History of Samastipur

History of Samastipur

As per district Gazetteers, Darbhanga, pages 33 to 34 Darbhanga under the Oinwaras (1325-1525 AD), After a temporary period of instability, Darbhanga came under the control of the Oinwaras, also known as the Kameshwara Thakur or Sugauna Dinasty. These Hindu Chiefs were left undisturbed by the Muslim conquerors, who has by now conquered the whole of Mithila and whose exploits are indicated. The Oinwara Dynasty is noted for their encouragement of leaning and fine arts and their court served as the centre of Sanskrit belle's letters and philosophy. Among the prominent scholars of age were Gadadhara, Sankara, Vachaspati Mishra, Vidyapati, Amartakara and Amiykara. Kameshwara, the founder of dynasty, was resident of village Oini, near Pusa Road, in the District of Darbhanga. When Hazi Ilyas of  Bengal divided Torhut into two parts, the Oinwara Raja shifted his Capital to Sugauna near Madhubani. The southern part of the district was under Hazi Ilyas and the northern part under the Oinwaras. The modern subdivision of Samastipur (originally Shamsuddinpur) was founded by Hazi Shamsuddin Ilyas of West Bengal. Sultan Firuz Tuglaq was fast friend of Oinwar Bhogiswara and Vidyapati confirms this point. Birasimha and Kritisinha of this dinasty went to Jaunpur with Vidyapati to seek the help of Ibrahim Shah Sarqui against Arslan who had usurped power in Mithila. Devasimha, father of Shivasimha was a very powerful king and he founded Deokuli near Lahariasarai.

The most famous king of time was Shivasimha. He was a brave warrior. He was a friend of Raja Ganesha of Bengal. He accepted that independence of Mithila and issued gold coins in his name, the two specimens of which were examined by scholars. What happed to Sivasimha after his defeat at the hands of muslim is yet a mistory in the history of Tirhut though wild conjectures  have been hazarded by some recent scholars. He had his headquarters at the present site of Gajnathpur also known as Sibaisimhapur. After his defeat his wife Lakhama and Vidyapati took refuse at the port of Dronwara Puraditya at Raja Banauli Lakhima was ascribed some poems in Sanshrit and Maithili to Lakhima. After Shivsimha, came Padmasimha, Harisimha and Narasimhadeva whose inscription on the sun tremple at Kandaha (Saharsha) is yet extant. Narasimhadeva was succeeded by Dhirasimha and the later by Bhairavasimha. Bhairava was a very powerful ruler and like Shivasimha also asserted his independence and issued silver coins. These coins were discovered by professor R. K. Chaudhury and they have been published. These coins are in the regional year 14 and are dated in the Saka Era. These two coins are very important for a study of later Oinwara history and chronology. He is said to have defeated Kedar Rai, the representative of Sultan of Bengal. He was succeeded by Rambhdra and later by Lakshminath Kamasanarayan, whose capital at Kamsnarayan Dih can still be located in the district. An important inscription his time has been discovered at Bhagirathpur (Darbhanga). It given an account of the condition of contemporary Mithila.