Surrounded by West Bengal, Orissa, Madhya Pradesh,
Uttar Pradesh, Sikkim and Nepal, the state of Bihar is primarily
a rice producing area. Bihar's fame lies in its being an important
religious and cultural centre for the Hindus, the Jains and
the Buddhists.
Buddhism, one of the important religions of the world, was first
started and preached here by the Buddha. Bodhgaya was the place
where the Buddha meditated under the Bodhi tree before achieving
supreme enlightenment. The small township of Rajgir was the
scene of many sermons and numerous important events in the Master's
life. thousands of pilgrims visit Rajgir, Bodhgaya, and the
present descendant of the original Bodhi tree. Lord Mahavira,
founder of the Jain sect is also believed to have spent about
15 years of his life, preaching at Rajgir, hence its religious
significance for Jain pilgrims. History records that the Nalanda
University, of which only some magnificent ruins now remain,
was once a world famous university for the study of Buddhism
in the 5th century A.D.
Area: 173,877 sq. Km
Population: 86.3 million
Capital: Patna
Main Languages: Hindi and Bhojpuri
Best time to visit: October to March
Bihar Travel Reservation Form
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