgrimage site. Baliraajgadh, situated in present-day Madhubani district, is thought to be the capital of ancient Mithila Kingdom.[29]
Maithils played a major role in building the Baidyanath Temple which is an important pilgrimage site for them.[30]
There is an ongoing movement in the Maithili-speaking region of Bihar and Jharkhand for a separate Indian state of Mithila.[31]
Nepal
The adjoining districts of the eastern Terai form Nepalese Mithila.[32] This area was part of the kingdom of Videha.[33] The kingdom appears in the Ramayana. Many people claim Janakpur to be the birthplace of Goddess Sita but this is disputed as many consider Sitamarhi as Her birthplace.
Maithils in Nepal have been working towards a "Free Maithil state".[34]
There is a movement in the Maithili-speaking areas of Nepal for a separate province.[35]Province No. 2 was established under the 2015 Constitution, which transformed Nepal into a Federal Democratic Republic, with a total of 7 provinces. Province No. 2 has a Maithili speaking majority and consists of most of the Maithili speaking areas of Nepal. It has been demanded by some Mithila activists that Province No. 2 be named 'Mithila Province'.[36] Province no. 2 was given the name Madhesh Province on 17 January 2022.[37]
Language
The common language of the Maithil people is Maithili,[5] which is one of the recognised regional languages of India and the second national language of Nepal listed in the Eighth Schedule of the Indian Constitution and the Interim Constitution of Nepal. The Tirhuta script, also known as the Mithilakshar script, was used as the original script of the language. However, during the 20th century most Maithili writers gradually adopted Devanagari script for Maithili.[39] Some traditional pandits still use Tirhuta script for pātā (ceremonial letters related to important functions, such as marriage).
Culture
Men and women in Mithila are very religious and dress for festivals as well. The costumes of Mithila stem from the rich traditional culture of Mithila. Panjabi Kurta and Dhoti with a Mithila Painting bordered Maroon coloured Gamchha which is the Symbol of Passion, Love, Bravery and Courage are common clothing items for men. Men wear a Gold ring on their nose which symbolizes prosperity, happiness and wealth inspired by Lord Vishnu. Also, wear a Balla on their wrist and Mithila Paag on their Head. In ancient times there was no colour option in Mithila, so the Maithil women wore white or yellow Saree with a red Border but now they have a lot of variety and colour options and wear Laal-Paara (the traditional red-boarded white or yellow Saree)[40] on some special occasions, and also wear Shakha-Pola[41] with a lanthi in their hand which is Mandatory to wear after marriage in Mithila. In Mithila culture, this represents new beginnings, passion and prosperity. Red also represents the Hindu goddess Durga, a symbol of new beginnings and feminine power. During Chhaith, the women of Mithila wear pure cotton dhoti without stitching which reflects the pure, traditional Culture of Mithila. Usually crafted from pure cotton for daily use and from pure silk for more glamorous occasions, traditional attire for the women of Mithila includes Jamdani, Banarisi, Bhagalpuri and many more.
Many festivals are celebrated throughout the year in Mithila. Chhaith, Durga Puja and Kali puja is celebrated as perhaps the most important of all the celebrations of Mithila.
Household structure
Traditionally Maithils lived in Badaghars called longhouses with big families of many generations, sometimes 40–50 people. All household members pool their labour force, contribute their income, share the expenditure and use one kitchen.[42]
Religion
The religious practices of the Maithils is based on orthodox Hinduism as Mithila has historically been a principal seat of Hindu learning.[43]
Politics
Maithils hold significant influence in the politics of both India and Nepal. They dominate the polity of Bihar, India's third most populous state, by virtue of their majority in 144 of the 243 constituencies of the Bihar Legislative Assembly.[5][citation needed] Maithils are the largest ethnolinguistic group in the Nepalese Madhesh Province and the second largest ethnolinguistic group in Province No. 1.[44]
Notable people
The following are notable residents (past and present) of Mithila region:
Historical
Janaka, King of Mithila and Father in Law of King Rama
Bindheshwari Prasad Mandal was an Indian parliamentarian and social reformer who served as the chairman of the Second Backward Classes Commission (popularly known as the Mandal Commission).[49]
C. K. Raut, formerly US-based computer scientist, author and political leader of Nepal.[50]
^Brinkhaus, Horst (1991). "The Descent of the Nepalese Malla Dynasty as Reflected by Local Chroniclers". Journal of the American Oriental Society. 111 (1): 118–122. doi:10.2307/603754. JSTOR603754.
^Burkert, C. (2012). "Defining Maithil Identity". In Gellner, D.; Pfaff-Czarnecka, J.; Whelpton, J. (eds.). Nationalism and Ethnicity in a Hindu Kingdom: The Politics and Culture of Contemporary Nepal. London, New York: Routledge. pp. 241–273. ISBN9781136649561. Archived from the original on 20 August 2017.