Kosi-Seemanchal
Kosi-Seemanchal | |
|---|---|
Subregion | |
| Country |  India |
| State | Bihar |
| Largest city | Purnea and katihar |
| Divisions | Kosi and Purnia |
| Languages | |
| • Spoken | Maithili (including Thēthi and Angika), Surjapuri, Hindi, Urdu, Bengali |
| Time zone | UTC+5:30 (IST) |
| Major highways |  NH 27,  NH 31,  NH 231,  NH 131A,  NH 131 |
| Major Railway Lines | Barauni-Katihar, Saharsa and Purnia sections Barauni-Guwahati line |
Kosi-Seemanchal is in the Northeastern part of Bihar. It is a subregion within the larger cultural region of Mithila[1].It consists of Kosi and Purnia divisions. It has seven districts — Araria, Madhepura, Saharsa, Supaul, Purnea, Kishanganj and Katihar.[2]
| Rank | City/Town | District | Population (2011) | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Purnia (UA) | Purnia | 312,669 | Urban Agglomeration |
| 2 | Katihar (UA) | Katihar | 240,838 | Urban Agglomeration |
| 3 | Saharsa | Saharsa | 156,540 | Municipality |
| 4 | Kishanganj | Kishanganj | 105,782 | Nagar Parishad |
Name
The name of the Kosi division comes from the Kosi River which flows through the region. On the other hand, Seemanchal (border area) is a colloquial alternate term for Purnia division owing to its close proximity with the India-Bangladesh border. The term gained popularity after the veteran RJD leader Mohammed Taslimuddin first proposed the creation of a separate Seemanchal state in 1992, during a period when he was a Member of Parliament representing Purnia on a Janata Dal ticket. The proposal included the districts of Kishanganj, Purnia, Araria, Katihar, and sometimes Bhagalpur, Supaul, and Khagaria. The demand was based on Seemanchal’s distinct demography (high Muslim population) and overall socioeconomic backwardness of the region.[3]
References
- ^ Thakur, Ripunjay Kumar (1 March 2022). "Historical Geography of Early Medieval Mithila: From Videha to Tirhut". Kanpur Philosophers, a UGC CARE listed and an Internationally Peer Reviewed Journal, Vol. VIII, Issue II.
- ^ "Seemanchal highly polarised; RJD upbeat, BJP worried". 23 April 2014.
- ^ "Now, fresh calls for Seemanchal state". The Times of India. 14 December 2009. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 22 August 2025.