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The area now known as Munger (historically referred to as Monghyr) was part of Madhya-desa, the “Midland” region where the first Aryan settlers established themselves. This territory has been linked to Mod-Giri, a location mentioned in the Mahabharata, which was once the capital of a kingdom in eastern India near Vanga and Tamralipta. In the Digvijaya Parva of the Mahabharata, Moda-Giri is referenced, and it is believed to have been a monarchical state during ancient times. The Sabha-Parva recounts Bhima’s conquest in eastern India, where he defeated Karna, the king of Anga, and fought a battle at Modagiri, killing its chief. Modagiri was also known as Maudal, named after Maudgalya, a disciple of Buddha, who is said to have converted a wealthy merchant from the area to Buddhism. Buchanan identified this site as the hermitage of Mudgala Muni, and the legacy of Mudgal Rishi continues to be significant in local tradition.
The Monghyr copperplate of Devapala refers to Munger as “Modagiri.” The name Munger has been the subject of much debate, with some traditions attributing the town’s foundation to Chandragupta, who named it Guptagars, a name inscribed on a rock at Kastaharni Ghat near the fort. It is believed that Mudgal Rishi lived in the area, and his family is credited with composing several hymns in the 10th Mandala of the Rigveda. However, General Cunningham questioned the origins of the name, linking it to the Munda people who lived in the region before the Aryans. Mr. C.E.A. Oldham, a former collector, suggested that the name could have originated from “Munigiha,” meaning the abode of a sage, which later became “Mungir” and finally “Munger.”
In early historical periods, the present-day location of Munger was likely part of the Anga kingdom, with Champa near Bhagalpur as its capital. According to historian Pargiter, Anga covered the modern-day districts of Bhagalpur and Munger. The kingdom once extended its control over Magadha, and the Shanti-Parva of the Mahabharata mentions an Anga king who performed a sacrifice at Mount Vishnupada. During the epic period, Modagiri is recorded as a separate state. However, the dominance of Anga declined around the mid-sixth century B.C. when Bimbisara of Magadha defeated Brahmadatta, the last independent king of Anga, integrating the region into the expanding Magadhan empire. Epigraphic evidence from the Gupta period also indicates that Munger was under Gupta rule. A copper plate from the reign of Buddhagupta (447-495 A.D.), dated to A.D. 488-9, was discovered in the district at Mandapura.
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