Blog – Bhagalpur and around – History, Culture, Literature & Tourism

तिलका मांझी – स्वतंत्रता सेनानी (Tilka Manjhi – The Freedom Fighter)

Baba Tilka Majhi was first Santal leader who took up the arms and raised his voice against English fought with them in the 1789's, around 100 years before Mangal Pandey. He drove a mortal arrow into Cleveland, the British Commissioner who had made a great name for himself by pacifying the region. The arrow killed Cleveland. The British surrounded the Tilapore forest from which he operated but he and his men held the enemy at bay for several weeks. When he was finally caught in 1784, he was tied to the tail of a horse and dragged all the way to the collector's residence at Bhagalpur. There, his lacerated body was hung from a Banyan tree. A statue to the heroic leader was erected at the spot after independence. 1780-85 - Tilka Manjhi led the tribal revolt and managed to injure British army chief 1785 - Tilka Manjhi hanged to death in Bhagalpur Tilka Manjhi Bhagalpur University

अशोक कुमार (Ashok Kumar)

The boss's wife and leading actress of a leading Film Company runs off with her lead man. She is caught and taken back but not the lead man who is unceremoniously dismissed. So now the company needs a new hero. The boss decides his laboratory assistant would be the Film Company's next leading man. A bizzare film plot??? Hardly. This real life story starred the Bombay Talkies Film Company, it's boss Himansu Rai, lead actress Devika Rani and lead man Najam-ul-Hussain and last but not least its laboratory assistant Ashok Kumar. And thus began an extremely successful acting career that lasted six decades! Ashok Kumar aka Dadamoni was born Kumudlal Kunjilal Ganguly in Bhagalpur and grew up in Khandwa. He briefly studied law in Calcutta, then joined his future brother-in-law Shashadhar Mukherjee at Bombay Talkies as laboratory assistant before being made its leading man. Ashok Kumar made his debut opposite Devika Rani in Jeevan Naiya (1936) but became …

फणीश्वर नाथ ‘रेणु’ (Phanishwar Nath ‘Renu’)

Phanishwar Nath 'Renu' (March 4, 1921 - April 11, 1977) was one of the most successful and influential writers of modern Hindi literature in the post-Premchand era. He is the author of Maila Anchal, which after Premchand's Godaan, is regarded as the most significant Hindi novel. Phanishwar Nath 'Renu' is most known for promoting the voice of the contemporary rural India through the genre of 'Aanchalik Upanyas' (Regional Story), and is placed amongst the pioneering Hindi writers who brought regional voices into the mainstream Hindi literature. His short story Maare Gaye Gulfam was adapted into a film Teesri Kasam (The Third Vow),Â by Basu Bhattacharya (produced by the poet-lyricist Shailendra) in 1966 for which he also wrote the dialogues. Later his short story Panchlight (Patromax) was made into a TV short film. Biography Phanishwar Nath 'Renu' was born on 4 March 1921, at village Aurahi Hingna near Forbesganj, in Araria district (then Purnea district),Bihar. His pri…

नंदलाल बोस (Nandlal Bose)

Born in Bhagalpur, Bihar on December 1882, Nandlal Bose rose to become one of modern India's most important artists. A product of GCAC, Bose was mentored by Havell and Abanindranath. His integrity and intent idealism were reflected as well as widened with his nationalistic consciousness, his commitment for classical and folk art, along with its underlying spirituality and symbolism, and a responsibility towards shaping the self-consciousness, choices and moral virtues of the people. The early philosophical inspirations came from Havell, Coomaraswamy and Sister Nivedita, while his interactions with the Japanese painters in Calcutta influenced him to realize the significance of the artistic heritage. The Indian renaissance formed the full vision of the magnificent yet ruined past in Abanindranath Tagore. Though it was pervaded with western realism, its nostalgic milieu asserted more of the national and Pan-Asian culture than the topical issues. After this advent, therefore, an i…

रामधारी सिंह दिनकर – राष्ट्रीय कवि- (Ramdhari Singh Dinkar – National Poet)

Ramdhari Singh 'Dinkar' (September 23, 1908 â€“ April 24, 1974) was an Indian Hindi poet, essayist and academician, who is considered as one of the most important modern Hindi poets. Dinkar emerged as a rebellious poet with his nationalist poetry in pre-Independence days. His poetry exuded veer rasa, and he has been hailed as a Rashtrakavi ("National poet") evoking the spirit of nationalism on account of his inspiring patriotic composition.As a mark of respect for him, his portrait was unveiled in the Central Hall of Parliament of India by the Prime Minister of India, Dr. Manmohan Singh on his centenary year, 2008. Dinkar initially supported the revolutionary movement during the Indian Independence struggle, but later became a Gandhian. However, he used to call himself a 'Bad Gandhian' because he supported the feelings of indignation and revenge among the youth. In Kurukshetra, he accepts that the war is destructive, but says that it is necessary for the protection of fr…

सरहपा – प्राचीन कवि (Sarahpa – The Ancient Poet)

Sarahpa was born in 769AD in a BrahmÂ¡n family in East India whose mother was a Â·Â¡kinÂ¢. He studied BrahmÂ¡nic literature and became a famous scholar. He had faith in Buddhist Tantra and was practising it along with BrahmÂ¡nism. As a tantric, he was allowed to drink alcohol which restored energy in physical body. He was accused by BrahmÂ¡ns of drinking and appealed to the court of the king. He freed himself from the ordeals imposed on him by the king. After the judgment, the king acquitted him of drinking alcohol. He even ordered the BrahmÂ¡ns to drink alcohol if they could perform the feats that Sarahapa did. After this bad incident, he left for Nalanda and took ordination. He deeply learnt Sutra and Tantra. He strove to preserve and promote the Buddha's teachings. After some time, he fled to South India in search of a qualified consort who would help him in practising Tantra. He adopted a daughter of a Â·Â¡kinÂ¢ as a consort who was making arrows. He used to roam…

आकाशवाणी, भागलपुर (All India Radio Bhagalpur / AIR Bhagalpur / Akashvani Bhagalpur)

1458 kHz 10 kWÂ Bhagalpur, Bihar 25Â° 12' 51"N, 86Â° 58' 14"E All India Radio Bhagalpur (AIR Bhagalpur / Akashvani Bhagalpur) Port Campus Adampur BHAGALPUR 812001 Bihar Tel: +91 641 2400207 Fax: +91 641 2400703 E-mail: [email protected]

अंग देश का इतिहास – नया राज्य (History of Ang Desh – The New State)

Throughout history, India has absorbed and modified to suit its needs, the best from all the civilizations with which it has come into contact. Once again the fledgling nation demonstrated the maturity and wisdom of its ancient traditions, and the truth of its claim that it was opposed, not to the people or the civilization of Britain and the West, only to its imperial domination. India chose to remain within the British Commonwealth of Nations. It also adopted the British system of Parliamentary Democracy, and retained the judicial, administrative, defence and educational structures and institutions set up by the British. India is today the largest and most populous democracy on earth, with universal adult suffrage.

The Indian Constitution, adopted when India became a Republic on January 26, 1950, safeguards all its people from all forms of discrimination on grounds of race, religion, creed or sex. It guarantees freedom of speech, expression an…

अंग देश का इतिहास – स्वतंत्रता के लिए संघर्ष (History of Ang Desh – The Struggle for Independence)

The First War of Independence A century of accumulated grievances erupted in the Indian mutiny of sepoys in the British army, in 1857. This was the signal for a spontaneous conflagration, in which the princely rulers, landed aristocracy and peasantry rallied against the British around the person of the last Mughal emperor, Bahadur Shah. The uprising, however, was eventually brutally suppressed. By the end of 1859, the "emperor" had been deported to Burma where he died a lonely death, bringing to a formal end the era of Mughal rule in India. The Mutiny, even in its failure, produced many heroes and heroines of epic character. Above all, it produced a sense of unity between the Hindus and the Muslims of India that was to be witnessed in later years. The rebellion also saw the end of the East India Company's rule in India. Power was transferred to the British Crown in 1858 by an Act of British Parliament. The Crown's viceroy in India was to be the chief executive. The Freedom …

अंग देश का इतिहास – यूरोपियों का आना (History of Ang Desh – Coming of the Europeans)

The next arrival of overwhelming political importance was that of the Europeans. The great seafarers of north-west Europe, the British, French, Dutch and Portuguese, arrived early in the seventeenth century and established trading outposts along the coasts. The spices of Malabar (in Kerala) had attracted the Portuguese as early as the end of the 15th century when, in 1498, Vasco da Gama had landed at Calicut, sailing via the Cape of Good Hope. Early in the 16th Century, the Portuguese had already established their colony in Goa; but their territorial and commercial hold in India remained rather limited. During the late 16th and 17th century they remained unrivaled as pirates on the high seas; but inland the other European companies were making their presence felt, though entirely in commercial terms. The Years of 'The Raj' The newcomers soon developed rivalries among themselves and allied with local rulers to consolidate their positions against each other militarily. In time …

अंग देश का इतिहास – मुस्लिम आक्रमण (History of Ang Desh – The Muslim Invasions)

The Delhi Sultanate An event of immense and lasting impact in Indian history was the advent of the Muslims in the north-west. Lured by tales of the fertile plains of the Punjab and the fabulous wealth of Hindu temples, Mahmud of Ghazni first attacked India in 1000 AD. Other raiders from Central Asia followed him, but these invasions were no more than banditry. It was only in 1192 that Muslim power arrived in India on a permanent basis. In that year, Mohammed of Ghori, who had been expanding his power all across the Punjab broke into India and took Ajmer. The following year his general Qutb-ud-din Aibak took Varanasi and Delhi and after Mohammed Ghori's death in 1206, he became the first of the Sultans of Delhi. Qutb-ud-din Aibak founded the so called Slave Dynasty in India at Delhi, setting up the nucleus of the Delhi Sultanate, or the rule of Turkish and Afghan sultans, the Khiljis, the Tughlaqs and the Lodis. Impact of Islam The impact of Islam on Indian culture has been i…

अंग देश का इतिहास – गुप्त युग (History of Ang Desh – The Gupta Age)

The greatest empire in the fourth century AD was the Gupta Empire, which ushered in the golden age of Indian history. This empire lasted for more than two centuries. It covered a large part of the Indian subcontinent, but its administration was more decentralized than that of the Mauryas. Alternately waging war and entering into matrimonial alliances with the smaller kingdoms in its neighbourhood, the empire's boundaries kept fluctuating with each ruler. The Gupta rulers patronized the Hindu religious tradition and orthodox Hinduism reasserted itself in this era. However, this period also saw the peaceful coexistence of Brahmins and Buddhists and visits by Chinese travellers like Fa Hien. The exquisite Ajanta and Ellora caves were created in this period. This era saw the emergence of the classical art forms and development of various aspects of Indian culture and civilization. Erudite treatises were written on a multiplicity of subjects ranging from grammar, mathematics, as…

अंग देश का इतिहास – मौर्य साम्राज्य (History of Ang Desh – The Mauryan Empire)

By the end of the third century BC, most of North India was knit together in the first great Indian empire by Chandragupta Maurya. His son Bindusara extended the Mauryan Empire over virtually the entire subcontinent, giving rise to an imperial vision that was to dominate successive centuries of political aspirations. The greatest Mauryan emperor was Ashoka the Great (286-231 BC) whose successful campaigns culminated in the annexation of Kalinga (modern Orissa). Overcome by the horrors of war, he was probably the first victorious ruler to renounce war on the battlefield. Ashoka converted to Buddhism, but did not impose his faith on his subjects. Instead, he tried to convert them through edicts inscribed on rock in the local dialects, using the earliest known post-Harappan script known as Brahmi. The Mauryan economy was essentially agrarian. The State owned huge farms and these were cultivated by slaves and farm laborers. Taxes collected on land, trade and manufacture of handicra…

अंग देश का इतिहास – धर्मों का उदय और राज्य का उदय (History of Ang Desh – Rise of Religions and Emerg)ence of the State

Buddhism and Jainism The sixth century BC was a time of social and intellectual ferment in India. It was then that Mahavira founded the Jain religion, and Gautam Buddha attained enlightenment. The two great religions, Jainism and Buddhism, preached non-violence to all living creatures, tolerance and self-discipline, values that have become the cornerstones of the Indian ethos. The teachings of these faiths won immediate popular acceptance owing to their simplicity and practicality; the sermons of both were preached in commonly spoken languages. Later, Buddhist monks were to spread their religion south to Sri Lanka and north-east to China, Japan, Korea and the whole of South-east Asia, where it is practiced till today. Rise of the State With land becoming property and the society being divided on the basis of occupations and castes, conflicts and disorders were bound to arise. Organized power to resolve these issues therefore emerged, gradually leading to formation of full-fl…

अंग देश का इतिहास – महाजनपद काल और अंग महाजनपद का उदय (History of Ang Desh – Mahajanpadas Era of Indian History and Rise of Ang Mahajanpad)

Mahājanapada (Sanskrit: महाजनपद, Mahājanapada, literally "great realm" from maha, "great", and janapada "foothold of a tribe", "country") refers to one of the sixteen kingdoms and oligarchic republics that existed in ancient India from the sixth to fourth centuries BCE. Ancient Buddhist texts like Anguttara Nikaya make frequent reference to sixteen great kingdoms and republics which had evolved and flourished in a belt stretching from Gandhara in the northwest to Anga in the eastern part of the Indian subcontinent and included parts of the trans-Vindhyan region, prior to the rise of Buddhism in India. The sixth century BC is often regarded as a major turning point in early Indian history. Archaeologically, this period corresponds in part to the Northern Black Polished Ware culture. Overview The political structure of the ancient Indians appears to have started with semi-nomadic tribal units called Jana (meaning "people" or by extension "ethnic group" or "tribe"). Early Vedic t…

अंग देश का इतिहास – आर्य और वैदिक युग (History of Ang Desh – The Aryans and the Vedic Age)

The Aryans are said to have entered India through the fabled Khyber pass, around 1500 BC. They intermingled with the local populace, and assimilated themselves into the social framework. They adopted the settled agricultural lifestyle of their predecessors, and established small agrarian communities across the state of Punjab. The Aryans are believed to have brought with them the horse, developed the Sanskrit language and made significant inroads in to the religion of the times. All three factors were to play a fundamental role in the shaping of Indian culture. Cavalry warfare facilitated the rapid spread of Aryan culture across North India, and allowed the emergence of large empires. Sanskrit is the basis and the unifying factor of the vast majority of Indian languages. The religion, that took root during the Vedic era, with its rich pantheon of Gods and Goddesses, and its storehouse of myths and legends, became the foundation of the Hindu religion, arguably the single most …

अंग देश का इतिहास – सिंधु घाटी सभ्यता (History of Ang Desh – The Indus Valley Civilization)

Settlements From the beginning of the 4th millennium BC, the individuality of the early village cultures began to be replaced by a more homogeneous style of existence. By the middle of the 3rd millennium, a uniform culture had developed at settlements spread across nearly 500,000 square miles, including parts of Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Baluchistan, Sind and the Makran coast. This earliest known civilization in India, the starting point in its history, dates back to about 3000 BC. Discovered in the 1920s, it was thought to have been confined to the valley of the river Indus, hence the name given to it was Indus Valley civilisation. This civilization was a highly developed urban one and two of its towns, Mohenjodaro and Harappa, represent the high watermark of the settlements. Subsequent archaeological excavations established that the contours of this civilization were not restricted to the Indus valley but spread to a wide area in northwestern and western India. Thus t…

अंग देश का इतिहास – अंग महाजनपद (History of Ang Desh – Ang Mahajanpad)

Ancient India was divided into 16 large kingdoms. Each of such kingdom was known as Mahajanpad. Ang was one of them. Aangi, which is now known as Angika, was the language of Ang. The existence of Ang is found since Vedic period or before.Since 500B.C.-400B.C. People from Ang used to visit South East Asian countries like Combodia, Vietnam, Malayasia, Pahoang, Kantoli etc in connection with trades.During this course of visits they had established there colonial kingdoms and ruled over these Kingdoms for nearly 1000 years. People from Ang had constructed magnificent temples like Angkor wat , which is still considered as one of the wonders made by Human beings .They also had written numbers of books and Shilalekhs in Sanskrit and Angika Language.

अंग देश का इतिहास – परिचय (History of Ang Desh – Introduction)

In Jain mythology, it is believed that Anga was one of the 52 Janpads (States) which were established by Lord Rishabhdev. It is believed that Champapur (also known as Champapuri, Champa, Champanagari) was the capital of Angadesh (comprising Bhagalpur and Mongher). 20 Tirthankars attained salvation from Sri sammed shik har and Lord Vasupujya from Champapur and Lord Mahavir from Pawapur,Lord Adinath from Kailash and Lord Neminath from Girnar. According to different jain books and puranas Champapur has the unique distinction of having "Samosaran vihar of all 24 Tirthankars", thus making the soil most sacred by the presence of their Lordship and making the hearts of the masses most pure by disseminating "Divya Dhwani" , "Divine Voice" from time to time. Further, In the literature of all the languages viz. - Shorsheni, Ardhamagadhi , Pali, Sanskrit,and Apbhrans, there is description of Champa - nagari-capital of Anga - desh as one of the important centers of religion,culture, s…

अंग देश – एक नज़र (Ang Desh – An Overview)

The leavening brush of India’s ancient history exerts everywhere in Bihar. Though Bhagalpur today is a silent town, one can still feel the past resonating here. After all, it ranked among the six best Indian cities at one time.Legend, buttressed by a little hard evidence, has it that today’s Bhagalpur was the Champavati of 5th century BC. It was a period when India’s earliest republics were evolving around the Gangetic plains. Anga was one of these sixteen Mahajanapadas (republics).