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Bettiah (''Bɛtɪjɑː'',''Bɛtɪjɑː'') is a city and the administrative headquarters of the West Champaran district (Tirhut Division) 〔http://tirhut-muzaffarpur.bih.nic.in〕 - (Tirhut), near Indo-Nepal border, 225 kilometres north-west of Patna, in Bihar. It was the seat of the majestic Bettiah Raj, established in the 17th century. Its palaces and temples narrate its magnificent history. It has a Roman Catholic Mission, which was established in 1740 and the municipality, established in 1869. It came on the rail-map of the country, as early as 1883 and witnessed the first experiment with non-violence by Mahatma Gandhi in India during his Struggle for the Abolition of Indigo Plantation in 1917. It is an agricultural trade centre and has several industries, like, sugar, leather, brass, besides food processing centres. ==History== Back in 1244 A.D., Gangeshwar Dev, a Bhumihar Brahmin of Jaitharia clan settled at Jaithar in Champaran. One of his descendants, Agar Sen acquired large territory in the reign of Emperor Jehangir and was bestowed the title of 'Raja' by Emperor Shah Jahan. In 1659, he was succeeded by his son Raja Guj Singh, who built the palace of the family at Bettiah. He died in 1694 A.D. The palace stands today but serves as marketplace due to the neglect of authorities. In 1765, when the East India Company acquired the ''Diwani'' Bettiah Raj held the largest territory under its jurisdiction. It consisted of all of Champaran except for a small portion held by the Ram Nagar Raj (also held by Bhumihar Brahmin family).〔 Maharaja Sir Harendra Kishore Singh was the last king of Bettiah Raj.〔 He was born in 1854 and succeeded his father, the late Maharaja Rajendra Kishore Singh Bahadur in 1883. In 1884, he received the title of Maharaja Bahadur as a personal distinction and a Khilat and a sanad from the hands of the Lieutenant Governor of Bengal, Sir Augustus Rivers Thompson. He was created an Knight Commander of the Most Eminent Order of the Indian Empire on 1 March 1889. He was appointed a member of the Legislative Council of Bengal in January, 1891. He was also a member of The Asiatic Society He was the last ruler of Bettiah Raj. Maharaja Sir Harendra Kishore Singh Bahadur died heirless on March 26, 1893, leaving behind two widows, Maharani Sheo Ratna Kunwar and Maharani Janki Kunwar. Lt. Governor of Bengal came personally to Bettiah to offer his condolence on his death. Bettiah Raj's 1800 square miles yielding a rental of almost 2 million rupees made it the second largest zamindari in Bihar. Maharani Sheo Ratna Kunwar who succeeded to the estate of Maharaja Harendra Kishore Singh on his death as his senior widow died on March 24, 1896. Upon her death, Maharani Janki Kunwar became entitled to the possession of the estate. Since it was found that Maharani Janki Kunwar was not able to administer the estate, its management was taken over by the Court of Wards, Bihar in 1897. Maharani Janki Kunwar who was a limited holder of the estate died on November 27, 1954. The indigo planters of Bettiah were oppressed by the British Landlords. In this connection, Raj Kumar Shukla persuaded Mahatma Gandhi to visit Bettiah. Mahatma Gandhi came here in 1917 and soon this region became the birthplace of the first mass agitation against British rule in India. It came to be known as Champaran Satyagraha. The Bettiah Gharana was one of the oldest style of vocal music. Madhuban was part of the erstwhile 'Bettiah Raj'. Internal disputes and family quarrels divided the Bettiah Raj in course of time. Madhuban Raj was created as a consequence. A section of Dhrupad singers of dilli gharana (Delhi Gharana) from Mughal emperor Shah Jahan’s court had migrated to Bettiah under the patronage of Bettiah Raj and thus was sown the seed of Bettiah Gharana.〔 The famous Dagar brothers had praised the Bettiah Dhrupad singers and some of them were invited to the Bharat Bhavan in Bhopal to perform with other accomplished singers in 1990.〔 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Bettiah」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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