an ancient kingdom of India, corresponding to that portion of Behar lying N. of the Ganges, with an extension into Nepal, where was the capital of Janakpur. Its early history is obscure, but it has always been noted for its peculiar conservatism and the learning of its Brahmans. They form to this day one of the five classes of northern Brahmans, and their head is the Maharaja of Darbhanga. The language, known as Maithili, is a dialect of Bihari, with an archaic system of grammar and a literature of its own.