History

Bihar as a region has had a very rich and eventful history - both as a centre of power as well as of learning and culture. It has been the cradle of the Indian civilization and the birth place of two of the major religions that have emanated from India : Buddhism and Jainism. Much of the ancient Indian text written outside of the religious epics have been written in this ancient land: Arthashashtra and Kamasutra being the most prominent. The first known republic, that is, a state without a sovereign king, existed in this region more than two thousand years back. Bihar (बिहार in Devanagari) is a state of the Indian union situated in the eastern part of the country. ... A replica of an ancient statue of Gautama Buddha, found from Sarnath, near Varanasi. ... Pre-Kushana Ayagapatta from Mathura Jainism (pronounced in English as //), traditionally known as Jain Dharma (जैन धर्म) , is a religion and philosophy originating in the prehistory of South Asia. ... The Kama Sutra is an ancient Indian text on sex, widely considered the standard work on love in the Sanskrit literature. ...

Ancient

The central region of what is now known as Bihar was called Magadha in ancient days. Its capital Patna, then called Pataliputra, was the capital of the Mauryan empire which ruled over much of the Indian - Subcontinent and extended as far as Iran and Afghanistan to the West. Emperor Ashoka, one of the greatest monarchs in the history of the world, who ruled between 273 BC and 232 BC was the most famous ruler of the Mauryan dynasty. Magadha was an ancient kingdom of India, mentioned in both the Ramayana and the Mahabharata. ... ... The Mauryan empire (321 to 185 BCE), at its largest extent around 230 BCE. The Mauryan empire was Indias first great unified empire. ... Emperor Ashoka (a possible picturisation) Ashoka the Great (Devanagari: अशोक; IAST transliteration: ) was the emperor of the Mauryan Empire from 273 BCE to 232 BCE. After a number of military conquests, Ashoka reigned over most of South Asia and beyond, from present-day Afghanistan to Bengal and as far south as... Centuries: 4th century BC - 3rd century BC - 2nd century BC Decades: 320s BC 310s BC 300s BC 290s BC 280s BC - 270s BC - 260s BC 250s BC 240s BC 230s BC 220s BC 278 BC 277 BC 276 BC 275 BC 274 BC - 273 BC - 272 BC 271 BC 270... Centuries: 4th century BC - 3rd century BC - 2nd century BC Decades: 280s BC 270s BC 260s BC 250s BC 240s BC - 230s BC - 220s BC 210s BC 200s BC 190s BC 180s BC Years: 237 BC 236 BC 235 BC 234 BC 233 BC - 232 BC - 231 BC 230 BC... The Mauryan dynasty ruled the Mauryan empire, the first unified empire of India, from 322 BCE to 183 BCE. The rulers of the Mauryan dynasty were: Chandragupta Maurya (322 - 298 BCE) - founder of the Mauryan empire. ...

Just north of Magadha across the river Ganges is the Vaishali region. It is here that the first republic of the lichchvis was established even before the Magadha empire reached its peak of glory. Vaishali is one of the districts of Bihar state, India. ...

To the north east of Vaishali is Mithila, the kingdom of the legendary king Janak. Sitamarhi in Mithila is said to be the birth place of King Ram's queen Sita. Mithila was a kingdom in ancient India. ... == Sitamarhi is a town and the district headquarters of Sitamarhi district, Bihar, India. ... Sharma Ram (disambiguation) Ram Sharma is an amazing, talented teenager that lives in Canada His talents include rapping, comedy, and cooking He is bound to success! ... SITA (originally an acronym for Société Internationale de Télécommunications Aéronautiques) is a multinational information technology company specialising in providing IT services to the aviation industry. ...

Bihar remained an important place of power for about a thousand years. Its importance as the centre of Indian culture and education outlived its importance as the center of Power by another five hundred years or so. Out of the three ancient universities of India, two Nalanda and Vikramshila Universities were located in Bihar, with third being Taxila in present day Pakistan. These ancient centres of learning were destroyed by the maruading early Islamic raiders around 1200 AD. Remains at Nalanda Nalanda is a historical place in central Bihar, India, 90 km south-east of the state capital of Patna. ... Vikramshila University was one of the two most important centers of Buddhist learning in India, along with Nalanda University. ... A university is an institution of higher education and of research, which grants academic degrees at all levels (bachelor, master, and doctor) in a variety of subjects. ... Taxila (Sanskrit: Takshashîlâ/तक्षशीला) is an archaeological site, located in the Punjab province of Pakistan, west of the Islamabad Capital Territory and Rawalpindi, on the border of the Punjab and North West Frontier Province and just off the Grand Trunk Road. ...

Religions Originated

A stone image of the Buddha.

Bihar is also the birthplace of many religions, including Buddhism and Jainism. The word "Bihar" has its origin in the Sanskrit word "Vihara", meaning Buddhist Monasteries. Buddha attained Enlightenment at Bodh Gaya, a town located in the modern day district of Gaya. Buddha started spreading his teaching after attaining the Enlightenment at Bodh Gaya. Mahavira, the founder of Jainism, was born in Vaishali, When we speak of Bihar we are remembered of ancient India when Buddhism was evolving into what now is an universal religion.The Word "Bihar" has been coined from "Vihara" meaning Buddhist monastries. At one time in the epoch of history these "viharas" were strewn all over the landscape of Bihar, around villages and cities alike. Image File history File links Buddha_image_-_white_stone. ... Image File history File links Buddha_image_-_white_stone. ... A replica of an ancient statue of Gautama Buddha, found from Sarnath, near Varanasi. ... Pre-Kushana Ayagapatta from Mathura Jainism (pronounced in English as //), traditionally known as Jain Dharma (जैन धर्म) , is a religion and philosophy originating in the prehistory of South Asia. ... Sanskrit ( संस्कृतम्) is an Indo-European classical language of India and a liturgical language of Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism. ... The Tikse monastery in Ladakh, India A monastery is the habitation of monks, derived from the Greek word for a hermits cell. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Bodhi (Pāli and Sanskrit. ... Bodh Gaya or Bodhgaya is the place of Buddhas attainment of Enlightenment. ... Gaya is a city in Bihar, India. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Bodh Gaya or Bodhgaya is the place of Buddhas attainment of Enlightenment. ... Mahavira (वर्धमान महावीर) or Mahavir (the Great Hero -- Also, Vardhamana (increasing) or Niggantha Nathaputta -- 599 BC-527 BC, though possibly 549 BC-477 BC) was the 24th, and last, Jainist Tirthankara. ... Vaishali is one of the districts of Bihar state, India. ...

Medieval

With the advent of the foreign aggression and eventual foreign subjugation of India, Bihar passed through very uncertain times during the medieval period. Muhammad Bin Bakhtiar Khilji, a General of Muhammad Ghori captured Bihar in 12th century and destroyed the ancient seats of learning of this region. During the medieval period, Bihar saw a brief period of glory for about six years during the rule of Sher Shah Suri, who hailed from Sasaram. He built the longest road of the Indian subcontinent, the Grand Trunk Road, which starts from Calcutta and ends at Peshawar, Pakistan. During 1557-1576, Akbar, the Mughal emperor, annexed Bihar and Bengal to his empire and the region passed through uneventful provincial rule during much of this period. Muhammad Khilji (12th century CE) was one of the military generals of Qutab-ud-din. ... Muhammad of Ghor or Muhammad Ghori (originally named Muizz-ad-din) (1162 - 1206) was a Persian conqueror and sultan between 1171 and 1206. ... (11th century - 12th century - 13th century - other centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 12th century was that century which lasted from 1101 to 1200. ... For the recipient of the Victoria Cross see Sher Shah (VC). ... Sasaram is the administrative headquarters of Rohtas district, Bihar state, India. ... Composite satellite image of the Indian subcontinent Map of South Asia. ... The Grand Trunk Road (abbreviated to GT Road in common usage) is the Indian Subcontinents first, largest and oldest major road, linking Sonargaon in Bengal (now in Narayanganj, Bangladesh) with Kabul in Afghanistan via the Khyber Pass. ... This article is on Calcutta/Kolkata, the city. ... Peshāwar (پیشاور) literally means City on the Frontier in Persian and is known as Pai-khawar in Pashto. ... Events Spain is effectively bankrupt. ... Events May 5 - Peace of Beaulieu or Peace of Monsieur (after Monsieur, the Duc dAnjou, brother of the King, who negotiated it). ... This topic is considered to be an essential subject on Wikipedia. ... The Mughal Empire (alternative spelling Mogul, which is the origin of the word Mogul) of India was founded by Babur in 1526, when he defeated Ibrahim Lodi, the last of the Delhi Sultans at the First Battle of Panipat. ...

With the decline of Mughals, Bihar passed under the control of Nawabs of Bengal. This period saw exploitation at the hands of the rulers in the form of high taxes, but the Nawabs of Bengal also allowed trade to flourish in this region. Some of the greatest melas of the Indian sub-continent, viz., Soenpur Mela which is the biggest cattle fair in India, were allowed to continue and even flourish inviting traders from far and near. A Nawab was originally the provincial governor or viceroy of a province or region of the Mughal empire. ... A Nawab was originally the provincial governor or viceroy of a province or region of the Mughal empire. ... Mela is a Sanskrit word meaning get together. ...

Modern

After the Battle of Buxar (1765), the British East India Company got the diwani rights (rights to administer and collect revenue, or tax administration / collection) for Bihar, Bengal and Orissa. From this point onwards, Bihar remained a part of the Bengal Presidency of the British Raj. In 1912, Bihar was carved out as a separate province. In 1935, certain portions of Bihar were reorganised into the separate province of Orissa. 1765 was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... The British East India Company, sometimes referred to as John Company, was a joint-stock company of investors, which was granted a Royal Charter by Elizabeth I on December 31, 1600, with the intent to favour trade privileges in India. ... Bengal, known as Bôngo (Bengali: বঙ্গ), Bangla (বাংলা), Bôngodesh (বঙ্গদেশ), or Bangladesh (বাংলাদেশ) in Bangla (Bengali), is a region in the northeast of South Asia. ... Orissa (2001 provisional pop. ... British India (otherwise known as The British Raj) was a historical period during which most of the Indian subcontinent, or present-day India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Myanmar, were under the colonial authority of the British Empire (Undivided India). ... 1912 (MCMXII) was a leap year starting on Monday in the Gregorian calendar (or a leap year starting on Tuesday in the 13-day-slower Julian calendar). ... This article is about political regions. ... 1935 (MCMXXXV) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will take you to calendar). ...

Babu Kunwar Singh of Jagdishpur and his army, as well as countless other persons from Bihar, contributed to the India's First War of Independence (1857), also called Sepoy Mutiny by some historians. Babu Kunwar Singh (b. ... 1857–1858 was a period of armed uprising as well as rebellions in mostly northern and central India against British occupation of the subcontinent. ... 1857 was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... An engraving titled Sepoy Indian troops dividing the spoils after their mutiny against British rule gives a contemporary view of events from the British perspective. ...

After his return from the South Africa, Mahatma Gandhi started the freedom movement in India by his satyagraha in the Champaran district of Bihar against the British , who were forcing the local farmers to plant indigo which was very harmful to the local soil. This movement by Mahatma Gandhi received the spontaneous support from a cross section of people, including Dr. Rajendra Prasad, who rose to become the first President of India. Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (Devanagari: गांधी; Gujarati: મોહનદાસ; October 2, 1869 – January 30, 1948) was a prominent political and spiritual leader of India and its struggle for independence from the British Empire. ... Satyagraha is the philosophy of nonviolent resistance most famously employed by Mohandas Gandhi in forcing an end to the British Raj and also against apartheid in South Africa. ... Champaran was once an administrative district in the state of Bihar in India. ... Farmer spreading grasshopper bait in his alfalfa field. ... This page may meet Wikipedias criteria for speedy deletion. ... Dr. Rajendra Prasad (December 3, 1884–February 28, 1963) was the first President of India. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

In the post independence period, 18 administrative districts of Bihar were separated to form the state of Jharkhand in 2000. This article is about the year 2000. ...

Timelines

• 560-480 BCE: Buddha
• Before 325 BCE: Nanda clan in Magadha, Licchavis in Vaishali
• 325-185 BCE: Maurya Dynasty
• 250 BCE: 3rd Buddhist Council
• 185 BCE-80 CE: Sunga Dynasty
• 80 - 240: Regional kings
• 240 - 600: Gupta Dynasty
• 600 - 650: Harsha Vardhana
• 750 - 1200: Pala Dynasty
• 1200: Muhammad of Ghori's army, destroys the universities at Nalanda and Vikramshila
• 1200-1250: Decline of Buddhism
• 1250-1526: Ruled by Delhi Sultanate (Muslim Turks - Tughluqs, Sayyids, Lodis)
• 1526-1540: Babur defeats last Delhi sultan, establishes Mughal Empire
• 1540-1555: Suri dynasty captures empire from Mughals (including Shershah Suri who built the Grand Trunk Road)
• 1526-1757: Mughal dynasty resumes
• 1757-1857: British East India Company rule
• 1857: Revolt of 1857
• 1857-1947: British Raj rule
• 1912: Province of Bihar & Orissa separated from Bengal
• 1935: Bihar and Orissa become separate provinces
• 1947: Indian Independence; Bihar becomes a state
• 2000: Bihar divided into two states - north part remains "Bihar", southern becomes Jharkhand