Araria district, with Araria town as its administrative headquarters,  is one of the thirty-eight districts of  state of Bihar in India. It is a part of Purnia division.  Araria is located at the northern part of Purnia and Madhepura districts in Bihar. It shares boundaries with Nepal in northern side, Kishanganj in eastern side and Supaul at south-west side. It was given the status of a separate district on 14th January 1990 after it was separated from Purnia district.  It  touches the Indo-Nepal international border. This area is very close to three countries viz., Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan. Hence the district is highly important in terms of security. Jogbani is the last point of Araria after which Morang district of Nepal starts. Kosi river flows through Araria.

Araria History

In the year 1770, Ducarrel, who was the Supervisor or Collector at Purnea, reported that Budhkaran, who had been the Dewan of the late Raja Kamdat Singh of Morung was preying the Companys frontiers and putting the subjects to flight. He suggested to  extend the influence by giving military assistance to Regonault, who was opposed to Budhkaran.

Depredations of the religious mendicants were also one of the troubles from the north and above all of it were the Dacoits who after committing crimes in this who area took refuge in Morung. All these circumstances forced the district administration to take a serious thought in regard of the problems from the north. Again in the year 1788 the collector of Purnea wrote to the board of revenue that the invasion of Morung by the Gorkhas against the order of Mr. Hasting , the assassination of the young Raja and their repeated damages on our frontier, that nothing but a decisive step will be enough to hold them back within their bounds. According to OMalley, the belligerence of the Nepalese continued during the next century. In 1808, the Gorkha Governor of Morung captured the whole zamindari of Bheemnagar. This blatant encroachment could not be over looked and in June 1809 a disengagemet of troops was sent from Purnia to the frontiers. These happenings ended with the Indo Nepalese war of 1811 -12 and after this war the present boundary between Araria and Nepal were determined.

In the first war of independence of 1857,  Araria also saw a few battles between the insurgents and the commissioner Yules forces, which took place near Nathpur. In view of the developments of 1857 regarding the law & order, in the year 1864 Araria made into a Sub-Division by merging the small divisions of Araria, Matiari, Dimia, parts of  Haveli and Bahadurganj to provide better administration. Ultimately was given the status of a separate ditrict in the year 1990.

Araria Tourism

Tourist places in Araria
Madanpur
Palasi
Basaithi
Kali Mandir, the largest temple dedicated to Maa Kali in Asia
Temple of Lord SHIVA situated at Madanpur
Shakti temple, known as the Chhinmastika temple, located in Shahbazpur village in north west part of the district. The temple contains body parts of the Goddess Shakti which fell down on earth when Lord Shiva carried her burnt body
A mosque in center of town revered by Muslims across the region