Bihar
Bihar is a state in Eastern India which borders Uttar Pradesh to its west, Nepal to the north, the northern part of West Bengal to the east, and Jharkhand to the south. Bihar is split by the river Ganges, which flows from west to east.
The area that is now Bihar was considered the centre of political and cultural influence in Ancient and Classical India. It is also the area from which Buddhism arose.
Bodh Gaya, in Gaya district of Bihar, was the site where Gautama Buddha attained enlightenment.
The kingdom of Magadha with its capital of Rajagriha, located in the southern part of Bihar, was the location of many of the discourses of the Buddha.
Sometime after the reign of Magadha king Ajātasattu, the capital of Magadha was moved from Rājagaha to Pāṭaliputta and subsequently became the seat of government for the Mauryan Empire.
Several important Buddhist monastic universities were established in Bihar during the period from the 5th to 13th century, including Nalanda, Vikramashila and Odantapuri.
Bihar was also important center of Jainism in ancient India. The Jain teacher Parshvanatha was active in this region in 9th century BCE, and the teacher Mahavira was active in 6th century BCE.
- Further reading
Bihar, Wikipedia
