Munger, Bihar, India

🇮🇳 Munger is a twin city and a Municipal Corporation situated in the Mithila region of Bihar State. It is the administrative headquarters of Munger district and Munger Division. Munger was one of the major cities in Eastern India and undivided Bengal during Mughal period and British Raj. It is one of the major political,cultural,educational and commercial centre of Bihar and Eastern India.

Historically, Munger is known for Sita Manpatthar (Sita charan) Sitacharan temple situated on a boulder in the middle of the Ganges in Munger(Mithilanchal) is the main centre of public faith regarding Chhaith festival. It is believed that Mata Sita performed Chhaith festival in Munger. It was only after this that Chhath Mahaparv started. That is why Chhaith Mahaparva is celebrated with great pomp in Munger.Munger also famous for an ancient seat of rule. The twin city comprises Munger and Jamalpur situated on the southern bank of the river Ganges. It is situated 08 km from Jamalpur Junction,180 km east of capital city Patna and 430 Km from Kolkata the capital of West Bengal.

Munger is said to have been founded by the Guptas (4th century CE) and contains a fort that houses the tomb of the Muslim saint Shah Mushk Nafā (died 1497). In 1763 Mīr Qasīm, nawab of Bengal, made Munger his capital and built an arsenal and several palaces. It was constituted a municipality in 1864.

Economy Indian Railways operates of Asia's largest and oldest railway workshops at Jamalpur. This was set up by the British Raj in 1862.

Munger has also ITC Factory established by the British. Ordinance Gun Factory Munger, ITC Milk Dairy and many others.

Culture Munger is known for Sita Manpatthar (Sita charan) Sitacharan temple situated on a boulder in the middle of the Ganges in Munger (Anga Region) is the main centre of public faith regarding Chhath festival. It is believed that Mata Sita performed the Chhaith festival in Munger. It was only after this that Chhath Mohaparv started. That is why Chhath Mohaparva is celebrated with great pomp in Munger.Munger is also famous for Durga Puja Mahotsav which is celebrated for 10 days. The first nine days are celebrated with great fervor across the city. On the 10th day evening, one side rushes to the Polo Grounds for Ravan Badh, while the other side prepares for a unique ritual known as "Shobha Yatra". The “Shobha Yatra of Badi Durga of Sadipur” marks the importance of Badi Durga of Munger all over the country. People from all over the city join this yatra, and the deity is immersed early in the morning in the holy river Ganges.

Places of interest • Munger Fort, covers an area of around 222 acres • Chandika Asthan, a sacred Shakti-Peeth • Kastaharni Ghat on the Ganges • Bhimbandh Wildlife Sanctuary • Bihar School of Yoga • Sita Kund hotspring • Rishi Kund hotspring • Pir Pahar • Jai Prakash Udyaan / Company Garden • Dolphin ECO Park for the conservation of Gangetic river dolphin. • Mir Qasim's Tunnel • Peer Shah Nafah Shrine • Kharagpur Jheel (Lake) • Goenka Shivalaya / Machli Talab .

Transport: Rail Munger has two railway stations known as: Jamalpur Junction and Munger Railway Station. The former is the main railhead for the city while the latter, which was earlier called Purabsarai Railway Station, acts as suburban facility. Stations are connected with Sahibganj Loop.

The rail system provides connection to cities such as New Delhi, Mumbai,Surat, Yesvantpur Junction, Jamshedpur, Jammu Tawi, Dibrugarh, Guwahati, Lucknow, Patna, Ranchi, Agartala, Hyderabad, Deoghar Junction, Muzaffarpur Junction and Dhanbad. The Munger Ganga Bridge, which takes both rail and road-traffic, connects Munger to the nearby cities of Begusarai, Saharsa Junction, Katihar and Khagaria Junction as well as various districts of North Bihar. The bridge is the third-largest rail-cum-road bridge in India.

Transport: Road Munger is connected to major parts of India by various National and State Highways. The major cities of Bihar and Jharkhand - such as Patna, Ranchi, Bhagalpur, Purnia,katihar, Bihar sharif, Muzaffarpur, Jamshedpur, Dhanbad, Gaya, Bokaro and Darbhanga - can be reached by NH 33, NH 333B, NH 333A, NH 31 and NH 333 and various state Highways. Regular bus service are provided by BSRTC for all the major cities and other destinations. Citybuses, Taxies, Autorikshaw, E-Rickshaw, etc. are available all the times in the entire city for transportation.

The Munger Ganga Bridge link Munger to various districts of North Bihar and north-eastern India by 2021.

Transport: Air Munger Airport is located in Safyabad, which is 5 km from Munger. It was re-inaugurated by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on 24 May 2016. Munger has no international airport with commercial service. Domestic airport with commercial service is Jay Prakash Narayan Airport in Patna around 180 km away, which is served by all major airlines.

Nearest international airport is Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport in Kolkata Which is around 480 km away from Munger.

Education • Bihar School of Yoga is one of the notable organizations in the field of Yoga established in 1964 by Satyananda Saraswati. • Indian Railway Institute of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering • Biswanath Singh Institute of Legal Studies • Munger University • Government Engineering College, Munger • Munger Forestry College • Rahmani Foundation, Munger • Government Polytechnic College, Munger.