Introduction to Bihar
Bihar is the place that gave birth to Buddhism and Jainism and helped in the growth of Sikhism and Hinduism, has a past that is unmatched anywhere in the world. It was the center of first republic in the world at Vaishali and the city of Pataliputra was largest and grandest in the world at the height of its glory. There is an array of tourist destinations of diverse interests in the state, though their potential has not been exploited fully till now. Starting from the world famous Buddhist Circuit to the Patna Sahib of Patna and Mithila Paintings of Madhubani to silk production center of Bhagalpur, the state has much to offer to the tourists. More than anything else, it is the present image of the state that is not allowing the state to be a frontrunner in attracting tourists. The name Bihar is a derivative from Vihara, which means 'monastery'. True to its name and its rich cultural heritage, the state houses various monasteries and it is famous for monuments belonging to various religions. The major empires of India rose to great heights here and they succumbed here as well.
Geography of Bihar
Bihar is located in the eastern region of India, bordering Nepal in the North, West Bengal in the east, Uttar Pradesh in the West, and Jharkhand in the South. North Gangetic plain is an extension of the Tarai region of Nepal with many tributaries of Ganges like Koshi, Gandak, Baghmati, and Kamla Balan flowing through it.
elevation.
Symbols of Bihar[6]
Animal Ox(बबल)
Bird Sparrow(गगरबयय)
Flower Marigold(गगदय)
Tree Peepal(पपपल)
Government
• Governor Ram Nath Kovind
• Chief Minister Nitish Kumar
• Legislature Bicameral
• Parliamentary constituency 40
• High Court Patna High Court
Area†
• Total 94,163 km2(36,357 sq mi)
Area rank 13th
Population (2011)[1]
• Total 103,804,637
• Rank 3rd
• Density 1,102/km2(2,850/sq mi)
HDI rank 16th (2010)
Literacy [3] 63.8% (total)
73.5% (male) 53.3% (female)
Official language Hindi [4]
Additional official language Urdu [5]
Economy of Bihar
The State is well linked by road, state highways, national highways, rural and district roads.
The State has fairly good railway network.
There are airports at Patna and Gaya besides landing grounds in all major districts of the State. After the division of state, most of the industries went off with mineral-rich Jharkhand.
Barauni is the only major industrial center in the state where one can find an oil refinery and many allied industries. Munger has a large cigarette factory of ITC group. Bhagalpur is known for its silk production while Patna is home to many small-scale industries, many of them dealing in scrap iron.
Other than Barauni, there are 2 more important industrial centres namely- Muzaffarpur and Mokama. Muzaffarpur is having industries like Rail Wagon factory, power station and IDPL factory where as Mokama houses important units like Rail wagon factory, Bata leather factory and McDowell Distllary.
Agriculture is the main occupation the people of the State. Principal food grain crops are paddy, wheat, maize, and pulses. Main cash crops are sugarcane, potato, tobacco, oilseeds, onion, chilies, and jute.
Bihar Travel Information
Most of the tourist places of Bihar have strong connections with the great religions of the world like Buddhism, Jainism, Sikhism, and Hinduism. Witness to the glorious teachings of the some of the most pious minds of the past, the state attracts people from all religions and faiths.
There are few pilgrimage destinations in India that are sacred to different religions and most of them are in Bihar itself. Places like Patna, Rajgir, and Vaishali are sacred to all the important faiths and that is a great achievement of Bihar. Famous destinations for tourism are Patna, Rajgir, Bodhgaya, Gaya, Nalanda and Vaishali.
Rivers of Bihar
One of the most striking feature of the river system of Bihar is the dominant role of Ganga. The important rivers that join the Ganga from the north are Ghaghra, Gandak, Burhi Gandak, Kosi, Mahananda and its tributaries.
Sonpur, which is situated along Ganga's bank is famous for the great bathing festival, which is the occasion for the greatest cattle and elephant fair in the world.
Education of Bihar
Historically, Bihar has been a major center of learning, home to the
universities of Nalanda (one of the earliest universities of India dating back to the fifth century) and Vikramshila.
Food of Bihar
over the state is Chura-Dahi (flattened rice and curd) taken together with sugar or jaggery.
The influence of Bengal is evident in the way large quantities of fish are consumed in the state. There are several specialty sweets that are made all over the state for special occasions. Khaja, tilkut, anarsa and thekuwa are some of the preparations that form a part of every sweet-toothed Bihari's dreams.
Arts & Culture of Bihar
People of the Bihar are Aryans who came from Central Asia and entered this province in around 600 years before Christ after defeating the aboriginal people. According to the legends, great sage Agastya was the first person who crossed the river Gandak and burnt down Dandakaranya (forest of this region as it was known in the Vedic times). Patna Qalam and Mithila paintings are two of the most impressive and popular crafts of Bihar. With the decline of the Mughals, the Delhi artists migrated to Murshidabad (a great center of commerce and a flourishing town of the Nawabs). When this Bengal hamlet did not hold the artists for long, they thought of Bihar. Some of them came over to Patna and practiced their craft following a style that gradually came to be known as the Patna Qalam. The style is famous for its soft colors and the use of hand made paper or mica sheets. Most of these paintings depict the day-to-day life of the people of Bihar.
Madhubani, in the heart of the Mithila region, had a rich tradition of wall paintings done by the village women. Hit by a severe drought in 1966, an artist encouraged them to try their wall paintings on paper. The idea was a great success and since then Mithila paintings gained ground. These line paintings in primary colors normally depict village scenes, human and animal forms, gods and goddesses. A kind of artistic emotion can be observed in these paintings. Tulsidas gives an elaborate description of how the entire Mithila region was decorated for the wedding of Sita with Ram. Bhagalpur is famous for its silk industry all over the world and is considered one of the best silk producing centers in India. Other crafts of Bihar include Sujni embroidery, lac bangle making, and creation of decorative and utility items of Seenki (a local dried grass).
Dance & Music of Bihar
homes throughout the region. Bhojpuri folksongs are popular throughout the country and second to none when it comes to beats and rhythm.
Costumes of Bihar
Sari is the most popular attire for women all over the state. The salwar-kameez is also popular especially with the younger and urban women. The traditional attire for men includes dhoti, kurta, and kharaun (wooden sandal). However, men have taken to the more convenient attire of shirts and pants, though western wear is not so common among women. In Mithila, a unique part of a man's dress is the Paag, a turban whose color is meant to symbolize the status of the man wearing it.
