Capital of Bihar - An Overview

Patna is the capital of Bihar. Patna is located on the southern bank of river Ganges. The article will help you to learn more about Patna, the capital city of Bihar. It will also share some important facts about Bihar.

Patna – Interesting Facts

• Historically, Patna was known as Pataliputra.
• Patna is not only the capital of Bihar, but also the largest city of Bihar.
• For people following the Sikh religion, Patna is a sacred city as the tenth Sikh guru, Guru Gobind Singh, was born here.
• During the time of the Maurya empire and the Gupta empire, Pataliputra (Patna) was not only a seat of power, but also a cultural and political centre of the Indian subcontinent.
• Ancient Patna, i.e., Pataliputra, was home to many famous scholars and astronomers such as Chanakya, Aryabhata, and Vatsyayana.
• Patna became the capital of Bihar and Orissa province after the partition of Bengal presidency in 1912.
• Patna is a major agricultural hub and centre of trade.
• Patna is home to the world’s second largest leather cluster.

Bihar – Important Facts

• Bihar is home to many pilgrimage centres of the Buddhists, Hindus, and Jains.
• The state of Bihar shares borders with Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Jharkhand, and Nepal.
• Area-wise, Bihar is the 12th largest state in India.
• Population-wise, Bihar is the 3rd largest state in India.
• Bhojpuris, Maithilis, and Magahis are the major ethnolinguistic groups of Bihar.
• A new state of Jharkhand was formed on 15th November 2000, by ceding southern Bihar.
• Just around 11% of the population of Bihar lives in cities. It is the second lowest percentage in India.
• Bihar has the highest proportion of young people in any Indian state.

Ancient Nalanda University – Bihar

The most famous ancient Nalanda University was located in Bihar.

• Sir Francis Buchanan was the first to discover and report the excavation site of Nalanda University.
• The excavation site of Nalanda University was located at a distance of 88 km away from Patna, capital of Bihar.
• Nalanda University was designated a World Heritage Site by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) on 15th July 2016.
• Nalanda University was founded by Kumaragupta I of the Gupta Dynasty in the 5th Century C.E.
• Nalanda university imparted knowledge in the field of medicine, science, grammar, logic, philosophies, contemporary texts, Buddhism, etc.
• Nalanda university received support from the Indian kings and foreign kings for a continuous period of 800 years.

Bihar – Tourism

• The Patna planetarium is one of the largest planetariums in Asia.
• Bodh Gaya, the site where the Buddha got enlightenment under a sacred Bodhi tree, is the most popular tourist destination for foreign visitors.
• For Buddhists, Bodh Gaya is the most important and sacred place.

Bihar – Economy

• Bihar is the eighth largest producer of fruits.
• Bihar is the fourth largest producer of vegetables.
• Around 80% of the population of Bihar is employed in the agriculture sector.
• The major industrial cities of Bihar are Barauni, Dalmianagar, and Hajipur.