Tirhut division


Tirhut Division is an administrative division of the Indian state of Bihar, with its headquarters located at Muzaffarpur. It was created in 1908 and is one of the prominent divisions of the state. The division is administered by a Commissioner, a senior officer of the Indian Administrative Service.
The division comprises six districts: Muzaffarpur district, East Champaran district, West Champaran district, Vaishali district, Sitamarhi district, and Sheohar district

Districts and subdivisions

Tourist attractions

Geography and demographics

Tirhut Division covers an area of 17,141 km². According to the Census of India, the division has a total population of 21,410,544 with a literacy rate of 60.81%. Administratively, it is subdivided into 18 subdivisions, 99 community development blocks, 1,788 gram panchayats, and 1,572 villages.

Historical significance

The Champaran Satyagraha was the first satyagraha movement led by Mahatma Gandhi in British India, beginning in 1917. It marked a turning point in the Indian independence movement. Champaran became a separate administrative unit in 1866 and was later bifurcated in 1971 into East Champaran and West Champaran.
  • Vaishali
Vaishali is considered one of the world’s first republics, established as early as the 6th century BCE. It holds religious significance as the birthplace of Lord Mahavira, the 24th Jain Tirthankara and as the site where Gautama Buddha delivered his last sermon and announced his Parinirvana.
  • Sitamarhi
The district of Sitamarhi was carved out of Muzaffarpur district on 11 December 1972. It is a sacred site in Hindu mythology, believed to be the birthplace of Sita, the wife of Lord Rama, from the epic Ramayana. The Janaki Kund and Janaki Mandir are notable pilgrimage sites here.
  • Sheohar
Sheohar is the smallest district of the division. Formerly a subdivision of Sitamarhi, it became a separate district on 6 October 1994.

Economy

Muzaffarpur, the largest city and administrative headquarters of Tirhut Division, serves as the economic and unofficial capital of North Bihar. The division is primarily agrarian, with Muzaffarpur district recognized as a major hub for lychee production in India. The region is famous for its Shahi and China varieties, cultivated over an estimated 25,800 hectares and producing approximately 300,000 tonnes annually—about 40% of India's total output.

Agriculture

Agriculture forms the backbone of Tirhut’s economy. Principal crops include rice, wheat, pulses, jute, maize, and various oil seeds. The region also supports extensive sugarcane farming, with multiple sugar mills historically operating in the area. Muzaffarpur acts as a wholesale market hub for agricultural produce from surrounding districts.

Industry

The industrial base of Tirhut Division is centered in Muzaffarpur and includes:
  • Kanti Thermal Power Station
  • Textile and bag manufacturing clusters, particularly in the Bela Industrial Area
  • Leather Product Park hosting over 90 manufacturing units
  • Dairy processing plants operated by Sudha Dairy and ITC Limited
  • A Mega Food Park spread across 78 acres with an investment of ₹180.57 crore
  • A biofuel production plant and the state's only semiconductor manufacturing unit, operated by Suresh Chips & Semiconductor
  • Bihar's cabinet has sanctioned the development of 700 acres for new industrial areas in Muzaffarpur at an estimated cost of ₹297 crore. In 2025, Cosmas Lifestyle inaugurated a ₹37 crore bag production facility under Bihar’s textile and leather development policy.

    Vaishali

Vaishali’s economy mixes agro-trade with modern industrial development. The city of Hajipur in Vaishali district contains the 150-acre Export Promotion Industrial Park, a multi-product zone managed by BIADA. EPIP hosts renowned brands such as PepsiCo, Britannia, HUL, Godrej, and several others, along with research institutes like CIPET and NIPER

West Champaran

While detailed industrial data is limited, West Champaran stands out in Bihar for its sugarcane production, holding the top spot in the state as of 2022

East Champaran

East Champaran’s economy is firmly rooted in agriculture, oriented around crops such as rice, paddy, sugarcane, jute, and lentils, making it one of the top producing districts in Bihar for these staples