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A part of Bihar was separated and formed into a new state Jharkhand on November 15, 2000.Bihar is lying approximately between 21o58'10'' and 27o31'15''N latitudes and 82o 19'50'' and 88o17'40''E longitudes in the lower and middle Gangetic region extending 483 Km from west to east. This state embraces some of the most fertile lands of India. Bihar, squeezed in between West Bengal, Jharkhand and Uttar Pradesh, reaches up to the Himalayas in the north and is completely land locked. Bihar is bounded on the north by Nepal, on the south by Jharkhand, on the east by West Bengal and on the west by Uttar Pradesh. Bihar gets the worst of the cold and the worst of the heat and plenty of floods. Northern portion of Bihar is almost entirely a level tract, while the south is wooded and hilly. Bihar has a number of rivers, the most important of which is the Ganga. The river Ganga flows right across it from west to east. North Bihar is extremely fertile, the land being watered by the rivers Sarayu, Gandak and Ganga. The other rivers are the Sone, Poonpoon, Falgu, Karmanasa, Durgawati, Kosi, Ghaghara etc. ARCHITECTURE The Neolithic and other prehistoric men of Bihar handed down their art tradition to their progeny in the historic period. Many structural relics are still in existence to fill up the gap separating the prehistoric men for their historic descendants. The early Mauryan buildings and works of art were mostly wooden. Wood was the basic material of Mauryan architecture. The Pillars and fortifications of the ancient city of Pataliputra were all of wood and revealed workmanship of a high order. Literacy sources, Sanskrit and Pali furnish indubitable evidence of the existence of a highly developed art other than sculptures in Pre-Ashokan Magadha. Chandragupta's palace stood in all its Mauryan splendour when Megasthenes visited the capital. A series of hypostyle halls containing pillars of wood, clasped around with vines embossed in gold and ornamented with designs of birds and foliage in gold and silver. The city of Pataliputra situated along the banks of the Ganges was surrounded by a stupendous timber palisade with loopholes for archers and protected externally by a wide and deep moat. At intervals were bastions with towers over five hundred in number. It was entered by as many as sixty-four gates. A change in this pattern of architecture occurred when magnificent monuments executed in stone began to appear in Bihar during the Mauryan period. The use of burnt bricks and of 'Sudha' of lime was known to the ancient Magadhans. Houses were provided with pillars, windows and stairs. The 'Jatakas' are full of references to towns, palace and pavilions. Fortified cities and palaces had a wall around them interspersed with gateways and watch-towers and ditches outside. The cities had well planned streets and different classes of people occupied special quarters set apart for them. The walls of the buildings were often decorated with paintings which included figures of human beings, creepers, flowers, animals and birds, mountains and sea. The Stupa formed an important part of the architectural achievement of Mauryan Bihar. The word stupa means 'something raised', and came to be used as a Buddhist architectural term for a mount containing the relics of Buddha. Ashoka was the builder of cities, Stupas and Viharas excavated in hard rocks, rock-art Chaitya-halls, palaces and pillars of stone. The pillars are said to be the master pieces of Mauryan Art. The masons of Magadha delineated the natural forms of animals and plants in stone and reduced and shaped larger masses of rocks into pillars. The beginnings of Indian art, to a class of colossal stone statues are all Pre Ashokan and Pre-Mauryan. These statues represent the folk art of the times and were admittedly inspired by the animistic worship of popular deities known as Yakshas and Yakshinis, Nagas or Nagis, Gandharvas, Apsaras, earth-spirits, water spirits etc. The statues made of the buff-coloured sandstone of Chumar quarries and bearing a distinctive metallic polish, have been kept in the Indian museum, Calcutta. The fairly large size Yakshi statue discovered by accident, at Didarganj Patna is in the same tradition and represent the highest watermark of sculptural art in the indigenous tradition. In her right hand, the female figure holds a 'cowry' and the lower part of her body is richly covered with ornaments and folded garments. FESTIVALS The months of Bhadon and Ashwin are marked by many religious observances and ceremonies. This is the most critical season of the year to the cultivator, when he must have rain. The end of the former month, he observes the fast of Anant-brat in gratitude for the ingathering of the bhadai harvest and in the hope of further prosperity. Navaratri is one of the major festivals connected with the autumnal equinox, beginning on the first and ending on the tenth day of Navaratri. After the idol of Durga has been worshipped for nine preceding days, it is taken to the river and cast into it. To the people in Bihar, Dussehra celebrates the victory of Rama over Ravana . Hence it is also called Vijayadashami. Huge colourful paper and wooden effigies of Rama's enemies, Ravana, Meghanada and Kumbhakarna are filled with fire works and burnt. This is the main item of public celebrations. Holi is another Hindu festival which terminate on the full moon of Phalguna. Diwali is the third important festival of the Hindu year. Chhattha, the festival of the sixth day after Diwali is observed with great pomp and show. On this occasion the longest of all fasts is observed by the people, especially women, who before breaking it offer cow's milk, coconut and other fruits to the sun god. All the women, old and young, go singing together to the nearby river ghats or ponds and offer homage to the setting sun in the evening and to the rising sun in the morning of the day following. Hindu women worship Lord Shiva at Jeth Amavasya to ensure the long life of their husband. At Mauni Amavasya they sit silently under a pipal tree on the day of a new moon, provided it is a Monday. Nag Panchami is a festival observed on the fifth day of the bright half of Sravana. It begins with a fast. Bathing fairs are held on the banks of rivers. Makar Sankranti is also observed as a festival among certain classes. On this occasion, the participants and believers eat rice flakes, curd and sweets made of til. Janmashtami is observed on the eight day of the second fortnight in the month of Bhadrapada. Special meals are held and thousands of people visit the sacred places and temples. Maha-Shivaratri is celebrated with great rejoicing and feasting. Other Bihari festivals are; Saraswati puja, which is celebrated in all educational institutions and images of goddess of learning are worshipped. Raksha Bandhan, Godhan, Ramnavami, Chitra gupta puja are celebrated mostly by the Kayasthas and Viswakarma puja is observed only by factory workers and workmen. The chief Muslim festivals in Bihar are the Muharram, the two Ids and shah-i-barat. In tribal life, there is a succession of festivals throughout the year which are connected with agricultural operations. Most of the important festivals among them are Sarhul, Karma and Soharai. Sarhul is the most popular of all tribal festivals. It is celebrated on the last day of Baisakh which corresponds to the month of April. It is observed at a time when sal trees are laden with flowers. It resembles the Vasant-mahotsava of the Hindus and may therefore be described as the spring festival of tribals. It is an occasion of great festivity and enjoyment for people of all ages. All night maidens and youths sing and dance to the accompaniment of the drum, while the old sit and enjoy the enchanting dance. Another festival among the aboriginals is Soharai or Banda parab, which occurs in the month of Pous, celebrated shortly after the harvest of the rice-crop of the year. It may be called the harvest festival of tribals. On this occasion domestic animals are worshipped after being washed, anointed with oil and smeared with vermilion. The Karma festival is one which observed by the tribals as well as the non-tribals. There are sufficient grounds to believe that it is an imitation of the Hindu festival. On this occasion the tribal youths spend the whole night in singing and dancing. The song sung on this occasion narrate the legends of Karma and Dharma. The typically Hindu festivals of Holi and Durga puja are also celebrated with great enthusiasm by the Hindu tribals. TOURISM Bihar finds mention in the Vedas, Puranas, Epics etc and was the main scene of activities of the Buddha and the 24 Jain Tirthankaras. It is also one of the important places in the annals of Indian history which has seen the rise and fall of major empires. With its historical past, there are many tourist destinations especially pilgrim centres in the state like Patna, Bodhgaya, Rajgir, Vaishali and ruins of the the world famous, ancient university of Nalanda etc. The best time to visit is from October to March. Temperature varies from 43 C- 21 C in summer and 20 C - 6 C in winter. Bihar State Tourism Development Corporation organises trips for Rajgir, Nalanda etc. from its headquarters in the capital Patna. Bihar’s Buddhist circuit to places like Bodhgaya, Gaya, Vaishali etc has modest back-up facilities by way of accommodation, international dining and surface transport. Tourist Information Centres
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