Muzaffarpur Tourism And Travel Guide

During the days of the Ramayana, King Janaka is said to have ruled over the Videha Kingdom which included Muzaffarpur. Today this place is known for its fabulous litchis. Around 500 BC the region was a part of the kingdom that was ruled by the Licchavis among other clans. Muzaffarpur was ruled by the Mughals also till the year 1764, when the entire area came under the British Empire following the Battle of Buxar. Muzaffarpur is situated on the banks of the Burhi Gandak River which flows down from the Himalayas. Tourism in Muzaffarpur consists of mainly visits to diverse temples, some of them very old ones. A travel guide to Muzaffarpur is placed in the underlying paragraphs.

By Road:

Muzaffarpur is a city that is fairly well connected by road with the major cities of Bihar. It is connected by a regular bus service with Patna which is only a three hour drive away from Muzaffarpur. If you wish to travel to Muzaffarpur by road you will find several buses that ply directly from Ranchi and Siliguri besides Patna, of course. Because of NH 77 Muzaffarpur is also well connected with Sitamarhi and Hajipur. 

By Rail:

Muzaffarpur Junction is one of the busiest railway stations in Bihar. It also has two suburban stations which are Sherpur and Ram Dayalu Nagar. Muzaffarpur Junction is fairly well connected with not only all the major cities in the state but also the bigger cities in the country. Some of these stations include Gaya and Patna besides Darbhanga and Chakia. 

By Air:

Muzaffarpur does not have an airport. The nearest airport for the city is therefore the Lok Nayak Jay Prakash Airport in Patna which is only 76 km away. One could therefore take a flight to Patna and thereafter take a taxi to be driven the distance to Muzaffarpur. 

Summer (March-June):

Muzaffarpur summer is from March onwards. By August though, it becomes very humid to call it only summer. There is a fair amount of variation in the average temperature in this city and its neighbouring regions. The months from May to June are very windy and hot, while June is the hottest time of the year with temperatures rising to more than 39°C in the day time and around 27°C during the night time.

Monsoon (July-September):

Muzzafarpur does not receive as much rain as does the rest of Bihar. However, there is still a degree of precipitation during the months between June and September. The town receives an average annual rainfall of around 1046mm. During monsoon, clogged and flooded roads are not uncommon and for this reason it is best not to visit this place.  

Winter (December-February):

Muzaffarpur is very fine in winter with the weather remaining nice and cool and the temperature going a minimum of 06°C during the night time and about 20°C during daytime. This therefore is the best period for visiting Muzaffarpur when tourists can walk throughout the day without feeling the stress from undue heat. 

Visit the Ram Chandra Shahi Museum:

Built in 1979 the Ram Chandra Shahi Museum is located close to the Jubba Sahni Park. There are some of the finest exhibits in the museum. These exhibits dwell on various subjects. You will therefore see ancient utensils, ornate statues of Ashtadikpal and Manasa Nag, some impressive artefacts and the fine philatelic collection.

Admire the Luscious Litchi Gardens:

Muzaffarpur and litchis are synonymous in this country. This place has a large number of litchi gardens, each vying for its supremacy. It is these litchi gardens that attract a sizeable number of visitors who visit Muzaffarpur during the litchi season. Visiting Muzaffarpur during the litchi season or the May-June period is a great idea since visitors could see the luscious fruits in just about every bit of the 25,000 hectares of land in which these are cultivated.

The Awe Inspiring Baba Garibnath Temple:

Shiva temples can be seen just about anywhere in this country. But, Baba Garibnath Temple which is located in Muzaffarpur is surely among those Shiva Temples that are the most famous of them all. According to the story there was a very large banyan tree that was growing in the premises of the temple and within this tree a Shiva Lingam was found. It is understood that a certain Baba Garibnath appeared in the dreams of the landlord and the Baba ordered the landlord to commence the worship of the lingam on a regular basis.

See the Chaturbhuj Sthan Temple:

It is believed that the popularity of Chaturbhuj Sthan Temple of Muzaffarpur is based on its faith and spirituality. The temple has a story that is attached to it. It is believed that an immense idol of Lord Chaturbhuj was discovered first in a village called Turki. However, the idol ultimately became prominent only when a Shiva Lingam located elsewhere in Muzaffarpur under a tree was brought and worshipped along with the idol of Lord Chaturbhuj. This happened under the direction of the saint who worshipped Shiva after he dreamt that Lord Chaturbhuj wanted that the lingam be placed along with the idol and worshipped.

Take a Walk in Jubba Sahni Park:

Born in 1906 to a family of poor people in Muzaffarpur, Jubba Sahni was perhaps one of the greatest freedom fighters of this country. The people of Muzaffarpur look upon Jubba Sahni as a matter of great pride and it is these people who have built a fine park for children and named the park in the honour of their great freedom fighter. The park is enjoyed by both the locals and the large number of visitors.

Offer Puja at Kali Mata Temple:

The impressive Kali Mata Temple was constructed in 1932 by Kamlesh Singh, the then Maharaja of the State of Darbhanga. Since then this temple has served as a place of worship, faith and belief in Ma Kali to see whom believers come in droves to the temple. There is a folklore concerning this temple as well. According to this story there was an old lady who would meditate for very long periods of time and who lived inside a nearby hut. The old devout lady ultimately passed away on the seventeenth day of the Navratra at this very spot. This location has thereafter acquired the new name of Simri Mai. The temple is today treated as a popular Lokpeeth.

According to reports from visitors, Muzzafarpur has a fair number of good eating joints. Some of these include the Spice Garden which boasts of good South Indian, North Indian and “Malabari Dishes”. You could also try out Bharat Jalpan for good vegetarian food besides Maharaja Sweets which is said to be the “best sweet shop”. You could also try Lazeez for its Chinese and Indian dishes. If you like pizzas, Domino's is the right place for you while Park Restaurant promises good Indian and Asian food. 

Muzaffarpur is of course famous for its litchis, especially the Shahi variety. Besides litchis the place also boasts of katarni rice, jardalu mangos and Magahi paan or betel leaf. The place has its usual shops and kirana stores but it also has prime shopping areas where one can buy gifts for people back home. Some of the top gift shops include Kumar Brothers and Rang Birang besides Maa Kalyani Gift Corner. Bahu Beti Ladies Corner is also fairly popular.