UpdateBot at 11:17, 2 June 2022

2022-06-02T11:17:00Z

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{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2018}}
{{Use Indian English|date=December 2018}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name = Baliraajgadh
| native_name = बलिराजगढ़
| nickname =
| settlement_type = Archaeological site
| image_skyline =
| image_alt =
| image_caption =
| subdivision_type = India
| subdivision_name = India
| subdivision_type1 = [[States and territories of India|State]]
| subdivision_name1 = [[Bihar]]
| subdivision_type2 = [[List of districts of India|District]]
| subdivision_name2 = [[Madhubani district|Madhubani]]
| established_title = 
| established_date =
| demographics_type1 = Languages
| demographics1_title1 = Official
| demographics1_info1 = [[Maithili language|Maithili]] , [[Hindi language|Hindi]], [[Urdu language|Urdu]]
| timezone1 = [[Indian Standard Time|IST]]
| utc_offset1 = +5:30
| postal_code_type = 
| postal_code =
| registration_plate =
| website =
| footnotes =
| native_name_lang = Hindi
| other_name = मिथिलापुरी
| area_land_acre = 179
}}
'''Baliraajgadh''' is an archaeological site located in [[Madhubani district]] of [[Bihar]], [[India]]. It has been claimed by some scholars to be the location of the ancient city of [[Mithilā (ancient city)|Mithila]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://hindi.news18.com/blogs/satyam/balirajharh-a-ancient-mithila-915917.html|title = News18 इंडिया: Hindi News, Latest News in Hindi, Breaking News in Hindi}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.newsofbihar.com/khas-khabar/kaun-lega-mithila-key-baliraajgadh-ki-sudhi.html|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20171026162756/http://www.newsofbihar.com/khas-khabar/kaun-lega-mithila-key-baliraajgadh-ki-sudhi.html|archive-date = 26 October 2017|title = News of Bihar in Hindi}}</ref> The headquarter of the [[Ancient Mithila University]] was at the court of King Janaka in Mithila. Therefore, Balirajgadh is also the possible site of the [[Ancient Mithila University]]. It is the place from where most of the schools of the ancient Indian philosophy emerged. Nyaya Shastra, Logical sciences, Samkhya Shastra, Mimansa Shastra and many more Indian philosophy were emerged from the Ancient Mithila University.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=In order to find the capital of King Janak, the initiative of excavation of Balirajgarh intensified |url=https://www.bhaskar.com/local/bihar/muzaffarpur/madhubani/news/in-order-to-find-the-capital-of-king-janak-the-initiative-of-excavation-of-balirajgarh-intensified-129343634.html |url-status=live |website=Dainik Bhaskar}}</ref>
[[File:Ancient Mithila University.jpg|thumb|Ruins of Balirajgarh Fort, Ancient Capital city of Mithila]]

In [[Xuanzang]]'s record, two clans were linked with Vajji/Mithila by 646: Vaishali and Vrijji. Vaishali was both Buddhist and Hindu while Vrijji was predominantly Hindu and the capital of it '''''Zhanshuna''''' (占戍挐, possibly from Sanskrit "Cemśoṇa/Cansuna").<ref>{{isbn|9789867332677}} page 485</ref>

== Excavations ==
In 1938 Archeological Survey of India declared the ancient site of Balirajgadh as a site of national importance under the Ancient Monuments Preservation Act of 1904. The first excavation of the site was conducted in 1962-1963 by the Archeological Survey of India. The second and third excavations was conducted by the Directorate of Archaeology and Museums, Government of Bihar, in 1972-73 and 1974-75.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Loksabha Question: Excavation at Balirajgarh Fort in Madhubani Bihar asked by Yadav Shri Devendra Prasad {{!}} Data is information |url=https://datais.info/loksabha/question/a38b57cdd833f58df6aa6202dbcd840d/EXCAVATION-AT-BALIRAJGARH-FORT-IN-MADHUBANI-BIHAR/ |access-date=2022-05-08 |website=Data is Info |language=en}}</ref> In 2013-2014, Archeological Survey of India, Bihar circle again started the excavation of the site but due to the negligence of the government no proper results were there.<ref>{{Cite web |title=बलिराजगढ़ की खुदाई को जिला प्रशासन गंभीर |url=https://www.jagran.com/bihar/madhubani-district-administration-severe-to-dig-the-balirajgarh-17448907.html |access-date=2022-05-09 |website=Dainik Jagran |language=hi}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=June 24, 2014 |first=Pranava K. |last=Chaudhary |title=Over 400 antiquities found in Balirajgarh |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/patna/over-400-antiquities-found-in-balirajgarh/articleshow/37103387.cms |access-date=2022-05-09 |website=The Times of India |language=en}}</ref>

== Archeological Remains ==
Archeologists have found many archeological remains from the site by excavations conducted by them.<ref>{{Cite web |title=NMMA |url=http://nmma.nic.in/nmma/exploreObject.do?object=18&pager.offset=90850 |access-date=2022-05-18 |website=nmma.nic.in}}</ref> They excavated 2300 years old iron nail from the site. More than 400 antiquities were excavated from the site including human & animal figurines and beads of terracotta, bangle fragments and ceiling.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Singh |first=V. |last2=Singh |first2=M. R. |date= |title=Steelmaking in India - new evidence from microscopic and archaeometallurgical analysis from middle Ganga plain, Balirajgarh |url=https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31750544/ |journal=Journal of Microscopy |volume=276 |issue=3 |pages=128–135 |doi=10.1111/jmi.12846 |issn=1365-2818 |pmid=31750544}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Raja Bali Garh |url=https://bt-dev.argildx.com/en/destinations/madhubani/raja-bali-garh |access-date=2022-05-18 |website=bt-dev.argildx.com |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |author=Pranava K. Chaudhary|date=Jun 25, 2014 |title=Over 400 antiquities found in Balirajgarh, Bihar {{!}} India News - Times of India |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/over-400-antiquities-found-in-balirajgarh-bihar/articleshow/37156776.cms |access-date=2022-05-18 |website=The Times of India |language=en}}</ref> The sizes of the bricks found at the ruins of the site are double compared with the sizes of the modern times bricks. The size of the bricks found here are generally 1 Feet × 1.5 Feet × 4 Inch in dimension.<ref>{{Cite web |title=बलिराजगढ़ में मिला था मौर्यकाल का अवशेष |url=https://www.prabhatkhabar.com/state/bihar/madhubani/80891 |access-date=2022-05-18 |website=Prabhat Khabar |language=hi}}</ref>
== History ==
According to historians and local residents, it was the capital of ancient King Bali. King Bali was the son of Virochan and grandson of [[Prahlada|Prahlad]]. King Bali was very famous for his donations to poors, [[Brahmin|Brahmins]], Scholars and any one who came to his kingdom in expectations for financial help. He is known as a great donar.<ref>{{Cite web |title=राजा बलि का गढ़ खोजने को फिर होगी खोदाई |url=https://www.jagran.com/delhi/new-delhi-city-11981212.html |access-date=2022-05-20 |website=Dainik Jagran |language=hi}}</ref> Many scholars claimed that it was the capital of King [[Janaka]] in [[Mithila (region)|Mithila]]. According to [[Ramayana]], Lord [[Rama]], [[Lakshmana]] and Guru [[Vishvamitra|Vishwamitra]] went to the [[Mithila (region)|Kingdom of Mithila]] from [[Gautam Ashram]] in the direction of North-East direction. This site is in the North-East direction from the [[Gautam Ashram]]. In the Ramayana, the capital of the Kingdom of Mithila is also known as Mithilapuri. So, it is also believed as the site of ancient Mithilapuri in [[Ramayana]]. <ref name=":0" /> According to the historian Sahadev Jha, it was the capital of the Kingdom of Shakaditya in the 1st Century BC. Shakaditya was the younger brother of King [[Vikramaditya]]. In the 11th century AD, it was the capital of King Ballasen of [[Sena dynasty|Sen dynasty]]. Some of the remains of [[Maurya Empire|Maurya]] period were also found here. So some scholars believe that some of the parts of this site may be built during [[Maurya Empire|Maurya]] period<ref>{{Cite web |title=बलिराजगढ़ में मिला था मौर्यकाल का अवशेष |url=https://www.prabhatkhabar.com/state/bihar/madhubani/80891 |access-date=2022-05-20 |website=Prabhat Khabar |language=hi}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Archaeological sites in Bihar]]

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Baliraajgadh - Revision history

UpdateBot at 11:17, 2 June 2022