Thursday, July 23, 2009

The Province of Bihar

By Ranju O. Bhusan

Bihar is a state in the northern side of India. The state of Bihar is situated in the Southern side of Nepal. On the west lies another Indian state of Uttar Pradesh and in the east there is West Bengal. Bihar is considered as the Hindi heartland of India. Here the Buddha delivered his very first speeches and achieved nirvana.

The capital city of Bihar is Patna. The metropolis of Patna lies on the junction of 3 crucial rivers of which one is the river Ganges River. Lord Siddhartha once told that the city of Patna, then called Patliputra would confront three major assaults in the future.

They were to be fire, political turmoil and flood. Indeed the state of Bihar but also the city is under constant threat from fire, flood from the major rivers and it's a political hotbed.

The province of Bihar was titled as Magadha in its old times. Its very first crucial emperor was called by the name of Ashoka the Great. The spread of Buddhism in the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka and the Far East is attributable to this distinguished emperor.

It is said that he sent his numerous sons to various parts of the world as missionaries. The empire of Ashoka spread from the east of India to Persia. It is said that he fell short of invading Persia simply because the rulers had him married to the king of Persia.

For the student of ancient history and followers of Buddhism, a trip to Bihar is a must. The ancient town of Bodh Gaya in Bihar houses the most holy sites of Buddhism. Some of which includes the original Bodhi tree where Buddha got enlightenment.

Here grows the Bodhi tree, where Buddha attained enlightenment. Most Buddhism countries and sects of the world have set of temples in the holy town of Bodh Gaya. The city of Bodh Gaya can be reached by either flying or taking a train to Patna and then taking the road or train to Bodh Gaya. A trip to the town of Godh Gaya is revelation.

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