My photos from Bihar

Bodh Gaya - Buddhistic centre  I  Gaya - Vishnupada temple

Bihar
Population: 97 million
Capital: Patna
Area: 173,877 sq km
Best Time to Visit: October to March
Main Language: Hindi
Literacy Rate: 38%

At one time, Patna was the capital of a good part of India. The name Bihar comes from the word vihara, “monastery.” Bihar is the place where Buddhism was born. There are also important holy places in relation to the Hindu and Jain religions. Not many travelers come to Bihar, but pilgrims come to visit Bodhgaya, the place where Gautama Buddha attained enlightenment. Besides Bodhgaya, there are several other Buddhist places in Bihar: Nalanda, where there was a great Buddhist University, Rajgir, and Vaishali. Many people travel through Patna on their way to Kathmandu and Nepal.

Temples of Bihar depict the ancient and rich cultural tradition of the state. The state of Bihar was famous for its Buddhist learning center in the past. This state is also one of the major Buddhist tourist centers in India and thus visited by a large number of devotees and general tourists throughout the year. The temples in Bihar form the major attractions in the tour of Bihar. People here are extremely religious and the temples in this state truly reflect their utter religious sentiments. The state of Bihar is also regarded as the starting point of Buddhism and Jainism and it is for this reason there are several Jain and Buddhist temples in this state.