Know Bihar

How did Bihar get its name? Who are its people? What are their customs? Know all you need to about the state.

Area: 94,163.00 sq km
Rural: 92,257.51 sq km (97.98%)
Urban: 1,095.49 sq km (2.02%)

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Population: 8,28,78,796
Male: 4,31,53,964
Female: 3,97,24,832

Population Density: 880 persons per sq km

Sex Ratio: 921 females per 1,000 males

Capital: Patna

Location
Eastern India, bordering Nepal to the north, Uttar Pradesh to the west, Jharkhand to the south and West Bengal to the east.

History
Bihar was the site of some of the most famous ancient Indian empires, include the Magadhan and the Ashokan, and the birthplace of both Buddhism and Jainism. It derives its name from Buddhist "viharas" (monasteries) that once abounded in the region.

Bihar (including Jharkhand and Orissa) was carved out of the Bengal Presidency in 1911, and Patna was made the capital in 1913. In 1935, Orissa became a separate province. In 1956, portions of south-east Bihar (mostly Purulia district) were incorporated into West Bengal. In November 2000, Jharkhand too was divided away, leaving Bihar at its present size.

Climate
Sub-tropical to temperate
December to February - Winter (min temp 3 deg C)
March to mid-June - Summer (max temp 45 deg C)
Mid-June to September - Hot and humid
September to November - warm to cool and humid

Resources
Fertile alluvial soil. Major crops: paddy, wheat, lentils, sugarcane, jute and cane. Principal fruits: mangoes, banana, jack fruit and litchis (one of very few areas outside China that produce litchi).

Moist deciduous forests to the north-west (Champaran area). Important trees: sal, shisham, dedrela toona, khair, and semal.

Ganga flows from the west to the east, and is joined by Himalayan tributaries including Saryu (Ghaghra), Gandak, Budhi Gandak, Bagmati, Kamla-Balan and Mahananda. Other rivers are Sone, Uttari Koyal, Punpun, Panchane and Karmnasha.

Heavy rainfall. Annual average 1200 mm.

Minerals found include limestone, mica, pyrites, quartzite and steatite.

Festivals
Bihar celebrates most Indian festivals, besides some of its own. These include:

Chhath puja: People worship the setting sun twice a year, in March and November

Sama-Chakeva: To mark the descent of Himalayan birds to the plains in winter

Bihula: Celebrated mostly in eastern Bihar by worshippers of goddess of family welfare Mansa

Madhushravani: Celebrated in July-August, to mark the rainy season