Bihar, the bastion of Buddhism is said to be named after a Sanskrit word “Vihara” or a Buddhist monastery, as this is the land from where the great religious of Buddhism originated and spread all around the world.
Ancient land is also held is also held very sacred by the Jains, as 6 Jain tirthankars were born and 22 out of 24 tirthankars, attained nirvana (salvation) at this sacred land.
Lord Mahavir, the founder of Jainism was born and stayed here for 42 years.
Associated with this land of great religions is Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth Sikh Guru, whose birth place is Patna.
Sacred land of monasteries is studded with a number of important Hindu, Jain, Muslim and Sikh shrines.
Bihar was also a great centre of learning.
Ruins of the world’s earliest university still reflect the grandeur of the bygone era.
State has a very ancient, glories and colourful history.
India’s first major empires, which held sway over the region before Christian era, rose and fell here.
Some of the great rulers and dynasties to have ruled the land includes, Bimbisara; Udayin, founder of Patliputra city; Chandragupta Maurya and Ashoka, the great of Mauryan dynasty; the Sungas, Kanvas and Kushans followed by Chandragupta Vikramaditya of Gupta dynasty.
During the medieval period, it came under the reigns of Muslim and finally, the Britishers occupied the region.
Holy River Ganga flowing through the State has enriched the plains and made the region so fertile and plentiful that its natural prosperity nurtured a veritable fountainhead of political and cultural civilisations down the millennia.
Today, Bihar is a quaint interface of ancient and anon.
INFORMATION:
Capital: Patna
Area: 94,163 sq. kms.
Population: 10,40,99,452 (2011)
Languages: Hindi
Best Season: October to March
Famous For: Buddhist & Jain Pilgrim Centres.
Climate (Temperature):
Winter (January and February): 90 C to 260 C
Pre Monsoon (March, April and May): 170 C to 370 C
Monsoon (June, July, August and September): 250 C to 360 C
Post Monsoon (October, November and December): 100 C to 310 C