More than 200 years ago ‘Loha’ a forest was given by the Maharaja of Darbhanga residing at Bhowara, just south of Madhubani to Late Shri Nandan Choudhary, a land-lord of the area to build his ‘haveli’. He built his ‘haveli’ here and gradually other people came and settled here and thus came up the village Loha.
The area of this village is less than 200 acres. At present the population of the village is approximately 2000. This village falls under the police station ‘Kaluahi’. On the north of this village is Subhankerpur, on the west is Bijalpura,on the south is Kapasia and on the East a small river named “Jeewachh”. It is believed by the people of the area that a couple is blessed with a child if they bathe in this river. The village is mainly divided in to three ‘tolas’ named ‘Bengal’, ‘Madras’ and ‘Godda’.
There is a very old Primary School which was upgraded to Middle School. High School Loha was established in 1939. Though this school is located in the adjoining village Bijalpura it is called Loha High School named after Shrimati Shashimani Choudhary of Loha. There is a biweekly ‘haat’ (village bazaar) near this high School and is called ‘Loha Haat’.
Temples in Loha – A True Picture
‘Durga Asthan’ is almost 125 years old. This temple is shown in the cadastral Survey map of 1900.The original temple was constructed by the descendents of Late Nandan Choudhary and the puja ceremony in Ashwin Navaratra was celebrated by them. But since last thirty years, the temple is looked after by a village committee and the new temple has been constructed with the cooperation/donation of all the villagers. The main source of the income for the temple (for puja,etc.) is the pond near the temple.
The puja in this temple is celebrated from 1st Aswin ( New Moon) to Purnima ( Full Moon) and the immersion of the deities takes place after Purnima.
On the Dussehra day (10th Aswin) a Vijaya Yatra starts from ‘Shri Sita Ram Mandir’ with deities Ram, Sita, Laxman and Hanuman. The procession moves around the adjoining villages with recitation of specific stanzas from ‘Ram Charit Mansa’ at different identified places and also at Durga Asthan and finally returns to ‘Shree Sita Ram Mandir’. This Vijaya Yatra is unique and worth observing.
‘Shri Sita Ram Mandir’ is located in the campus of Late Shri Gangadhar Choudhary. Shri Gangadhar Choudhary was a saintly and renowned person. He wrote 92, 08,718 ‘Sri Ram in artistic and colourful style from 5 November 1948 till he breathed his last in January 1972. This ‘Unique Treasure’ is preserved by his son Shri Prem Chandra Choudhary and is worth seeing.
‘Batahu Mahadeo Mandir’ is a very old Shiva temple located on the north eastern corner of the village near ‘Jeewachh river. This temple has been reconstructed with the help of the people of Loha, Subhankarpur, Keota, Bijalpura and Kapsia. The temple in the middle of the fields is very quiet and peaceful.
