CHECK THESE TOP REASONS AND DELVE INTO THE UNEXPLORED PEARLS OF BIHAR

An underrated tourist destination of India, Bihar offers everything to experience from splendid beauty, to rich cultural heritage, spontaneous magnetism to inherited charisma. It is like an unexplored pearl of an ocean. Every nook and corner of the state is dotted with historical monuments and Buddhist monasteries. Ironically, Bihar was once the most prosperous kingdoms in India and present-day it suffers listlessness when we talk about India tourism.

Here is Bihar from the eye of an avid traveler and for the sake of convenience the list has been split into different sections so that you do not leave any stone unturned. Without any further ado, let us start our journey into the great ancient land.

Glorious History

The earliest history of Bihar can be traced in Ramayana; Mithila was the birthplace of Sita, wife of Lord Ram. In ancient history, Bihar's journey started from the post-Vedic age when there were many Mahajanapadas like Vaisali, Magadha, and Videha. The first kingdom in Bihar was founded by Bimbisara and Ajatshatru. During this period two great persons, Gautama Buddha, and Jaina Mahavir took birth and preached two great religions of Buddhism and Jainism respectively.

 As the wheel of history turned Bihar saw one the greatest empire of India. The Mauryan Empire under Chandragupta Maurya and Ashok flourished with the name of Magadha kingdom with Pataliputra as its capital. In this period Nalanda and Vikramasila flourished as international universities.

Great empires of Gupta's and Harshavardhana also consists part of Bihar which further enriches its historical contents. In the medieval times, Bihar was at its peak during the reign of Sher Shah Suri who started his journey to Delhi from Sasaram, Bihar. This region provided strong resistance to British forces during 1857 under Kunwar Singh. In 1917, Gandhiji started his political career with Champaran Satyagraha in Bihar.

 Top 10 Reasons to Visit Bihar

Bihar has numerous tags attached to it. It is a land of a variety of religious tourist spots. The rich culture and heritage are quite evident from the monuments that are dotted all over the state. A wonderful place with a rich history presents numerous reasons, why you should visit Bihar. Let's look at the top 10 reasons:

1. The first residential university of the world, the Nalanda University is situated in Bihar. The uniqueness of the university can be estimated from the fact that Buddha himself was a teacher here and the famous Chinese traveler- Hieun Tsang was a student.
2. Visit Gaya, a Hindu pilgrimage hub and a transit point for Buddhist pilgrimage center of Bodhgaya. The place is replete with numerous temples and historic sites. Find the inner peace of mind and solace, in the Mahabodhi Temple in Gaya. Some important places visiting places in Gaya include Bodhgaya, Vishnupad Temple, Magla Gauri Shrine, etc.

3. Rajgir is a popular pilgrimage destination for Buddhists, Hindus, and Jains. Here, you can take the aerial tramway uphill to the Vishwa Shanti Stupa, walk back down the hill and visit Vulture's Peak. You can be the part of the annual Rajgir Mahotsav classical music and dance at the end of December.

4. If you are a bird lover, then take a trip to Kanwar Lake and see 60 species of migratory birds. It is India's largest freshwater oxbow lake, located in Begusarai. Visit here from October to March and see the green plants thriving.

5. An authentic rural fair, Sonepur Fair combines spirituality with elephant, cattle, and horse-trading. Visit here during late November and captivate spectacle of tantriks, pilgrims, and elephants taking an auspicious holy bath in the river at sunrise on Karthik Purnima.

6. The historically rich land of Bihar is equally popular for the plethora of delicacies that feature in its cuisine. First of all, the lip-smacking taste of Litti Chokha, savored by one and all, does need any introduction. It is your welcome dish in Bihar.

7. Malpua is another Bihari food delight; the crispy crust and soft center melt in the mouth, making it an all-time favorite delicacy of Bihar. Khajuria, also known as Thekua is a common snack of Bihari food. Try this lip-smacking snack to fulfill your hunger attacks!

8. Ensure your presence in the most important festival of Bihar, Chhath. It is celebrated twice a year in Chaitra and Kartik. The Sun God is worshipped and people maintain the purity of the body for well over a month. People come here across the world to see the colorful festivities.

9. Bihar has an ancient tradition of songs and dances; you can see Chhau dance, performed by males in festivals. During the dance, the participants wear masks and colorful garb.

10. Finally, discover the major destinations of the state like the Silk City of India Bhagalpur known for its silk products; Patna, a decent destination with all modern facilities; Vaishali to explore archaeological sites, etc.

How to Reach

BY AIR -Bihar has an airport at Patna connected to Delhi, Mumbai, Lucknow, Calcutta, and Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal.

BY RAIL -The state has a well-developed railway network with almost all the major and minor places connected through good trains in Patna, Dhanbad, Muzaffarpur, and Gaya.

BY ROAD -There is a good network of roads connecting all the major parts of the state with Patna.

The best time to explore Bihar is after the monsoon and before summer during October to March.