|
|
MUNGER - ‘A
Brief Outline’: Situated in 250-23’ N. and 860-26’ E. It is the
headquarter of Munger Commissionary. The town is practically surrounded by the Ganga on three sides,
viz. southwest and north and the Kharagpur hills forming the eastern border.
It is situated in the heart of the district and its particular location has
made portion of the town a beauty spot. The situation was once considered to
be strategic. Munger has a beautiful townscape. Prior to the Census of India-
1971, Monghyr was in vogue as its name. Munger District
is located in the southern part Bihar and its headquarters are located on the
southern bank of river Ganges. The district is spread over 1419.7 Sq. km.
accounting for 3.3% of the area of Bihar. From administrative and development
point of view, Munger is divided into three subdivisions namely Munger,
Kharagpur, and Tarapur. There are nine developmental blocks namely Munger,
Jamalpur, Bariarpur, Dharhara, Kharagpur, Tetia Bambar, Tarapur, Asarganj and
Sangarampur. There are about 903 villages in the district. The Munger
district on an average is 30 to 65 mtrs above sea level. The average annual
rainfall is 1231 mm. |
|
MUNGER –
Historical Pointers: The territory included within the district of
Munger (famously Monghyr) formed pent of the Madhya-desa as “Midland” of the
first Aryan settlers. It has been identified with Mod-Giri a place mentioned
in the Mahabharata, which was the capital of a kingdom in Eastern India near
Vanga and Tamralipta. In the Digvijaya Parva of Mahabharata, we find the
mention of Moda-Giri, Which seems similar to Moda-Giri. Digvijaya Parva
suggests that it was a monarchical state during early times. A passage in the
Sabha-Parva describes Bhima’s conquest in Eastern India and says that after
defeating Karna, king of Anga, he fought battle at Modagiri and killed its
chief. It was also known as Maudal after Maudgalya, a disciple of Buddha, who
converted a rich merchant of this place into Buddhism. Buchanan says that it
was the hermitage of Mudgala Muni and this tradition of Mudgal Risi still
persists. Munger is called “Modagiri” in the Monghyr copperplate of Devapala.
The derivation
of the name Munger (Monghyr) has found the subject of much speculation.
Tradition arcribes the foundation of the town to Chandragupta, after whom it
was called Guptagars a name which has been found inscribed on a rock at
Kastaharni Ghat at the north-western corner of the present fort. It is
insisted that Mudgalrisi lived there. Tradition ascribes the composition of
various suktar of the 10th Mavdala of
the Rigveda to Rishi Mudgal and his clan. However, General Cunnigham had
strong suspicicion when he connects this original name with Mons as Mundas,
who occupied this part before the advent of the Aryans. Again Mr. C.E.A.
oldham, ICS, a farmer collector suggests the possibility of Munigiha, ie , the abode of the Muni, without any
specification which later corrupted to Mungir and later became Munger. At the dawn of history, the present site of
the town was apparently comprised within the Kingdom of Anga, with the
capital Champa near Bhagalpur. According to Pargiter, Anga comprises the
modern districts of Bhagalpur and Munger commissionary. The Anga dominion at
one time included Magadha and the Shanti-arva refers to an Anga king who
sacrificed at Mount Vishnupada. In the epic period Modagiri finds mention as a
separate state. The success of the Anga did not last long and about the middle
of the sixth century B.C. Bimlisara of Magadha is said to have killed
Brahmadatta, the last independent ruler of ancient Anga. Hence the Anga became
an integral part of the growing empire of Magadh. As epigraphic evidence of
the Gupta period suggests that Munger was under the Guptas. To the reign of
Buddhagupta (447-495 A.D) belongs a copper plate of A.D. 488-9 originally
found at Mandapura in the district. |
|
Copyright @ 2003 ATMA, Munger, Bihar.