Virata Kingdom

Virata Kingdom (Nepali: विराट राज्य) was a kingdom ruled by the Matsya king by the name Virata. The city of Biratnagar is named after this kingdom. At present day, the ruins of this kingdom has been found at East of Biratnagar called Buddhanagar.^[1] It was here that the Pandavas spent their 13th year of anonymity (Ajgnata Vasa) after their 12 years of forest-life (Vana Vasa) in the forests of Kamyaka and Dwaita. Upaplavya was another city in this kingdom where the Pandavas and their allies camped before the beginning of the great Kurukshetra War.

King Virata and his sons took part in the great war and perished. Virata's daughter Uttara married Arjuna's son Abhimanyu and gave birth to Parikshit who later became the Kuru king after the reign of the Pandavas. Buddhanagar: Archilogical survey in 1960 also found ruins of a temple estimated to be built around the 1st century BCE, around the time of Mahabharat.

Kichakbadh

During the exile Bhima killed Kichaka for abusing Draupadi. There is a place in Jhapa/Kishanganj district, the adjoining district, called Kichakbadh just within 50km of Biratnagar and Kishanganj. This place is believed to be the one where Kichak was killed.

Arjundhara

There is also a famous place/ temple called Arjundhara in Jhapa district. It is believed that Arjun used to come to this place with his cows. One day he felt thirsty but there was no water around there. To make the water, he hit the ground with his arrow. It made a hole on the ground through which water evolved and Arjun and his cows quenched their thirst. The pond lying next to the temple is still believed to be filled with water from the hole made by Arjun.

See also

Matsya Kingdom

Virata

References

1. ↑ Dambar Krishna Shrestha & Kamal Rimal. "१०० वर्षको विराटनगर, मणि खोज्दै (Biratnagar Turns 100, Seeking Glory)". Himal Khabar. Himal Media. Retrieved 26 December 2013. 

• Mahabharata of Krishna Dwaipayana Vyasa, translated to English by Kisari Mohan Ganguli