DARBHANGA

town, northern Bihar state, northeastern India. It is situated just to the east of the Baghmati River, a tributary of the Ganges. The town was the capital of the Darbhanga raj, an estate established in the 16th century, and contains the Anandbagh palace. It was constituted a municipality in 1864. Darbhanga is the seat of Kameshwara Singh Darbhanga Sanskrit University (1961), which is located on the grounds of the palace. There is also a museum containing archaeological materials as well as historical and handicraft exhibits. The town is situated on a vast alluvial plain, with low-lying areas containing marshes and lakes. A major rail and road junction, Darbhanga trades in agricultural produce, mangoes, and fish. In addition to food processing, there is some light manufacturing. Grains, oilseeds, tobacco, sugarcane, and mangoes are important crops in the region. Pop. (1981) 176,301; (1991) 218,391.