| Bihar History |
| The history of Bihar is very ancient. Earliest myths and legends of hinduism the Sanatana (Eternal) Dharma are associated with Bihar. Sita, the consort of Lord Rama, was a princess of Bihar. She was the daughter of King Janak of Videha. The present districts of Muzaffarpur, Sitamarhi, Samastipur, Madhubani, and Darbhanga, in north-central Bihar, mark this ancient kingdom. According to legend, the birthplace of Sita is Punaura, located on the west-side of Sitamarhi, the headquarters of the district. The original author of the Hindu epic The Ramayana, Maharishi Valmiki, lived in Ancient Bihar. It was in the present day town of Bogh Gaya that Prince Gautam attained enlightenment and became the Buddha and the religion of buddhism was born. It is here also that Lord Mahavira, the founder of Jainism, was born and attained nirvana. That site is located at the present town of pawapuri, south east of Patna, the Capital of Bihar.It is here also that the tenth and last Guru of the Sikhs, Guru Gobind Singh was born and attained the sainthood of sikhism. The Harmandir, a majestic Gurudwara (Sikh temple), built in his memory is located in eastern Patna. Known reverentially as the Patna Sahib, it is one of the five holiest places of worhip for Sikhs. In ancient times Bihar was called "Magadha". The greatest Indian empire, the Maurya empire, originated from Magadha in 325 BC, with its capital at Patliputra (modern Patna). The Mauryan Emperor, Ashoka, who was born in Patliputra is believed to be one of the greatest rulers in the history of India. After seeing all the carnage that war causes he was placed on the path of Lord Buddha by his spiritual guide Manjushri. Bihar remained an important place of power, culture and education during the next one thousand years. The Gupta Empire, which again originated from Magadha in the year 240, is referred to as the Golden Age of India in science, mathematics, astronomy, religion and Indian philosophy. The peace and prosperity created under leadership of the Guptas enabled the pursuit of scientific and artistic endeavors. Kalidasa's Sanskrit play Abhij?¨¡na?¨¡kuntala is one of the Legacies of the Gupta Empire.The Buddhism of Magadha was finally swept away by the Muslim invasion in the 12th Century. During this time many of the viharas and the famed universities of Nalanda and Vikramshila were destroyed, and thousands of Buddhist monks were massacred. The region saw a brief period of glory between 1540 and 1546 during the rule of Sher Shah Suri. The economic reforms carried out by Sher Shah, like the introduction of the Rupee and Custom Duties, is still used in the Republic of India today. He revived the city of Patna, where he built up his headquarter. Between 1557 and 1576 Akbar, the Mughal emperor, annexed Bihar and Bengal to his empire. With the decline of the Mughals, Bihar passed under the control of the Nawabs of Bengal. Thus, the medieval period was mostly one of anonymous provincial existence. Resurgence in the history of Bihar came during the struggle for India's independence. It was from Bihar that Mahatma Gandhi launched his civil-disobedience movement, which ultimately led to India's independence. In 1917, at the persistent request of a farmer named Raj Kumar Shukla, from the district of Champaran, Gandhi took a train ride to Motihari, the district headquarters of Champaran. Here he learned, first hand, the sad plight of the indigo farmers suffering under the oppressive rule of the British. |
| Andhra |
| The history of Bihar is very ancient. Earliest myths and legends of hinduism the Sanatana (Eternal) Dharma are associated with Bihar. Sita, the consort of Lord Rama, was a princess of Bihar. She was the daughter of King Janak of Videha. The present districts of Muzaffarpur, Sitamarhi, Samastipur, Madhubani, and Darbhanga, in north-central Bihar, mark this ancient kingdom. According to legend, the birthplace of Sita is Punaura, located on the west-side of Sitamarhi, the headquarters of the district. The original author of the Hindu epic The Ramayana, Maharishi Valmiki, lived in Ancient Bihar. It was in the present day town of Bogh Gaya that Prince Gautam attained enlightenment and became the Buddha and the religion of buddhism was born. It is here also that Lord Mahavira, the founder of Jainism, was born and attained nirvana. That site is located at the present town of pawapuri, south east of Patna, the Capital of Bihar.It is here also that the tenth and last Guru of the Sikhs, Guru Gobind Singh was born and attained the sainthood of sikhism. The Harmandir, a majestic Gurudwara (Sikh temple), built in his memory is located in eastern Patna. Known reverentially as the Patna Sahib, it is one of the five holiest places of worhip for Sikhs. In ancient times Bihar was called "Magadha". The greatest Indian empire, the Maurya empire, originated from Magadha in 325 BC, with its capital at Patliputra (modern Patna). The Mauryan Emperor, Ashoka, who was born in Patliputra is believed to be one of the greatest rulers in the history of India. After seeing all the carnage that war causes he was placed on the path of Lord Buddha by his spiritual guide Manjushri. Bihar remained an important place of power, culture and education during the next one thousand years. The Gupta Empire, which again originated from Magadha in the year 240, is referred to as the Golden Age of India in science, mathematics, astronomy, religion and Indian philosophy. The peace and prosperity created under leadership of the Guptas enabled the pursuit of scientific and artistic endeavors. Kalidasa's Sanskrit play Abhij?¨¡na?¨¡kuntala is one of the Legacies of the Gupta Empire.The Buddhism of Magadha was finally swept away by the Muslim invasion in the 12th Century. During this time many of the viharas and the famed universities of Nalanda and Vikramshila were destroyed, and thousands of Buddhist monks were massacred. The region saw a brief period of glory between 1540 and 1546 during the rule of Sher Shah Suri. The economic reforms carried out by Sher Shah, like the introduction of the Rupee and Custom Duties, is still used in the Republic of India today. He revived the city of Patna, where he built up his headquarter. Between 1557 and 1576 Akbar, the Mughal emperor, annexed Bihar and Bengal to his empire. With the decline of the Mughals, Bihar passed under the control of the Nawabs of Bengal. Thus, the medieval period was mostly one of anonymous provincial existence. Resurgence in the history of Bihar came during the struggle for India's independence. It was from Bihar that Mahatma Gandhi launched his civil-disobedience movement, which ultimately led to India's independence. In 1917, at the persistent request of a farmer named Raj Kumar Shukla, from the district of Champaran, Gandhi took a train ride to Motihari, the district headquarters of Champaran. Here he learned, first hand, the sad plight of the indigo farmers suffering under the oppressive rule of the British. |
| The history of Bihar is very ancient. Earliest myths and legends of hinduism the Sanatana (Eternal) Dharma are associated with Bihar. Sita, the consort of Lord Rama, was a princess of Bihar. She was the daughter of King Janak of Videha. The present districts of Muzaffarpur, Sitamarhi, Samastipur, Madhubani, and Darbhanga, in north-central Bihar, mark this ancient kingdom. According to legend, the birthplace of Sita is Punaura, located on the west-side of Sitamarhi, the headquarters of the district. The original author of the Hindu epic The Ramayana, Maharishi Valmiki, lived in Ancient Bihar. It was in the present day town of Bogh Gaya that Prince Gautam attained enlightenment and became the Buddha and the religion of buddhism was born. It is here also that Lord Mahavira, the founder of Jainism, was born and attained nirvana. That site is located at the present town of pawapuri, south east of Patna, the Capital of Bihar.It is here also that the tenth and last Guru of the Sikhs, Guru Gobind Singh was born and attained the sainthood of sikhism. The Harmandir, a majestic Gurudwara (Sikh temple), built in his memory is located in eastern Patna. Known reverentially as the Patna Sahib, it is one of the five holiest places of worhip for Sikhs. In ancient times Bihar was called "Magadha". The greatest Indian empire, the Maurya empire, originated from Magadha in 325 BC, with its capital at Patliputra (modern Patna). The Mauryan Emperor, Ashoka, who was born in Patliputra is believed to be one of the greatest rulers in the history of India. After seeing all the carnage that war causes he was placed on the path of Lord Buddha by his spiritual guide Manjushri. Bihar remained an important place of power, culture and education during the next one thousand years. The Gupta Empire, which again originated from Magadha in the year 240, is referred to as the Golden Age of India in science, mathematics, astronomy, religion and Indian philosophy. The peace and prosperity created under leadership of the Guptas enabled the pursuit of scientific and artistic endeavors. Kalidasa's Sanskrit play Abhij?¨¡na?¨¡kuntala is one of the Legacies of the Gupta Empire.The Buddhism of Magadha was finally swept away by the Muslim invasion in the 12th Century. During this time many of the viharas and the famed universities of Nalanda and Vikramshila were destroyed, and thousands of Buddhist monks were massacred. The region saw a brief period of glory between 1540 and 1546 during the rule of Sher Shah Suri. The economic reforms carried out by Sher Shah, like the introduction of the Rupee and Custom Duties, is still used in the Republic of India today. He revived the city of Patna, where he built up his headquarter. Between 1557 and 1576 Akbar, the Mughal emperor, annexed Bihar and Bengal to his empire. With the decline of the Mughals, Bihar passed under the control of the Nawabs of Bengal. Thus, the medieval period was mostly one of anonymous provincial existence. Resurgence in the history of Bihar came during the struggle for India's independence. It was from Bihar that Mahatma Gandhi launched his civil-disobedience movement, which ultimately led to India's independence. In 1917, at the persistent request of a farmer named Raj Kumar Shukla, from the district of Champaran, Gandhi took a train ride to Motihari, the district headquarters of Champaran. Here he learned, first hand, the sad plight of the indigo farmers suffering under the oppressive rule of the British. |
