Bihar

A Brief Introduction of About Bihar

Introduction

Bihar ranks third as the most populous state. Magadha was a name of Bihar used in ancient times. The state has 38 districts. The capital of Bihar is Patna. 

History

According to the Hindu epic, the Ramayana was traced in Bihar. In the 6th century BCE, the Buddha and Mahavira reformed their religion. Mahavira was born in Vaishali and Buddha attained his enlightenment in Bodh Gaya. In the colonial era, Bihar was a province of the British Government. Later, Bihar and Orissa were separated from Bengal and became separate provinces in 1936.

Fairs and festivals 

Bihar has a rich historical culture. The most popular fairs and festivals in Bihar are Christmas, Chhath Festival, Devotthan Ekadashi, Govardhan, Ramnavami, Jive Putrika, Teej, Saraswati Pooja, Buddha Jayanti, Das Lakshan Festival, Vijaya-Dashmi, Sonepur Cattle Fair, Pitrapaksha Mela, Bihula, Madhushravani, Sama-Chakeva, Rajgir Mahotsav and Malmas Mela.

Geography 

Bihar covers an area of 94.163 km². The border of West Bengal in the east, Uttar Pradesh in the west, Nepal in the north, and Jharkhand in the south cover the borders of the state.

Demographics

Bihar has a population of 104,099,452 as per the 2011 census. There are 82.7% Hinduism, 16.9% Islam, 0.02% Buddhism, 0.02% Sikhism, and 0.12% Christianity.

Culture

The culture of Bihar is influenced by various historical backgrounds. Dhoti, kurta, and Saree are the traditional wear of Bihar. The culture of the state has various religions such as Jainism, Hinduism, Buddhism, Muslims, and Christianity.

Language

Hindi is the official language, and an additional official language of Bihar is Urdu. Bhojpuri, Magahi, and Angika Languages are spoken in the state.

Tourism

Bihar has ancient monuments which attract visitors from all over the world. The places to visit are Vishnupad Temple, Magla Gauri Shrine, Dungeshwari Cave Temples, Barabar Caves, Bodhi Tree, Chinese Temple and Monastery, Bodhgaya Archaeological Museum, Muchalinda Lake, Thai Temple, and Monastery, Royal Bhutan Monastery, and much more. 

The state has various wildlife sanctuaries, bird sanctuaries, national parks, and tiger reserves such as Pant Wildlife Sanctuary, Bhimbandh Wildlife Sanctuary, Kaimur Sanctuary, Gautam Buddha Wildlife Sanctuary, Udaypur Wildlife Sanctuary, Vikramshila Dolphin Sanctuary, Nagi Dam Bird Sanctuary, Kanwar Lake Bird Sanctuary, and Vikramshila Dolphin Sanctuary.

Education 

The total literacy rate in Bihar is 69.83%, of which the male literacy rate is 70.32% and 53.57% is the female literacy rate. Bihar has ancient universities namely Vikramshila, Odantapura, and Nalanda. In 1917, Patna University was established. Today, Bihar has several national universities such as AIIMS, NIT, IIT Patna, IIM Bodhgaya, NIPER Hajipur, and IIIT Bhagalpur.

Dances and music

Their dances and music have invoked the gods and goddesses. The popular dances are Jhijhian, Bidesia, and Paika. The most famous music is Sohar, Sumangali, Katnigeet, and Ropnigeet. All these forms of music and dance portray the customs and traditions of the state.

Cuisine 

The specialty of Bihar cuisine is that it is a fusion of Magahi, Bhojpuri, and Maithili cuisine. Panchphoran means five spices used in Bihar cuisine and also mustard oil along with smoked chili used for cooking. The popular dishes are Litti Chokha, Ghugni, Sattu Paratha, Pitta, Bihari Kebabs, and Choora.