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Bihar,is a 

state in eastern India. It is the 12th largest state in terms of geographical size at


38,202 sq mi (99,200 km²) and 3rd largest by population. Close to 85% of the population lives in
villages. Almost 58% of Biharis are below the age of 25, which is the highest proportion in India.

Bihar lies mid-way between the humid West Bengal in the east and the sub humid Uttar
Pradesh in the west which provides it with a transitional position in respect of climate, economy
and culture. It is bounded by the country of Nepal to the north and by Jharkhand to the south.
The Bihar plain is divided into two parts by the river Ganges which flows through the middle
from west to east. Bihar has notified forest area of 6,764.14 km², which is 6.8% of its
geographical area. Hindi and Urdu are the official languages of the state, whilst the majority of
the people speak one of these languages — Angika, Bhojpuri, Magadhi, Maithili, and Bajjika.
Ancient Bihar (which consisted of Anga (East Bihar and some parts of
Bengal), Videha/Mithila (north-eastern Bihar and some parts of northern
Bengal), Magadha (South Bihar) and Vaishali (Bihar)) was a centre of power, learning and
culture in ancient and classical India. From Magadha arose India's first great empire, the Maurya
empire as well as one of the world's most widely adhered-to religions, Buddhism. Magadha
empires, notably under the Maurya and Gupta dynasties, unified large parts of South Asia under
a central rule. Its capital Patna, earlier known as Pataliputra, was an important centre of Indian
civilization. Nalanda was a centre of learning established by the 5th century CE in Bihar.

Today, Bihar lags behind the other Indian states in human, economic development
terms, Economists and social scientists claim that this is a direct result of the skewed policies of
the central government, such as the freight equalisation policy, its apathy towards Bihar, lack of
Bihari sub-nationalism (resulting in no spokesperson for the state), and the Permanent
Settlement of 1793 by the British East India Company. The current state government has
however made significant strides in improving governance.

Bihar State Tourism Development Corporation (BSTDC) was established in the year 1981 for
the development of tourism in the State of Bihar and for commercialization of Tourist Resources
available with the State. To achieve this objective various tourist infrastructure like Tourist
Bungalow, Cafeteria, Restaurant, Transportation facilities and Ropeway are provided at various
tourists spots by Bihar State Tourism Development Corporation.

Bihar is a land blessed with beauty both metaphysical and physical. Its vast plains, fed by some
of the country's well known rivers, have ensured prosperity. It has a rich culture and heritage and
its people are hardworking and fun loving.
Bihar's antiquity is evident from its name, which is derived from the ancient word "VIHARA"
(monastery). It is indeed a land of monasteries. Hindu, Buddhist, Jain, Muslim and Sikh shrines
abound in this ancient land where India's first major empires rose and fell. Where the ruins of the
worlds' earliest university slumbers in the void of time. The passage of Ganga, flowing wide and
deep enrich the plains of Bihar before distributing in Bengal's deltoid zone.

Among  all Indian states, Bihar is the one most intimately linked to the Buddha’s life, resulting
in a trail of pilgrimages which have come to be known as the Buddhist circuit. The Buddhist trail
begins at the capital city, Patna, where a noteworthy museum contains a collection of Hindu and
Buddhist sculptures as well as a terracotta urn said to contain the ashes of Lord Buddha.

The Khuda Baksh Oriental Library has rare Muslim manuscripts including some from the
University of Cordoba in Spain. 40 km away, Vaishali, was the site for the second Buddhist
Council is the presence of ruins testify. 90 km south of Patna is Nalanda which translates as the
place that confers the lotus’ (of spiritual knowledge). A monastic university   flourished here
from the 5th to the 11th century. It is said to have contained nine million books, with 2,000
teachers to impart knowledge to 10,000 students who came from all over the Buddhist world.
Lord Buddha himself taught here and Hieun Tsang, the 7th century Chinese traveler, was a
student. Ongoing excavations have uncovered temples, monasteries and lecture halls. Rajgir, ‘the
royal palace’, 12 km south, was the venue for the first Buddhist Council.

The Buddha spent five years at Rajgir after having attained enlightenment, and many of the
remains at Rajgir commemorate various incidents related to life of Buddha, the hill of
Gridhrakuta being perhaps the most important, as this is where the Buddha delivered most of his
sermons. Bodhgaya is the spot where Lord Buddha attained enlightenment, with the Mahabodhi
Temple marking the precise location.

This landlocked state of Bihar is surrounded by Nepal, Bengal, Orissa, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar
Pradesh and comprises four cultural regions-Bhojpur, Mithila and Magadha and Chotanagpur.
Rivers Kosi and Gandak from the north and Sone from the south join the Ganga. In the fertile
plains, rice, sugarcane, oilseeds, gram, maize, jute, barley and wheat are cultivated.
GEOGRAPHY
Bihar is a vast stretch of fertile plain. It is drained by the Ganges River, including its northern
tributaries Gandak and Koshi, originating in the Nepal Himalayas and the Bagmati originating in
the Kathmandu Valley that regularly flood parts of the Bihar plains. The total area covered by
the state of Bihar is 94,163 km². the state is located between 21°-58'-10" N ~ 27°-31'-15" N
latitude and between 82°-19'-50" E ~ 88°-17'-40" E longitude. Its average elevation above sea
level is 173 feet (53 m).

.The Ganges divides Bihar into two unequal halves and flows through the middle from west to
east. Other Ganges tributaries are the Son, Budhi Gandak, Chandan, Orhani and Falgu. Though
theHimalayas begin at the foothills, a short distance inside Nepal and to the north of Bihar, the
mountains influence Bihar's landforms, climate, hydrology and culture. Central parts of Bihar
have some small hills, for example the Rajgir hills. To the south is the Chota Nagpur plateau,
which was part of Bihar until 2000 but now is part of a separate state called Jharkhand..

TRAVEL NETWORK

Bihar has two operational airports: Lok Nayak Jayaprakash Airport, Patna, and the Gaya
Airport, Gaya. The Patna airport is connected
to Delhi,Mumbai, Kolkata, Lucknow, Bangaluru, Hyderabad, Chennai, Pune and Ranchi.

The Patna airport is categorized as a restricted international airport, with customs facilities to


receive international chartered flights.

The Gaya Airport is an international airport connected


to Colombo, Singapore, Bangkok, Paro and more.
Bihar is well-connected by railway lines to the rest of India. Most of the towns are
interconnected, and they also are directly connected to Kolkata, Delhi and
Mumbai. Patna, Gaya, Bhagalpur, Muzaffarpur, Darbhanga, Katihar, Barauni and Chhapra are
Bihar's best-connected railway stations.

The state has a vast network of National and State highways. East-West corridor goes through
the cities of Bihar (muzaffarpur-darbhanga-purnia NH57) 4-6 LANES.

For Buddhist pilgrims, the best option for travel to Bihar is to reach Patna or Gaya, either by air
or train, and then travel to Bodh Gaya, Nalanda,Rajgir and Vaishali. Sarnath in Uttar
Pradesh also is not very far.

The Ganges — navigable throughout the year — was the principal river highway across the vast
north Indian Gangetic plain. Vessels capable of accommodating five hundred merchants were
known to ply this river in the ancient period; it served as a conduit for overseas trade, as goods
were carried from Pataliputra (later Patna) and Champa ( later Bhagalpur) out to the seas and to
ports in Sri Lanka and Southeast Asia. The role of Ganges as a channel for trade was enhanced
by its natural links - it embraces all the major rivers and streams in both north and south Bihar.
[115]

In recent times Inland Waterways Authority of India has declared the Ganges


between Allahabad and Haldia to be a national inland waterway and has taken steps to restore its
navigability.
DESTINATION

BUDDHIST CIRCUIT

Vaishali: Vaishali was one of the earliest republics in the world (6th century BC).It was here that
Buddha preached his last sermon. Vaishali, birthplace of Lord Mahavira is also Sacred to Jains.

Patna: Patna once called Patliputra the capital of Bihar, is among the world's oldest capital cities
with unbroken history of many centuries as imperial metropolis of the Mauryas and Guptas
imperial dynasties.

Rajgir: Rajgir,19 kms from Nalanda, was the ancient capital of Magadha Empire. Lord Buddha
often visited the monastery here to meditate and to preach. Rajgir is also a place sacred to the
Jains, Since Lord Mahavira spent many years here.

Pawapuri: In Pawapuri, or Apapuri, 38 kilometres from Rajgir and 90 kilometres from Patna, all
sins end for a devout Jain. Lord Mahavira, the final tirthankar and founder of Jainism, breathed
his last at this place.

Bodhgaya: Near the holy city of Gaya, the Buddha attained enlightenment. The tree that had
sheltered him came to be known as the Bodhi tree and the place Bodhgaya. Today Bodhgaya, an
important place of pilgrimage, has a number of monasteries, some of them established by
Buddhists of Japan, Thailand, Myanmar, Sri Lanka etc.

Nalanda: A great centre of Buddhist learning, Nalanda came into prominence around the 5th
century BC and was a flourishing university town with over ten thousand scholars and an
extensive library.

Kesaria: This Stupa is in fact one of the many memorable stupa remarkable event in the life of
Buddha. Kesaria has a lofty brick mound capped by a solid brick tower of considerable size,
which it self is the remain of a Buddhist Stupa. The mound is a ruin with a diameter of 68 feet at
its base and a total height of 5½ ft. originally it was crowned by a pinnacle which must have
stood 80 or 90 ft above the ground. General Cunningham dated this monument to AD 200 to
700, and held that it was built upon the ruins of a much older and larger Stupa.

It is the highest Stupa found in the country with a height of about 104” from the base.
JAIN CIRCUIT

Rajgir: Rajgir,19 kms from Nalanda, was the ancient capital of Magadha Empire. Lord Buddha
often visited the monastery here to meditate and to preach. Rajgir is also a place sacred to the
Jains, Since Lord Mahavira spent many years here.

Pawapuri: In Pawapuri, or Apapuri, 38 kilometres from Rajgir and 90 kilometres from Patna, all
sins end for a devout Jain. Lord Mahavira, the final tirthankar and founder of Jainism, breathed
his last at this place.

RAMAYAN CIRCUIT

Tar (Bhojpur): Situated about 10 kms North West of Piro the village derives its name from
Tarka, a she demon killed by lord Rama. There is an old tank in the village that is said to be
thewrestling ground of Tarka.

Ahirauli (Buxur): Situated about 5 kms north-east of Buxur, this village has a temple of Devi
Ahilya. According to the local tradition it dates back to the pre historic ages. Legend is that,
Ahilya was transformed into stone as a result of curse of her husband, Rishi Gautam and she
could be redeemed only when lord Ram Chandra visited her place.

Ram Rekha Ghat (Buxur): According to the legends, lord Ram Chandra and his younger
brother Lakshman with their teacher Rishi Vishwamitra had crossed the Ganga here on their way
to Janakpur where he later took part in the Sita swayambar (the public ceremony of Sita's
Marriage).

Pretshila Hills (Gaya): About 8 kms North-West of Gaya, the 873 feet high Pretshila Hills is
situated. The literal meaning is the Hill of ghosts and it is sacred to yam, the Hindu god of hell
and forms one of the sacred places of pilgrimage. On the top of the hill is a small temple,
appropriately dedicated to Yam (The God of death).

Giddheshwar (Jamui): According to local legends, the epic fight between the vulture Jatayu
and the demon Ravan took place here on the hill that is situated about 13 km south of Jamui,
while the latter was abducting Sita. There is a temple of Lord Shiva, which draws big crowds on
the occasion of Shivratri and Maghi Purnima.

Kako (Jehanabad): Situated 10 km each of Jehanabad Railway station. According to a local


legends, Lord Ramchandra’s step mother, Rani Kekaiy of Ayodhya lived here for some time and
the village took its name after her. The village has also a tomb of Hazarat Bibi, Kamal Sahiba; a
great muslim lady saint. I is said that this lady was the aunt of Haryat Makdum Saheb of Bihar
Sharif and Possessed devine powers.

Singheshwar Asthan (Madhepura): Singheshwar Sthan has been the abode of Lord Siva from
the ancient times. Though there are various stories about the establishment of the Singheshwar
temple, the one that is widely and popularly accepted, relates to Rishi Shringi. In ancient time
Singheshwar was situated on the bank of the river Kosi and was surrounded by dense and lush
green forest. It was ideally situated for ‘Tapasya’ (Meditation) and it is here that Vibhandak
Rishi along with is son Rishi Shringi devoted all his time in deep meditation.

Phullahar (Madhubani): The village is situated about 6 kms West of the block headquarters at
Umgaon under Harlakhi P.S. The village countains the temple of Goddess Girija. It is said that
Sita, the daughter of king Janak, used to come here every day to worship the Goddess. Lord
Rama saw her for the first time at this place.

Sita Kund (Munger): A village about 6 Kms East of the Munger town contains a hot spring
known as the Sita Kund spring, which is so called after the well known episode of Ramayan.
Ram, after rescuing his wife Sita from the demon king Ravan, suspected that she could not have
maintained her honour intact, and Sita, to prove her chastity, agreed to enter a blazing fire. She
came out of the fiery or deal unscathed, and imparted to the pool in which she bathed, the heat
she had absorbed from the fire. The hot spring is now enclosed in a masonry reservoir and is
visited by large number of pilgrims, specially at the full moon of Magh.

Ramchura (Vaishali): The place is situated in Vaishali block, where a fair is held every year on
Ram Nawami day. the local tradition has it that lord Ram Chandra had a stopover here for a bath
on his way to Janakpur. There are some marks on stone, which are said to be his footprints.

Ahilya Asthan (Darbhanga): The village is situated about 24 kms North West of Darbhanga
and about 4 kms from Kamtaul Railway Station. It is known for the temple of Ahilya Asthan,
which is associated with the well known legend of the sage Gautam and his wife Ahilya as told
in the epics and Puranas. Inside the Shrine is a flat stone said to contain the foot prints of Sita,
wife of Ram, as the main object of worship. 

Janki Temple (Sitamarhi): This temple is traditionally considered to be the birth place of Sita
or Janki, the daughter of king Janak. This temple, however seems to have been built about 100
years ago.

Janki Temple (Punausa): This temple is about 5 kms South West of Sitamarhi. It also Stakes
the same claim to be the birth place of Sita and is considered to be sacred place where people go
for a pilgrimage.

Haleshwar Asthan (Sitamarhi): This is an ancient temple of Lord Shiva about 3 kms North-
West of Sitamarhi. According to myths the King of Videha on the occasion of Putrayesthi Yojna,
founded this temple.

Panth Pakar (Sitamarhi): An age old banyan… tree still stands here about 8 kms North-East of
Sitamarhi. It is said that when Sita left Janakpur in a Paanquin for Ayodhya after the marriage to
Shri Ram, she was given rest for a while under this very banyan tree.

Chanki Garh (West Champaran): Also known as Janaki Garh, this village is situated about 9
kms East of Ram Nagar Railway Station. There is a large mound in the eastern part of the
village. It is a mass of solid brickwork and is 90’ high. It was probably originally a Fort and the
remains of fortification can still be seen. The local tradition asserts that it was a Fort of king
Janak.

Valmiki Nagar (West Champaran): This is a village on the Indo Nepal border 42 kms North-
West of Bagaha to which it is connected by a metalled road. A barrage has been constructed here
on the Gandak river for the purpose of irrigation. Besides an old Shiva temple constructed by the
Bettiah Raj, there are also ancient temple of Nara Devi and Gauri Shankar at Valmiki Nagar.
There is a Valmiki Ashram, which is said to be the place where Maharshi Valmiki was living.
On the occasion of Makar Sankranti every year a fair is held on the bank of River Gandak.

SUFI CIRCUIT

Maner Sharif (Patna, Maner): It is a large village of historical antiquities, situated in the
extreme north west of Danapur Sub-division, about 32 kms west of Patna on Patna-Arrah
Highway. In the early ages Maner was a centre of learning and it is said that grammarian Panini,
and also Bararuchi, lived and studied here. Maner contains two well-known Mohammedan
tombs, that of Shah Daulat or Makhdum Daulat, known as Chhoti Dargah, and the other that of
Sheikh Yahia Maneri or Makhdum Yahia, called the Bari Dargah. Makhdum Daulat died at
Maner in 1608, and Ibrahim Khan, Governor of Bihar and one of the saint's disciples completed
the erection of his mausoleum in 1616. The building is exceptionally fine one, with walls
containing carvings of great delicacy and high finish. A great dome crowns it, and the ceiling is
covered with carved inscriptions from the Quran. Every detail of it is characteristic of the
architecture of Jehangir's region, and it is by far the finest monument of the Mughals in Eastern
India. Inside the compound there is a mosque also built by Ibrahim Khan in 1619, whiles a fine
gateway bearing an older inscription corresponding to 1603-01, and affords access to the north.
The tomb of Yahia Maneri lies in a mosque walls and ghats, and pillared porticos jutting out into
it, which is connected with the old bed of the River Sone by a tunnel 400-ft long.

Khankah Mujibia (Phulwari Sharif, Patna): Nearly 7 kms from Patna Railway Station,
Phulwari Sharif is an important Islamic pilgrimage. It has been always a favorite abode of Sufi
saints in various times. Hazrat Pir Muzibullah Quadri was one of those in the 18th Century. The
Khankah Muzibia, founded by him at Phulwari Sharif is called the Bari Khankah. An old
Madarsa here has been the most important centre for teaching of Islamic philosophy since its
establishment.
Sacred hairs of the beard of Paigamber Hazrat Muhammad Saheb are preserved here in Banri
Khankah that attracts throngs of his followers and a big mela is held every year.
There is also an archeologically important and worth seeing ancient Sangi Masjid (mosque) built
of red stones at Phulwari Sharif. It was built by the Mughal Emperor Humayun.

Khankah Emadia (Mangal Talab, Patna City, Patna): One of the off-springs in the family of
prominent Sufi Saint Hazrat Pir Muzibullah Quadri had founded another Khankah during 19th
century near a tank called Mangal Talab that is situated in the Patna City Chowk area. It is called
Khankah Emadia that houses a Madarsa. An Urs is held here annually when throngs of devotees
assemble and pay their respect to their beloved Sufi Saint.
Dargah Sharif, Mithan Ghat (Patna City, Patna): A beautiful double storied mosque was
built by Mughal Prince Azim on the banks of Ganges at Mittan Ghat, Patna City area that was
previously called Azimabad during the reign of Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb. This mosque was
built for Mulla Mittan who was teacher of the Prince. It was the place from where the great Sufi
Saint Hazrat Makhdum Munnem used to preach his disciples during the 18th Century. The
ancient mosque still exists and is popularly known as Dargah Sharif. Every year, after 5 days of
"the Eid festival, an annual Urs Chiraga is held here when devotees assemble at this Dargah
Sharif in great numbers. 

Hajipur Karbala (Vaishali): It was constructed 175 years ago by Shah Alam. It attracts a large
crowd of Muslims throughout the years.

Hasanpura (Siwan): The village is situated about 21 kms South of Siwan on the bank of Dhanai
river. According to tradition, Makhdum Saiyed Hasan Chisti, a saint who came from Arabia to
India and settled here, founded this village. He also founded a Khankah (religious institution)
here. The village contains remains of a large mosque and tomb of the Saint, which is visited by
both Hindus and Muslims. The grave is a large open court to the west of the village. In front of it
is a basalt image of Vishnu but it has been ruthlessly treated. It is regarded as an inauspicious
fiend who has turned into stone by the holy Makdum and must not be raised or placed erect. It
contains no inscription but its style shows it to belong to about the seventh century A.D.

Bibi Kamaal Sahiba (Kako, Jehanabad): The village is the headquarters of the block of the
same name and is situated on the Jehanabad-Bihar Sharif road, about 10 kms East of Jehanabad
railway tation. According to a local legend, Ram Chandra's stepmother, Rani Kaikeyi of
Ayodhya lived here for sometime and the village took its name after her. The village took its
name after her. The village has also a tomb of Hazrat Bibi Kamaal Sahiba, a great Muslim lady
saint. It is said that this lady was the aunt of Hazrat Makhdum Saheb of Bihar Sharif and
possessed divine powers.

Bari Dargah (Bihar Sharif, Nalanda): This is headquarters of Nalanda district that lays 30 kms
South of Bakhtiarpur on NH-31. This is also a railhead on the Bakhtiarpur Rajgir branch line of
the Eastern Indian Railway. This town is known as Bihar Sharif, owing to its many Muslim
tombs that still retain traces of its former importance as a Muslim pilgrimage. There is a hill
called Pir Pahari, about 1 m to the northwest of the town. At its summit is the dargah or
mausoleum of the Saint Mallik Ibrahim Bayu, round which are tem smaller tombs. It is a brick
structure surmounted by a dome and bears inscriptions showing that the saint died in 1353.
Another great dargah is that of Mokhdum Shah Sharif ud-din, also called Makhdum-ul-Mulk,
died here in 1379; the inscription over the entrance shows that his tomb was built in 1569. This
tomb, which stands on the south bank of the river, is held in great veneration by the local
Mohammedans, who assemble here on the 5th day of Sawan to celebrate the anniversary of his
death. The Chhoti Dargah is the shrine of Badruddin Badr-I-Alam, famous saint who died here in
1440.

Chhoti Dargah (Bihar Sharif, Nalanda): Dargah of Makhdum Hazrat Sultan Ahmed


Charampose, Bihar Sharif (Nalanda).
The biggest and the oldest building of Mohalla-Amber in the Bihar Sharif Town (Nalanda), is
Tomb of Hazarat Makhdum Sultan Saiyad Shah Ahmed Charampose Teg Barhana Rohmatulla
Alaib. He was born in the year 1236 and passed away in 1335 (according to Islamic calendar
657-776 Hizri). He is ranked to a very high order among other Sufi saints and Auliahs.

GANDHI CIRCUIT

Motihari (East Champaran): Motihari was to the first laboratory of Gandhian experiment in


Satyagraha and probably it will not be very incorrect to say that is has been the spring board for
India’s independence. Champaran district generated a wave of enthusiasm and inspiration to the
people who were thirsting for a selfless and saintly leader. The technique followed by Gandhiji
in Champaran was what attained later on the name of Satyagraha.

Hazarimal Dharamshala, Betia (West Champaran): It is at Betiah in the Lal Bazar area.
Gandhi and his companions used to camp here and it was the epicenter of his “Satyagraha”. The
State Govt. has declared this building a protected monument. The Betia Raj Kuteherry and the
Dharmashala were Mahatama Gandhi stayed are well worth visit.

Bhitharwa Ashram (West Champaran): It is a village in the Bettiah Sub-division under


Gaunaha Block. This was one of the centre for social work selected by Gandhiji, when he was in
Champaran in 1917.
At present there is a Khadi Centre working under direct control of the Bihar Khadi Samiti. There
is a Gandhi Ashram where Mahatma Gandhi had stayed during the Indian freedom straggle.

Brindaba (West Champaran): It is a small village in the Betia sub-division under Champatia
Block. It has the Gram Seva Kendra, which had been planned to work out the deals of the
Gandhi Seva Sangh. The all India Gandhi Seva Sangh held there annual conference at this
village in 1937. Mahatma Gandhi and Dr. Rajendra Prasad attended it. Gandhiji stayed here in
1939 and started an Ashram, which is still functioning.

Shri Rampur (West Champaran): Situated in the Gannaha Block of Bhitiharwa Panchayat.


Gandhiji had stayed here on 16th November, 1917.

Koeldih (West Champaran): Under Gaunaha Block in the Belwa Panchayat. Gandhiji had
visited this place on 16th November, 1917.

Amolwa (West Champaran): Under Gaunaha Block in the Majharia Panchayat, where Gandhiji
spent a night on the 27th April, 1917 with his other companions.

Murli Bharhawa (West Champaran): It was the native place of Pandit Raj Kumar Shukla who
had been a close associates of Mahatma Gandhi during the Champaran Satyagrah Movement.
Pandit Shukla took a lead role in bringing Mahatma Gandhi to Champaran.
Sariswa (West Champaran): This place is in Ratanmala Panchayat under Majhaulia Block-
Gandhiji and his companions had taken statement of raiyats in a open yard in front of the temple.

Hardiya Kothi (West Champaran): It is under Bishunpur Panchyat of the Nautan Block. It was
house of Mr. G. P. Edward, a British Indigo Planter. Remains of this building are in some what
better condition in comparison to other such old buildings.

Sadaquat Ashram (Patna): It is situated in Digha area on Patna Danapur Road and in pre
independence days guided the freedom movement in Bihar. It is Associated with the memories
of Mahatma Gandhi, Dr. Rajendra Prasad, Mautana Mazharal Haque and other leaders.

Gandhi Sangrahalay (Patna Museum): Close to the Western end of Gandhi Maidan in Patna.
The Gandhi Sangrahalaya houses a large number of items and artifacts related with Mahatma
Gandhi and his satyagrah movement in Bihar. It also has a vast collection of Gandhian literature
and photographs depicting his life and works. A “Charkha” (Country made spinning wheel) used
by Mahatma Gandhi is also well preserved in this museum.

All the thermal springs of sanctuary have a common geological frame. The spouts issue from the
contact of massive guartzites (jointed and crushed) with states and phyllites (Kharagpur Group).

All the springs are situated at topographic lows within the guartziter. The aqueducts formed due
to fracturing are long and narrow zones of fissures and broken rocks. 
There are number of places of tourist interest nearby the Sanctuary like, Rishikund, Ha-Ha Punch
Kumari, Rameshwar Kund, Kharagpur Lake, Sringrishi etc.

HERITAGE AND MONUMENTS

Barabar Caves

The Barabar and Nagarjuni Hills are situated about 40 km from Bodh Gaya. There are seven
rock-cut caves here, of which four are in the Barallar Hills. Barabar Caves carvings bear the
details about Buddha's life.

Famous writer E M Forster had visited these caves and was so inspired by the curious echoes
ricocheting off their inner walls that these caves formed a cnucial landmark in his celerated
work, A Passage to India, albeit under another name, Malabar caves.

Lauria Nandangarh is a town in West Champaram with historical and archaeological


significance. Lauria Nandangarh boasts of the remains ot a huge stupa named Nandangarh. This
stupa is 26 metre high, and is conjectured to be Ashes Stupa, in which ashes of Buddha were
enshrined.

Another attraction is Ashokan Pillar (32 ft high), \Which is a single block of polished sandstone.
Its bell-shaped capital, with a circular abacus, supports the statue. This pillar is to the east ofthe
town.

Lauria Nandangarh is 24 km north-west of Bettiah. Other nearby towns are Patilar to the west,
Tikulia to the east and Ramnagar and Mujra to the north. Patna airpat and Bettiah railway station
are the nearest access points. There are at Lauria, besides an inscribed Ashokan Pillar, 15 Stupa
mounds.

Four of them were excavated in 1904-07 and as two of them yielded a deposit of burnt bones
with charcoil and a gold leaf with a Mother-Goddess figure (akin to the one from Piprahwa),
they were regarded by the excavator to be Vedic burial tumuli. As a result of their reexamination
in 1935-37, they were definitel, recognised to be Stupas of mud or mud-bricks with baked-brick
revetments (in two cases with actual brick-lining).

They were regarded as roughly conteporary with the Piprahwa Stupa on account of the analogous
find of the Mother-Goddess figure on the gold leaf.

Nandangarh, about two km from the Ashokan Pillar, represents a fortified habitation site. At one
end of the site was excavated a large brick Stupa, reared up on multiple polygonal terraces with
numerous re-entrant angles.This edifice, of the early centuries AD, is the earliest example of a
form of terraced Stupa, which culminated in the celebrated monuments of Paharpur in East
Pakistan and Borobudur in Java.

Mahishi

Saharsa is the nearest railway station to reach village Mahishi. There's an all-weather road rom
Saharsa to Bangaon, a distance of four miles. Bangaon is a large village and has an nspection
Bungalow owned by the government.

From Bangaon to Mahishi, a distance of about three miles, there is an apology for a road, which
is not metalled. Only bullock carts can negotiate this distance in the rains.
Mahishi is an ancient village and, according to the legend commonly known throughout Bihar, it
was the place where Mandan Misra, a great philosopher of the eighth century, lived. It is here
that Shankaracharya came from the south and had a philosophic discussion first with Mandan
Misra and then with his wife Bharati.

Shankaracharya is said to have first met a maid servant filling up her pitcher from a tank and
asked her where Mandan Misra lived. The maid servant replied in Sanskrit that he should go a
little farther to find a village where even the birds talk in Sanskrit. Mandan Misra lived in that
village. Shankaracharya was amazed and followed the direction and came to Mahishi. He had a
"shastrartha" or philosophic debate with Mandan Misra and the latter was defeated. Mandan
Misra's wife Bharati told Shankaracharya to defeat her also as she was the better half of Mandan
Misra. Shankaracharya agreed.

Bharati asked him some questions of sexology. Shankaracharya could not reply as he did not
know anything about sexology. He went back to gain knowledge about sexology. The body was
left and the soul entered someone for the purpose. Shankaracharya subsequently had a debate
with Bharati and defeated her.

Even today there exists a mound at Mahishi which the villagers say was the site of the great
debate. There's also an Ugratara Temple here, and it is said that Mandan was a devotee of this
deity.

Ugratara temples are extremely rare in this part of the country. So far as it is known, th is no
other regular temple of Ugratara anywhere in Bihar, although the idol of Tara, particul ly of the

PROMOTIONAL CAMPAIGNS

1. Bihar Tourism Minister Sunil Kumar Pintu said the tourism department would sign an
agreement with Discovery Channel to shoot a 53-minute documentary on over a dozen heritage
sites in Bihar to promote tourism and attract tourists, particularly foreigners.

He told IANS that the decision to involve Discovery Channel to promote Bihar tourism and to
attract tourists from across the world is a beginning of a fresh move to market brand Bihar.

“Bihar tourism has a potential to attract more tourists than other states, it only needs promotion
and branding,” said Pintu.
According to him, with millions of Discovery Channel viewers across the world, this will give a
boost to Bihar’s tourism.

2. The state government is advocating Public-Private-Partnership (PPP) to promote tourism in


the state. Tell us about the major private-sector projects under implementation/on the anvil in the
state.

3. Bihar government is planning to bring Valmiki Tiger Reserve on the tourist map of the state
by promoting it as an Ecotourism destination

“The Ecotourism in Uttarakhand’s Jim Corbett National Park generates around Rs 300 crore to
the local economy. The Valmiki Tiger Reserve’s potential, however, has remained untapped
even 20 years after its inception,” said a field official of the reserve.

PROBLEMS

1.The literacy rate of Bihar is too low its about 47%.

2.People of Bihar vote n the basis of caste and religion because of that they do not get efficient
leaders.

3.There is problem of Electricity and road.


4.The main problem is that the state government is investing huge amount of money in fighting
with naxalities.

5.The only source of income for the state government is agriculture.

 Bihar percapita Income is $94,where INDIA'S per capita income is $255.


 People live BPL(Below Poverty Line) is 46.2% against India's average is 26.1% 
 A/c to the 5th Economic sensus (2005) No of people employed Bihar Rural/Urban is
1101857 and 864699 where is Indias avg.Rural and Urban is 52069351 and 48834770.
 Bihar Employement growth rate is not up to the mark,it grows 0.23% annualy(1998-2005)  

Small size of land holding :-

Land holding pattern -

1 hec. 2 hec. 3-4 hec. 74 hec.


70% 15% 10% 5%

Thus 70% of the total land belongs to the category of less than 1 hec. The average
cultivable area of the district is about 70%. Hence there is need for consolidation of small
land holdings and taking up co-operative farming on cluster basis.

Lack of diversification in agriculture :-

The cropping pattern of the district is heavily loaded in favour of paddy and wheat. The
price of paddy is not making its cultivation remunerative to the farmers. Change of cropping
pattern is too slow.

In this district irrigated area is 68.65% of the total cultivable area. The main agricultural
product is paddy and wheat whereas very low ratio of pulse, oilseeds, potato and vegetables
contribute to the gross cropped area.

There is ample potential for a number of non-traditional crops such as medicinal plants and
floriculture / horticulture.

Lack of warehouse space

Enough number of godowns with sufficient capacity are not available and this stunts the
procurement process as well besides harming the farmers' interests in several other ways.
Even the existing godowns owned by SWC and BISCOMAUN need urgent repair and
renovation work.
Unmet irrigation potential :-

68.65% of the net cultivable area is irrigated and exploitation of groundwater potential is
only 26% of the utilizable recharge. The ground water development and judicious
management of the surface water are the vital factors promoting modern agriculture
through high yielding and remunerative crops. The traditional system of Ahar - Pyne needs
desilting / renovation and it has become dysfunctional at many a places due to lack of the
same.

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