[ Edit ] Overview

Admittedly, Bihar currently suffers from a reputation of endemic lawlessness and rampant corruption, and is one of India's poorest and most backward States. However, Bihar is a land of great mythological and historical importance with great contributions in the field of religion / spiritualism and governance. Indeed, the very name of the state of Bihar is derived from the word "Vihara", or "Monastery", which suggests how full the land must have been of monasteries. Such monasteries were revered educational establishments or were connected with schools and / or universities.

It was in Bihar, at Bodh Gaya,  that Prince Gautam attained enlightenment and became the Buddha.  and the great religion of buddhism was born.  During Buddhism's heyday in India, one of the world's great universities was located at Nalanda.  It is in Bihar, at Pawapuri, that Lord Mahavira, the founder of Jainism, was born and attained also died (i.e. attained nirvana). The 10th, and the last Guru of the Sikhs, Guru Gobind Singh, was born in Bihar and one of the five holiest Sikh pilgrimage sites (a Gurudwara / temple - the Harmandir or Patna Sahib) is located here.  Going back to mythological times, Sita (Lord Ram's wife) is believed to have been born in Bihar.  

Bihar, was also home to one of the greatest Indian dynasties - the Maurya Empire - who ruled from Patilapura (or present day Patna).   Some of the greatest rulers of this empire include: including King Chandragupta and King Ashoka. 

This glorious history of Bihar lasted till about the 8th century AD, and with the downfall of the Gupta period to the muslim invaders, the Golden Period of Bihar came to an end.  Under Mughal rule, Bihar lost its prestige as a cultural and political center, and was simply managed as an unremarkable province from Delhi. 

Today, Bihar is an important destination on the Budhhism pilgrimage circuit.  It is India's 12th largest state and 3rd largest by population.

For more general information on Bihar (Economy, History, Demographics, etc.), please refer to the Bihar Wiki Guide.

Top Δ

Highlights

[ Edit ] Destinations in Bihar

Main destinations in Bihar are:

• Patna: Patna is the state capital of Bihar located on the southern bank of the river Ganges. The city also straddles the rivers Kosi, Sone and Gandak. Ancient Patna, known as Pataliputra, was the capital of Magadha Empire under the Nanda, Mauryan, Sunga, Gupta and Pala dynasties. Apart from being the administrative centre of the state and its historic importance, the city is also a major educational and medical centre.

• Patna Sahib: Takht Sri Darbar Sahib Patna Sahib is one of the Five Takhts of the Sikhs, the Temporal Authorities of Sikhism. The Gurdwara at Patna Sahib is in the birth place of Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth Guru of the Sikhs. This Gurdwara was built by Maharaja Ranjit Singh.

• Bihar Sharif: Bihar Sharif is a muslim pilgrimage centre particularly during the annual Urs fair and was once the capital of the Muslim Governors of Bihar during the 13th and 16th centuries. It is located in Nalanda district in Bihar 13km from Nalanda and 80 km from Patna. The dargah (tomb) of Mukhdoom Shah, a 13th century muslim saint and Malik Ibrahim Baya are sited here.

• Nalanda: Nalanda is believed to have been one of the greatest centers of learning in the ancient times. Situated 2 km from Patna, Nalanda is an integral part of the Buddhist pilgrimage circuit that also includes Bodh Gaya and Rajgir:

• Rajgir: Associated with important phases of Buddha's life, Rajgir is one of the most important pilgrimage for Buddhist. Rajgir also has some very beautiful Hindu and Jain temples.

Top Δ

[ Edit ] Festivals in Bihar

• Chhath Puja: Chhath Puja is a unique festival dedicated to the sun god mainly celebrated in Bihar. Chhath is a festival dedicated to the Sun Goddess - Surya, considered to be a means to thank the sun for bestowing the bounties of life in earth and fulfilling particular wishes.The festival is celebrated twice a year, once in March (called Chaiti Chhath), after the festival of Holi and then in November(called Kartik Chhath), after the festival of Diwali.

Top Δ

[ Edit ] Foods of Bihar

Bihar society is influenced by Buddish and Hindu, Bihari cuisine is predominantly vegetarian values of  non-violence did not eat eggs, chicken, fish and other animal products. Since the days of the Buddha the staple food of the people of Bihar has been rice.

Top Δ

[ Edit ] Monuments and Temples in Bihar

• Bodh Gaya: Bodh Gaya, a Buddhist pilgrimage centre, is visited by a large number of Kanwarias (Lord Shiva devotees). It is believed that Lord Buddha attained his enlightenment under a tree in Body Gaya that exists even today. The temple always echoes with the chant of the Sutra Path by Buddhist monks

Top Δ

Other Information

[ Edit ] Bihar Area

99,200 sq.kms

Top Δ

[ Edit ] Bihar Languages

Hindi, English, Urdu, Bhojpuri, Magahi and Maithili

Top Δ

[ Edit ] Bihar Population

82,998,509

Top Δ

[ Edit ] Capital of Bihar

Patna

Top Δ

Recent News

[ARCHIVES ]