history of bihar - wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

7/27/2019 History of Bihar - Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia

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10/4/13 History of Bihar - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Bihar

History of BiharFrom Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The history of Bihar is one of the most varied in India. Ancient Bihar, known as Magadha, was the center of power,learning, and culture in India for 1000 years. India's first empire, the Maurya empire as well as one of the world'sgreatest pacifist religion, Buddhism arose from the region that now makes modern Bihar.[1] Magadha empires, notablyunder the Maurya and Gupta dynasties, unified large parts of South Asia under a central rule.[2] Its capital Patna, earli

known as Pataliputra, was an important political, military, and economic center of Indian civilization during the ancientand classical periods of history. Many of the ancient Indian text, written outside of the religious epics, were written inancient Bihar. Abhijnakuntala was the most prominent.

One of the first known republics in the world, Licchavi, existed in the region since before the birth of Mahavira (c. 599BC).[3][4]The classical Gupta dynasty of Bihar, was known to have been a period of great culture and learning insideIndia. The Gupta period is known today as the Golden Age of India.

The Pala Empire also made their capital at Pataliputra. After, Bihar played a very small role in Indian affairs, until theemergence of the Suri dynasty during the Islamic period in the 1540s. After the fall of the Suri dynasty in 1556, Bihar

again became a marginal player in India and was the staging post for the Bengal Presidency from the 1750s and up tothe war of185758. On 22 March 1912, Bihar was carved out as a separate provience in the British Indian Empire.Since 1947, Bihar has been a state in the Indian Union.

Contents

1 Prehistoric era2 The Magadha Kingdom3 The Mahajanapadas

4 The Magadha Empire5 Middle Kingdoms6 Medieval Period7 The Company rule8 The British Raj9 Independence movement10 Modern11 Timeline for Bihar12 See also13 Gallery

14 Further reading15 References

Prehistoric era

See also: Timeline for Bihar
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suri_dynastyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pala_Empirehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biharhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abhij%C3%B1%C4%81na%C5%9B%C4%81kuntalahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Patnahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pacifismhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhismhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biharhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_for_Biharhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Indian_Empirehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bengal_Presidencyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suri_dynastyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pataliputrahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pala_Empirehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_Age_of_Indiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahavirahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Licchavi_(clan)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abhij%C3%B1%C4%81na%C5%9B%C4%81kuntalahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biharhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Civilizationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Patnahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patnahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Asiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guptahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mauryahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magadhahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhismhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pacifismhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maurya_empirehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magadhahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bihar


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en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Bihar 2

Magadha

The earliest proof of human activity in Bihar is Mesolithic habitational remains at Paisra, Munger. Prehistoric rockpaintings have been discoveredv in hills of Kaimur, Nawada and Jamui. It was the first time that a Neolithic settlementwas discovered in the thick of the alluvium, over the bank of the Ganges at Chirand. [5] The rock paintings depict

prehistoric lifestyle and natural environment. The paintings display the sun, moon, stars, animals, plants, trees, rivers anis speculated to represent love towards nature.

The paintings also highlight the daily life of the early humans in Bihar, including activities like hunting, running, dancing,and walking.[6] The rock paintings in Bihar are not only identical to those in central and southern India but also are aki

with those in Europe and Africa. The rock paintings of Spain's Alta Mira and France's Lascaux are almost identical tothose found in Bihar.[7]

The Magadha Kingdom

Main articles: Magadha Kingdom and Anga Kingdom

See also: Brihadrathas dynasty and Pradyota dynasty

Further information: Jarasandha, Karna, Mahabharata, Puranas, Kuru (kingdom), and Anga

The Magadha Kingdom was established by semi-mythical kingJarasandha who was, as it stated in the Puranas, a king of Brihadrathasdynasty, one of the descendants of eponymical Puru. Jarasandhaappears in the Mahabharatha as the "Magadhan Emperor who rules allIndia" and meets with an unceremonious ending. Jarasandha was thegreatest among them during epic times. His capital was Rajagriha orRajgir is now a modern hill resort in Bihar. Jarasandha's continuousassault on the Yadava kingdom of Surasena resulted in their withdrawalfrom central India to western India. Jarasandha was a threat not only forYadavas but also for Kurus. Pandava Bhima killed him in a mace dual

aided by the intelligence of Vasudeva Krishna.

Thus, Yudhisthira, the Pandava King, could complete his campaign ofbring the whole of India into his empire. Jarasandha had friendlyrelations with Chedi king Shishupala, Kuru king Duryodhana and Anga king Karna. His descendants, according to theVayu Purana, ruled Magadha for 1000 years followed by the Pradyota dynasty, which ruled for 138 years. Howeverno sufficient evidence to prove the historicity of this claim. However, these rulers are mentioned in the Hindu texts,Buddhist texts and Jaina texts.

Pradyota dynasty succeeded the Brihadrathas dynasty in Magadha. According to the Vayu Purana, Pradyotas ruledMagadha for 138 years from 799684 BC. Palaka, the son of the Avanti king Pradyota, conquered Kaushambi,

making the kingdom powerful.

The Mahajanapadas

Main article: Mahajanapadas

Main articles: History of Buddhism and History of Jainism

See also: Siddhartha Gautama and Mahavira

Further information: Nalanda University, Vikramshila University, and Vaishali (ancient city)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vaishali_(ancient_city)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vikramshila_Universityhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nalanda_Universityhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahavirahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siddhartha_Gautamahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Jainismhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Buddhismhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahajanapadashttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaushambihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palakahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Legendary_Kings_of_Magadhahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pradyota_dynastyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pradyota_dynastyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vayu_Puranahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karnahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anga_Kingdomhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duryodhanahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kuru_Kingdomhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shishupalahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chedi_Kingdomhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yudhisthirahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Krishna_in_the_Mah%C4%81bh%C4%81ratahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhimahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kuru_(kingdom)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Surasena_Kingdomhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yaduhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rajgirhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rajagrihahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahabharathahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/King_Porushttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Legendary_Kings_of_Magadhahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Puranashttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jarasandhahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magadha_Kingdomhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kuru_(kingdom)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Puranashttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahabharatahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karnahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jarasandhahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pradyota_dynastyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brihadrathas_dynastyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anga_Kingdomhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magadha_Kingdomhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lascauxhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cave_of_Altamirahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Africahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Europehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Indiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biharhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rock_paintinghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rock_paintinghttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Chirand&action=edit&redlink=1http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gangeshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alluviumhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neolithichttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jamuihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nawadahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaimur_Rangehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rock_paintinghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prehistorichttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mungerhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Paisra&action=edit&redlink=1http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mesolithichttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magadhahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Magadha.GIF


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The Mahajanapadas era

Anga and Magadha onmap of theMahajanapadas.

Nalanda University isconsidered one of thefirst great university inrecorded history.

Gautama Buddhaundertaking extreme

ascetic practices beforehis enlightenment on thebank of river Phalgu inBodh Gaya, Bihar.

Detail of a leaf with, TheBirth of Mahavira (the

24th Jain Tirthankara),from the Kalpa Sutra, c.13751400.

In the later Vedic Age, a number of small kingdoms or citystates, dominated Magadha. Many of these states have beenmentioned during in Buddhist and Jaina literature as far backas 1000 BCE. By 500 BCE, sixteen monarchies and'republics' known as theMahajanapadasKasi, Kosala,Anga, Magadha, Vajji (or Vriji), Malla, Chedi, Vatsa (orVamsa), Kuru, Panchala, Machcha (or Matsya), Surasena,Assaka, Avanti, Gandhara, Kambojastretched across the

Indo-Gangetic plains from modern-day Afghanistan to Bengaland Maharastra. Anga and Magadha is the modern NorthBihar and South Bihar respestively. Many of the sixteenkingdoms had coalesced to four major ones by 500/400BCE, that is by the time of Siddhartha Gautama. These fourwere Vatsa, Avanti, Kosala and Magadha.[8]

In 537 BCE, Siddhartha Gautama attained the state of"enlightenment" in Bodh Gaya, Bihar. Around the same time,Mahavira who was born in a place called Kundalagrama in

the ancient kingdom of Lachuar in Jamui District in modernday Bihar. He was the 24th Jain Tirthankara, propagated asimilar theology, that was to later become Jainism.[9]

However, Jain orthodoxy believes it predates all known time.The Vedas are believed to have documented a few JainTirthankaras and an ascetic order similar to the sramanamovement.[10] The Buddha's teachings and Jainism haddoctrines inclined toward asceticism, and were preached inPrakrit, which helped them gain acceptance amongst themasses. They have profoundly influenced practices thatHinduism and Indian spiritual orders are associated withnamely, vegetarianism, prohibition of animal slaughter andahimsa (non-violence).

While the geographic impact of Jainism was limited to India,Buddhist nuns and monks eventually spread the teachings ofBuddha to Central Asia, East Asia, Tibet, Sri Lanka andSouth East Asia. Nalanda University and Vikramshila University one of the oldest residential universities wereestablished in Bihar during this period.

According to both Buddhist texts and Jain texts, one of Pradyota tradition was that king's son would kill his father to

become the successor. During this time, it is reported that there was high crimes in Magadha. The people rose up andelected Shishunaga to become the new king, who destroyed the power of the Pradyotas and created the Shishunagadynasty.

The Magadha Empire

Main article: Magadha

See also: Shishunaga dynasty, Nanda Dynasty, Mauryan dynasty, Sunga dynasty, and Kanva dynasty

Further information: Bimbisara, Ajatashatru, Mahapadma Nanda, Chandragupta
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chandragupta_Mauryahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chandragupta_Mauryahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahapadma_Nandahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ajatashatruhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bimbisarahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kanva_dynastyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunga_dynastyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mauryan_dynastyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nanda_Dynastyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shishunaga_dynastyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magadhahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shishunaga_dynastyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shishunagahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magadhahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vikramshila_Universityhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nalanda_Universityhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sri_Lankahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tibethttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/East_Asiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Central_Asiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ahimsahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vegetarianismhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prakrithttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vedashttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jainhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tirthankarahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jainhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jamui_Districthttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Kundalagrama&action=edit&redlink=1http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahavirahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bodh_Gayahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enlightenment_(spiritual)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siddhartha_Gautamahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siddhartha_Gautamahttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=South_Bihar&action=edit&redlink=1http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Biharhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magadhahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indo-Gangetic_plainshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kamboja_Kingdomhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gandharahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avanti_(India)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assakahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Surasenahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Machchahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panchalahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kuru_(kingdom)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vatsahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chedi_Kingdomhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malla_(India)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vajjihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magadhahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kosalahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kasi_Kingdomhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahajanapadashttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jainismhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhisthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magadhahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kalpasutra_(Jain)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tirthankarahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jainhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahavirahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bodh_Gayahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phalguhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gautama_Buddhahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Universityhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nalanda_Universityhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahajanapadashttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magadhahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anga


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Magadha

Bimbisara's j ail, whereKing Bimbisara wasimprisoned by his sonAjatasatru, in Rajgir

Ajatasatru's stupa inRajgir, where his asheswere interred.

The Nanda Empire at its greatestextent under Dhana Nanda c. 323BC.

Maurya, Bindusara, Ashoka, Samprati, and Pusyamitra Sunga

Further information: Kalinga War, Rajgriha, Patliputra, Edicts of

Ashoka, Ashokavadana, Arthashastra, and Emblem of India

Further information: Ambapali, Chanakya, and Brhadrata

Shishunaga (also called King Sisunaka) was the founder of a dynasty collectively called the Shishunaga dynasty. Heestablished the Magadha empire (in 684 BC). Due in part to this bloody dynastic feuding, it is thought that a civil revol

led to the emergence of the Shishunaga dynasty. This empire, with its original capital in Rajgriha, later shifted toPataliputra (both currently in the Indian state of Bihar). The Shishunaga dynasty was one of the largest empires of theIndian subcontinent.

The Hariyanka dynasty king Bimbisara was responsible for expanding the boundaries of his kingdom throughmatrimonial alliances and conquest. The land of Kosala fell to Magadha in this way. Estimates place the territory ruled

by this early dynasty at 300 leagues in diameter, and encompassing 80,000 small settlements. Bimbisara iscontemporary with the Buddha, and is recorded as a lay disciple. Bimbisara (543493 BCE) was imprisoned andkilled his own son who became his successor, Ajatashatru (491461 BCE), under whose rule, the dynasty reached itslargest extent.

Licchavi was an ancientbefore the birth of Mahavirarepublic in what is now the Bihar state of India.(b. 599 BC),[3][15]Vaishali was the capital of the Licchavisand the Vajjian Confederacy. Its courtesan, Ambapali, wasfamous for her beauty, and helped in large measure in makingthe city prosperous.[16] Ajatashatru went to war with theLicchavi several time. Ajatashatru is thought to have ruledfrom 551 to 519 BC and moved his capital of the Magadhakingdom from Rajagrihato Patliputra. The Mahavamsa tellsthat Udayabhadra eventually succeeded his father,

Ajatashatru, and that under him Patliputra became the largestcity in the world. He is thought to have ruled for sixteen years.The kingdom had a particularly bloody succession.Anuruddha eventually succeeded Udaybhadra throughassassination, and his son Munda succeeded him in the samefashion, as did his son Nagadasaka.

This dynasty lasteduntil 424 BC, when itwas overthrown by the

Nanda dynasty. Thisperiod saw thedevelopment of two ofIndia's major religionsthat started fromMagadha. GautamaBuddha in the 6th or5th century BC wasthe founder ofBuddhism, which laterspread to East Asia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chandragupta_Mauryahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gautama_Buddhahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nanda_dynastyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nagadasakahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anuruddhahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahavamsahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patliputrahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rajagrihahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Licchavi_(clan)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ajatashatruhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ambapalihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vajjihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vaishali_(ancient_city)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Republichttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahavirahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Licchavi_(clan)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ajatashatruhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bimbisarahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bimbisarahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kosalahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bimbisarahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_subcontinenthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pataliputrahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rajgirhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shishunaga_dynastyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shishunaga_dynastyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sisunakahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shishunagahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brhadratahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chanakyahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ambapalihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emblem_of_Indiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arthashastrahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ashokavadanahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edicts_of_Ashokahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patliputrahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rajgrihahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kalinga_Warhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pusyamitra_Sungahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sampratihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ashokahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bindusarahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chandragupta_Mauryahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dhana_Nandahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nanda_Empirehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Nanda_Empire.gifhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rajgirhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stupahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ajatasatruhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rajgirhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ajatasatruhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bimbisarahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bimbisara


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Vaishali was the capitalof Vajjian Confederacy,believed the world's first

republic.[11][12][13][14]

Ashokan Pillar atVaishali.

The Maurya Empire at its largestextent under Ashoka the Great.

Silver punch mark coin of theMaurya empire, with symbols ofwheel and elephant. 3rd centuryBC.

and Southeast Asia, while Mahavira revived and propagatedthe ancient sramanic religion of Jainism.

Nanda dynasty was established by an illegitimate son of theking Mahanandin of the previous Shishunaga dynasty. The

Nanda dynasty ruled Magadha during the 5th and 4thcenturies BC. At its greatest extent, the Nanda Empireextended from Burma in the east, Balochistan in the west and

probably as far south to Karnataka.[17] Mahapadma Nandaof Nanda dynasty, has been described as the destroyer of allthe Kshatriyas. He defeated the Ikshvaku dynasty, Panchalas,Kasis, Haihayas, Kalingas, Asmakas, Kurus, Maithilas,Surasenas, Vitihotras, etc. He expanded his territory untilsouth of Deccan. Mahapadma Nanda died at the age of 88and, therefore, he ruled the bulk of the period of this dynasty,which lasted 100 years.

In 321 BC, exiled general Chandragupta Maurya with help of Chanakyafounded the Maurya dynasty after overthrowing the reigning Nanda king Dhana

Nanda to establish the Maurya Empire. The Maurya Empire (322185 BC),ruled by the Mauryan dynasty, was geographically extensive, powerful, and a

political military empire in ancient India. During this time, most of thesubcontinent was united under a single government for the first time. Theexceptions were present day Tamil Nadu and Kerala (which was a Tamilkingdom then). The empire had its capital city at Pataliputra (near modernPatna). The Mauryan empire under Chandragupta Maurya would not onlyconquer most of the Indian subcontinent, defeating and conquering the satrapsleft by Alexander the Great but also push its boundaries into Persia and CentraAsia, conquering the Gandhara region. Chandragupta Maurya then defeated th

invasion led by Seleucus I, a Greek general from Alexander's army.Chandragupta Maurya's minister Kautilya Chanakya wrote theArthashastra,one of the greatest treatises on economics, politics, foreign affairs,administration, military arts, war, and religion ever produced in history of theworld.

Chandragupta Maurya was succeeded by his son Bindusara, who expanded thkingdom over most of present day India, barring the extreme south and east. Aits greatest extent, the Empire stretched to the north along the natural boundarieof the Himalayas, and to the east stretching into what is now Assam. To the

west, it reached beyond modern Pakistan, annexing Balochistan and much ofwhat is now Afghanistan. The Empire was expanded into India's central andsouthern regions by the emperors Chandragupta and Bindusara, but it excluded the republic of Kalinga.

The Maurya Empire was inherited by his son Ashoka The Great, has been described as one of the greatest rulers theworld has seen. Ashoka initially sought to expand his kingdom but In the aftermath of the carnage caused in the invasioof Kalinga, he renounced bloodshed and pursued a policy of non-violence or ahimsa after converting to Buddhism.Following the conquest of Kalinga, Ashoka ended the military expansion of the empire, and led the empire throughmore than 40 years of relative peace, harmony and prosperity. Ashoka the Great's response to the Kalinga War isrecorded in the Edicts of Ashoka,[18] one of the oldest preserved historical documents of Indiansubcontinent.[19][20][21]
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_subcontinenthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edicts_of_Ashokahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kalinga_Warhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ahimsahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kalinga_Warhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ashoka_The_Greathttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kalinga_(India)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bindusarahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Afghanistanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Balochistan_(region)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assamhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Himalayashttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bindusarahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_worldhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arthashastrahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kautilya_Chanakyahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chandragupta_Mauryahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seleucus_I_Nicatorhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chandragupta_Mauryahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gandharahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Persiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_the_Greathttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Satraphttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patnahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pataliputrahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ancient_Tamil_countryhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keralahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tamil_Naduhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Indiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mauryan_dynastyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maurya_Empirehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dhana_Nandahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maurya_dynastyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chanakyahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chandragupta_Mauryahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahapadma_Nandahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deccanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Vitihotra&action=edit&redlink=1http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Surasenahttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Maithila&action=edit&redlink=1http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kuru_(kingdom)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asmaka_Kingdomhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kalingahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haihayashttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kasi_Kingdomhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panchalahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ikshvaku_dynastyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kshatriyahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahapadma_Nandahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karnatakahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Balochistan_(Pakistan)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burmahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nanda_dynastyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shishunaga_dynastyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahanandinhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nanda_Dynastyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahavirahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southeast_Asiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maurya_empirehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:MauryanCoin.JPGhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ashoka_the_Greathttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maurya_Empirehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Mauryan_Empire_Map.gifhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vaishali_(ancient_city)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Republichttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vajjihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capital_(political)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vaishali_(ancient_city)


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Mauryan Sculptures

The Sunga Empire at its greatestextent -c. 185 BCE

According to Rock Edicts of Ashoka,

Beloved-of-the-Gods [Ashoka], King Priyadarsi, conqueredthe Kalingas eight years after his coronation. 150000 weredeported, 100000 were killed and many more died (from othercauses). After the Kalingas had been conquered, Beloved-of-the-Gods came to feel a strong inclination towards theDhamma, a love for the Dhamma and for instruction inDhamma. Now Beloved-of-the-Gods feels deep remorse forhaving conquered the Kalingas."[22]

The Mauryan Empire under Ashoka was responsible for the proliferation of Buddhist ideals across the whole of EastAsia and Southeast Asia, fundamentally altering the history and development of Asia as a whole. Under Ashoka, Indiawas a prosperous and stable empire of great economic and military power whose political influence and trade extendeacross Asia and Europe. Chandragupta Maurya's embrace of Jainism increased social and religious renewal and reforacross his society, while Ashoka, on the other hand, embraced of Buddhism. Ashoka sponsored the spreading ofBuddhist ideals into Sri Lanka, Southeast Asia, West Asia and Mediterranean Europe. TheLion Capital of Asoka aSarnath, is the emblem of India. Archaeologically, the period of Mauryan rule in South Asia falls into the era of

Northern Black Polished Ware (NBPW). TheArthashastra, the Edicts of Ashoka and Ashokavadana are primarysources of written records of the Mauryan times.

Ashoka was followed for 50 years by a succession of weaker kings. Brihadratthe last ruler of the Mauryan dynasty, held territories that had shrunkconsiderably from the time of emperor Ashoka, although he still upheld theBuddhist faith. The Sunga dynasty was established in 185 BC, about fifty yearsafter Ashoka's death, when the king Brihadratha, the last of the Mauryan rulerswas assassinated by the then commander-in-chief of the Mauryan armed force

Pusyamitra Sunga, while he was taking the Guard of Honour of his forces.Pusyamitra Sunga then ascended the throne. Pusyamitra Sunga was a Yadavawho then took over the throne and established the Sunga dynasty. Buddhistrecords such as the Asokavadana write that the assassination of Brihadrata andthe rise of the Sunga empire led to a wave of persecution for Buddhists, [23] anda resurgence of Hinduism. According to John Marshall,[24] Pusyamitra Sungamay have been the main author of the persecutions, although later Sunga kingsseem to have been more supportive of Buddhism. Other historians, such asEtienne Lamotte[25] and Romila Thapar,[26] partially support this view.

Middle Kingdoms

Main articles: Gupta Empire and Pala Empire

See also: Chandra Gupta I, Samudragupta, Chandra Gupta II, Kumaragupta I, and Skandagupta

See also: Gopala (Pala king), Dharmapala of Bengal, Devapala, and Mahipala

Further information: Kalidasa, Aryabhata, Varahamihira, Vishnu

Sharma, Vatsyayana, Shudraka, and Hieun-Tsang

Further information:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hieun-Tsanghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shudrakahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vatsyayanahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vishnu_Sharmahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Varahamihirahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aryabhatahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kalidasahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahipalahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Devapalahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dharmapala_of_Bengalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gopala_(Pala_king)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skandaguptahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kumaragupta_Ihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chandra_Gupta_IIhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samudraguptahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chandra_Gupta_Ihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pala_Empirehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gupta_Empirehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Romila_Thaparhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Etienne_Lamottehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunga#Buddhismhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Marshallhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hinduismhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decline_of_Buddhism_in_India#The_Sungashttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decline_of_Buddhism_in_India#The_Sungashttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yaduhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pusyamitra_Sungahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pusyamitra_Sungahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Armed_forceshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mauryanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunga_dynastyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brihadratahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ashokavadanahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northern_Black_Polished_Warehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emblem_of_Indiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarnathhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lion_Capital_of_Asokahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mediterranean_Europehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ashokahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Asiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dhammahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kalinga_Warhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunga_Empirehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:SungaEmpireMap.jpghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sculpturehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mauryanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:MauryaStatuettes.jpg


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Gupta Coins

Gold Coin ofSamudragupta, with

Garuda pillar, BritishMuseum

Gold coin ofChandragupta II withhorse, British Museum.

Gold coin of depicyingKumaragupta IMahendraditya (414455 CE) fighting withlion.

The Gupta Empire had theircapital at Pataliputra

Aryabhata came to Kusumapura(modern Patna) for higher studies

and lived here.[27] (PictureStatue

of Aryabhata at IUCAA)

Raghuvamsa, Malavikagnimitram, Meghadta, Abhijnakuntala, Kumrasambhava, and Panchatant

Further information: Kama Sutra, Aryabhatiya, Brihat-Samhita, Indian numerals, and Ancient universitie

of India

The Gupta dynastyruled from around 240to 550 AD. Theorigins of the GuptaDynasty are shroudedin obscurity. TheChinese travelerHieun-Tsang providesthe first evidence of theGupta kingdom inMagadha. He came toIndia in 672 AD andheard of 'MaharajaSri-Gupta' who built a

temple for Chinesepilgrims nearMrigasikhavana.Ghatotkacha (c. 280319) AD, had a sonnamed Chandra GuptaI (Not to be confusedwith ChandraguptaMaurya (340293BC), founder of the

Mauryan Empire). In abreakthrough deal,Chandra Gupta I wasmarried to a womanfrom Lichchhavithemain power inMagadha.

Samudraguptasucceeded ChandraGupta I in 335, and ruled for about 45 years, until his death in 380. He attacke

the kingdoms of Shichchhatra, Padmavati, Malwas, the Yaudheyas, theArjunayanas, the Maduras and the Abhiras, and merged them in his kingdom.

By his death in 380, he had incorporated over twenty kingdoms into his realm, his rule extended from the Himalayas tothe river Narmada and from the Brahmaputra to the Yamuna. He gave himself the titlesKing of Kings and World

onarch. He is considered theNapoleon of India. Chandra Gupta I performedAshwamedha Yajna to underline thimportance of his conquest.

Chandra Gupta II, the Sun of Power (Vikramaditya), ruled from 380 until 413. Only marginally less successful than hfather, Chandra Gupta II expanded his realm westwards, defeating the Saka Western Kshatrapas of Malwa, Gujaratand Saurashtra in a campaign lasting until 409. Chandragupta II was succeeded by his son Kumaragupta I. Known as
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Kalidasa's Sanskrit playAbhijnakuntala is one of theLegacy of the Gupta Empire.

theMahendraditya, he ruled until 455. Towards the end of his reign a tribe in the Narmada valley, the Pushyamitras,rose in power to threaten the empire.

Skandagupta is generally considered the last of the great rulers.[28] He defeated the Pushyamitra threat, but then wasfaced with invading Hephthalites or Huna, from the northwest. He repulsed aHuna attack c. 477. Skandagupta died 487 and was succeeded by his son NarasimhaguptaBaladitya.

The Gupta Empire was one of the largest political and military empires in ancient India. The Gupta period is referred to

as the Classical age of India by most historians. The time of the Gupta Empirewas an "Indian Golden Age" in Indian science, technology, engineering, art,dialectic, literature, logic, mathematics, astronomy, religion and philosophy.[29]

The Gupta Empire had their capital at Pataliputra. The difference between GupEmpire's and Mauryan Empire's administration was that in the Mauryanadministration power was centralised but in the Gupta administration power wamore decentralised. The empire was divided into provinces and the provinceswere further divided into districts. Villages were the smallest units. The kingdomcovered Gujarat, North-East India, south-eastern Pakistan, Odisha, northernMadhya Pradesh and eastern India with capital at Patliputra, modern Patna. Alforms of worship were carried out in Sanskrit.

Rapid strides were made in astronomy during this period. Aryabhata andVarahamihira were two great astronomers and mathematicians. Aryabhatastated that the earth moved round the sun and rotated on its own axis.Aryabhata, who is believed to be the first to come up with the concept of zero,

postulated the theory that the Earth moves round the Sun, and studied solar andlunar eclipses. Aryabhata's most famous work wasAryabhatiya.Varahamihira's most important contributions are the encyclopedic Brihat-Samhita andPancha-Siddhantika (Pacasiddhntik). Metallurgy also made

rapid strides. The proof can be seen in the Iron Pillar of Vaishali[30] and nearMehrauli on the outskirts of Delhi, which was brought from Bihar.[31]

This period is also very rich in Sanskrit literature. The material sources of this age were Kalidasa's works. RaghuvamsMalavikagnimitram, Meghadta, Abhijnakuntala and Kumrasambhava, Mrichchakatika by Shudraka,Panchatantra by Vishnu Sharma, Kama Sutra (the principles of pleasure) and 13 plays by Bhasa were also written inthis period.

In medicine, the Guptas were notable for their establishment and patronage of free hospitals. Although progress inphysiology and biology was hindered by religious injunctions against contact with dead bodies, which discourageddissection and anatomy, Indian physicians excelled in pharmacopoeia, cesarean section, bone setting, and skin graftingIndeed Hindu medical advances were soon adopted in the Arab and Western worlds. Ayurveda was the main medicasystem.

According to some historian's work,

The Gupta Empire is considered by many scholars to be the "classical age" of Hindu and Buddhist artand literature. The Rulers of the Gupta Empire were strong supporters of developments in the arts,architecture, science, and literature. The Gupta Empire circulated a large number of gold coins, calleddinars, with their inscriptions. The Gupta Dynasty also left behind an effective administrative system.During times of peace, the Gupta Empire system was decentralized, with only taxation flowing to the
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Pala Empire underDharmapala

Pala Empire underDevapala

Medieval Period

capital at Pataliputra. During times of war however, the government realigned and fought its invaders.The system was soon extinguished in fighting off the Hunnic Invasions.[32][33]

The Pala Empire was a Buddhist dynasty that ruled from thenorth-eastern region of the Indian subcontinent. The namePala (Modern Bengali:pal) meansprotectorand wasused as an ending to the names of all Pala monarchs. The

Palas were followers of the Mahayana and Tantric schools ofBuddhism. Gopala was the first ruler from the dynasty. Hecame to power in 750 in Gaur by a democratic election. Thisevent is recognized as one of the first democratic elections inSouth Asia since the time of the Mah Janapadas. He reignedfrom 750-770 and consolidated his position by extending hiscontrol over all of Bengal as well as parts of Bihar. TheBuddhist dynasty lasted for four centuries (750-1120 AD).

The empire reached its peak under Dharmapala and Devapala.Dharmapala extended the empire into the northern parts of the Indian Subcontinent. This triggered once again the

power struggle for the control of the subcontinent. Devapala, successor of Dharmapala, expanded the empire to covemuch of South Asia and beyond. His empire stretched from Assam and Utkala in the east, Kamboja (modern dayAfghanistan) in the north-west and Deccan in the south. According to Pala copperplate inscription Devapalaexterminated the Utkalas, conquered the Pragjyotisha (Assam), shattered the pride of the Huna, and humbled the lordof Pratiharas, Gurjara and the Dravidas.

The Palas created many temples and works of art as well as supported the Universities of Nalanda and Vikramashila.Both Nalanda University and Vikramshila University reached their peak under the Palas. The universities received aninflux of students from many parts of the world. Bihar and Bengal were invaded by the south Indian Emperor RajendraChola I of the Chola dynasty in the 11th century.[34][35] The Pala Empire eventually disintegrated in the 12th century

under the attack of the Sena dynasty. Pala Empire was the last empire of middle kingdoms whoes capital was Patliputr(modern Patna).

Medieval Period

See also: Sher Shah Suri, Guru Gobind Singh, and Hemu

Further information: Decline of Buddhism in India, Suri dynasty, and Sikh Gurus

Bihar was largely in ruins when visited by Hsan-tsang, thefamous Buddhist monk from China, and suffered further

damage at the hands of Muslim raiders in the 12th century.[36]With the advent of the foreign aggression and eventual foreignsubjugation of India, Bihar passed through very uncertaintimes during the medieval period. Muhammad of Ghorattacked this region of the Indian subcontinent many times.Muhammad of Ghor's armies destroyed many Buddhiststructures, including the great Nalanda university.[37]
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Sher Shah Suri revivedBihar to position ofglory.

Samrat Hem ChandraVikramaditya was theEmperor of India duringthe 16th century.

A view of Takht ShriHarmandir Saheb,Patna.

The Buddhism of Magadha was finally swept away by theIslamic invasion under Muhammad Bin Bakhtiar Khilji, one ofQutb-ud-Din's generals destroyed monasteries fortified by theSena armies, during which many of the viharas and the fameduniversities of Nalanda and Vikramshila were destroyed, andthousands of Buddhist monks were massacred in 12thcentury.[38][39][40][41][42]

During the medieval period, Bihar saw period of glory forabout six years during the rule of Sher Shah Suri, who hailedfrom Sasaram. Sher Shah Suri built the longest road of theIndian subcontinent, the Grand Trunk Road, which starts fromCalcutta and ends at Peshawar, Pakistan. The economicreforms carried out by Sher Shah, like the introduction ofRupee and Custom Duties, is still used in the Republic ofIndia. He revived the city of Patna, where he built up hisheadquarter.[43][44]

Samrat Hem Chandra Vikramaditya, the Hindu Emperor, alsoknown as Hemu in the history of India. The son of a foodseller, and himself a vendor of saltpetre at Rewari,[45] he roseto become Chief of Army and Prime Minister[46][47] under thecommand of Adil Shah Suri of the Suri Dynasty. He had won22 battles against Afghans, from Punjab to Bengal and haddefeated Akbar's forces twice at Agra and Delhi in 1556,[48]

before acceeding to the throne of Delhi and establishing'Hindu Raj' in North India, albeit for a short duration, fromPurana Quila in Delhi. He was killed in the Second Battle of

Panipat.From 1557 to 1576, Akbar the Great, the Mughal emperor, annexed Bihar and Bengal to his empire and the region

passed through uneventful provincial rule during much of this period.[49] With the decline of Mughals, Bihar passedunder the control of Nawabs of Bengal. This period saw exploitation at the hands of the rulers in the form of high taxes

but the Nawabs of Bengal also allowed trade to flourish in this region. Some of the greatest melas of the Indiansubcontinent, viz., Soenpur Mela, which is the biggest cattle fair in India, were allowed to continue and even flourishinviting traders from far and near.

Guru Nanak Dev had visited Patna, stayed at Bhagat Jaitamal's house near in Gaighat, Patna in 1509 AD. [50] and lateby Guru Tegh Bahadur along with Patna his family in 1666.[51] The 10th and the last Guru of Sikhism, Guru Gobind

Singh was born at Patna Sahib, Patna in 1666.[52] Prince Azim-us-Shan, the grandson of Aurangzeb came as thegovernor of Patliputra in 1703.[53] Azim-us-Shan named Patliputra as Azimabad, in 1704.[54][55]

The Company rule

See also: Veer Kunwar Singh

After the Battle of Buxar, 1764, which was fought in Buxar, hardly 115 km from Patna, the Mughals as well as theNawabs of Bengal lost effective control over the territories then constituting the province of Bengal, which currentlycomprises the Indian states of West Bengal, Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha, and Bangladesh. The British East India
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Veer Kunwar Singh

Company was accorded the diwani rights, that is, the right to administer the collection and management of revenues ofthe province of Bengal, and parts of Oudh, currently comprising a large part of Uttar Pradesh. The diwani rights werelegally granted by Shah Alam, who was then the sovereign Mughal emperor of India. During the rule of the British Eas

India Company in Bihar, Patna emerged as one of the most important commercial andtrading centers of eastern India, preceded only by Kolkata.

Babu Kunwar Singh of Jagdishpur and his army, as well as countless other persons fromBihar, contributed to the India's First War of Independence (1857), also called the

Sepoy Mutiny by some historians. Babu Kunwar Singh (17771858) one of the leaderof the Indian uprising of 1857 belonged[56] to a royal Rajput house of Jagdispur,currently a part of Bhojpur district of Bihar. At the age of 80 years, during Indias FirstWar of Independence, he actively led a select band of armed soldiers against the troopsunder the command of the East India Company, and also recorded victories in many

battles.[57]

The British Raj

Under the British Raj, Bihar particularly Patna gradually started to attain its lost glory and emerged as an important an

strategic centre of learning and trade in India. From this point, Bihar remained a part the Bengal Presidency of theBritish Raj until 1912, when the province of Bihar and Orissa was carved out as a separate province. When the BengaPresidency was partitioned in 1912 to carve out a separate province, Patna was made the capital of the new provinceThe city limits were stretched westwards to accommodate the administrative base, and the township of Bankipore tooshape along the Bailey Road (originally spelt as Bayley Road, after the first Lt. Governor, Charles Stuart Bayley). Thisarea was called theNew Capital Area. The houses of the English residents, were all at the west-end at Bankipore.The greater part of the English residences were on the banks of the river, many of them being on the northern side of aopen square, which formed the parade ground, and racecourse (present Gandhi maidan). There was also the Gola awondrous bell-shaped building, one hundred feet high, with a winding outer staircase leading to the top, and a smallentrance door at the base, which was intended for a granary, to be filled when there was the expectation of famine, bu

the plan was found to be, both politically and materially, impracticable (http://www.bihargatha.in/the-cities-of-bihar-some-200-years-ago/patna--about-200-years-ago).

To this day, locals call the old area as the City whereas the new area is called the New Capital Area. The PatnaSecretariat with its imposing clock tower and the Patna High Court are two imposing landmarks of this era ofdevelopment. Credit for designing the massive and majestic buildings of colonial Patna goes to the architect, I. F.Munnings. By 1916-1917, most of the buildings were ready for occupation. These buildings reflect either Indo-Saracenic influence (like Patna Museum and the state Assembly), or overt Renaissance influence like the Raj Bhawanand the High Court. Some buildings, like the General Post Office (GPO) and the Old Secretariat bear pseudo-Renaissance influence. Some say, the experience gained in building the new capital area of Patna proved very useful in

building the imperial capital of New Delhi.

The British built several educational institutions in Patna like Patna College, Patna Science College, Bihar College ofEngineering, Prince of Wales Medical College and the Patna Veterinary College. With government patronage, theBiharis quickly seized the opportunity to make these centres flourish quickly and attain renown. In 1935, certain

portions of Bihar were reorganised into the separate province of Orissa. Patna continued as the capital of Biharprovince under the British Raj.

Independence movement
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Bihar played a major role in the Indian independence struggle. The role of Rash Behari Lal Mandal in establishingCongress Party in Bihar and for his contribution to Social Justice Movement is indeed considerable. The editorial of 2April 1908 Amrita Bazar Patrika, the renowned daily of India then, published from Calcutta was all praise for RashBihari Lal Mandal, the Zamindar of Murho Estate, Madhepura for having taken headlong Mr FF Lyall, the haughtyDistrict Magistrate of Bhagalpur, and Mandal's petition at Calcutta High Court for transfer of his cases from Bhagalputo Darbhanga on the ground of prejudiced attitude of Lyall had been accepted. Lyall raked the issue again by makingdefamatory comments against the Justices of Calcutta High Court on the order, and was again hauled for it. Before tha

mrita Bazar Patrika had reported the issue on 22 February 1908, according to which Mr Jackson, the lawyer of

Rashbihari Lal Mandal had argued before Justice Geidt that since 1902, when Mandal had refused to part with acertain piece of Land at heart of Madhepura (where now Rashbihari Vidyalay stands) on the orders of the Mr Shirresthe then District Magistrate, had incurred the wrath of the administration and police. Since then series of criminal caseswere brought against Mr Mandal and he had to move to High Court more than a dozen of times to save himself. It wanot a mere coincidence that the first person to be granted bail before arrest (so common these days as AnticipatoryBail), on the orders of Calcutta High Court was Late Rashbihari Lal Mandal. The Gazetteer of Bhagalpur District hasalso mentioned the extraordinary case of Rashbihari Lal Mandal. The role of Rash Behari Lal Mandal in formation ofseparate state of Bihar, in establishing Congress Party in Bihar and for raising voice for the Social Justice Movement isconsiderable. The editorial of 27 April 1908 Amrita Bazar Patrika, the renowned daily of India then, published fromCalcutta was all praise for Rash Bihari Lal Mandal, the Zamindar of Murho Estate, Madhepura for having taken

headlong Mr FF Lyall, the haughty District Magistrate of Bhagalpur, and Mandal's petition at Calcutta High Court fortransfer of his cases from Bhagalpur to Darbhanga on the ground of prejudiced attitude of Lyall had been accepted.Lyall raked the issue again by making defamatory comments against the Justices of Calcutta High Court on the order,and was again hauled for it. Before thatAmrita Bazar Patrika had reported the issue on 22 February 1908, accordinto which Mr Jackson, the Lawyer of Rashbihari Lal Mandal had argued before Justice Geidt that since 1902, whenMandal had refused to part with a certain piece of Land at heart of Madhepura (where now Rashbihari Vidyalaystands) on the orders of the Mr Shirres, the then District Magistrate, had incurred the wrath of the administration and

police. Since then series of criminal cases were brought against Mr Mandal and he had to move to High Court morethan a dozen of times to save himself. It was not a mere coincidence that the first person to be granted bail before arre(so common these days as Anticipatory Bail), on the orders of Calcutta High Court was Late Rashbihari Lal Mandal.The Gazetteer of Bhagalpur District has also mentioned the extraordinary case of Rashbihari Lal Mandal. LateRashbihari Lal Mandal had many distinctions to his credit. The editorial of 27 April 1908 Amrita Bazar Patrika, therenowned daily of India then, published from Calcutta was all praise for Rash Bihari Lal Mandal, the Zamindar ofMurho Estate, Madhepura for having taken headlong Mr FF Lyall, the haughty District Magistrate of Bhagalpur, andMandal's petition at Calcutta High Court for transfer of his cases from Bhagalpur to Darbhanga on the ground of

prejudiced attitude of Lyall had been accepted. Lyall raked the issue again by making defamatory comments against thJustices of Calcutta High Court on the order, and was again hauled for it. Before that 22 February 1908 issue ofAmrita Bazar Patrika had reported the issue, according to which Mr Jackson, the Lawyer of Rashbihari Lal Mandalhad argued before Justice Geidt that since 1902, when Mandal had refused to part with a certain piece of Land at heaof Madhepura (where now Rashbihari Vidyalay stands) on the orders of the Mr Shirres, the then District Magistrate,had incurred the wrath of the administration and police. Since then series of criminal cases were brought against Mr

Mandal and he had to move to High Court more than a dozen of times to save himself. It was not a mere coincidencethat the first person to be granted bail before arrest (so common these days as Anticipatory Bail), on the orders ofCalcutta High Court was Late Rashbihari Lal Mandal. The Gazetteer of Bhagalpur District has also mentioned theextraordinary case of Rashbihari Lal Mandal. Late Rashbihari Lal Mandal had many distinctions to his credit.

Most notable are the Champaran movement against the Indigo plantation and the Quit India Movement of 1942.

After his return from South Africa, it was from Bihar that Mahatma Gandhi launched his pioneering civil-disobediencemovement, Champaran Satyagraha.[58] Raj Kumar Shukla drew the attention of Mahatma Gandhi to the exploitation the peasants by European indigo planters. Champaran Satyagraha received the spontaneous support from manyBiharis, including Brajkishore Prasad, Rajendra Prasad (who became the first President of India) and Anugrah Naray
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was instrumental in spreading the movement. The peasant movement later spread to other parts of the country andhelped in digging out the British roots in the Indian society by overthrowing the zamindari system. Bihar's contribution ithe freedom struggle has been immense with outstanding leaders like Swami Sahajanand Saraswati,[62] ShaheedBaikuntha Shukla,Bihar Bibhuti Anugrah Narayan Sinha, Mulana Mazharul Haque,LoknayakJayaprakash NarayaSatyendra Narayan Sinha (Singh), Basawon Singh (Sinha), Yogendra Shukla, Sheel Bhadra Yajee, Pandit YamunaKarjee, Dr. Maghfoor Ahmad Ajazi and many others who worked for India's freedom relentlessly and helped in theupliftment of the underprivileged masses. Khudiram Bose, Upendra Narayan Jha "Azad" and Prafulla Chaki were alsoactive in revolutionary movement in Bihar. More than hundred of cases were registered in different jails of Bihar like

Madhepura, Darbhanga, Saharsa etc. against the great son soil Late Shri Upendra Narayan Jha "Azad".

Towards the end of 1946, between 30 October and 7 November, a large-scale massacre of Muslims in Bihar broughPartition closer to inevitability. Begun as a reprisal for the Noakhali riot, whose death toll had been greatly overstated iimmediate reports, it was difficult for authorities to deal with because it was spread out over a large area of scatteredvillages, and the number of casualties was impossible to establish accurately: "According to a subsequent statement inthe British Parliament, the death-toll amounted to 5,000. The Statesman's estimate was between 7,500 and 10,000;the Congress party admitted to 2,000; Mr. Jinnah claimed about 30,000."[63]

The first Cabinet of Bihar was formed on 2 April 1946, consisting of two members, Dr. Sri Krishna Sinha as the first

Chief Minister of Bihar and Dr. Anugrah Narayan Sinha as Deputy Chief Minister cum Finance Minister of Bihar (alsoin charge of Labour, Health, Agriculture and Irrigation).[64][65][66] Other ministers were inducted later. The Cabinetserved as the first Bihar Government after independence in 1947. In 1950, Dr. Rajendra Prasad from Bihar becamethe first President of India.

Modern

See also: 2008 attacks on North Indians in Maharashtra

The 1974 smallpox epidemic of India occurred primarily in Bihar and a few other Indian states, killing thousands of

people. The state of Jharkhand was carved out of Bihar in the year 2000.[67]

2005 Bihar assembly elections ended th15 years of continuous RJD rule in the state, giving way to NDA led by Nitish Kumar. Bihari migrant workers havefaced violence and prejudice in many parts of India, like Maharashtra, Punjab and Assam.[68][69][70] To mark theseparation of Bihar from Bengal on 22 March 1912, the completion of 100 years of existence is being celebrated in thname of Bihar Shatabadi Celebration Utsav.[71]

Timeline for Bihar

560480 BCE: Anga, Buddha490 BCE: Establishment of Patliputra (Modern Patna)

Before 325 BCE: Anga, Nanda clan in Magadha, Licchavis in VaishaliBefore 500 BCE: Foundation of world's first republic in Vaishali.450362 BCE: Emperor Mahapadma Nanda is ruler of the Magadh Empire, Nanda Dynasty; Start of theGolden Age of Bihar304 BCE: Ashok Maurya born in Patliputra325185 BCE: Magadh Empire under the Maurya Dynasty340 BCE: General Chandragupta Maurya crowned Emperor of Magadh; Chandragupta is the first Mauryanemperor273 BCE: Ashok Maurya crowned new Emperor of Magadh, Bihari-Magadhi Buddhism is exported to PersianEmpire, Greece, China and East Asia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mauryahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nanda_Dynastyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahapadma_Nandahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vaishali_(ancient_city)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Republichttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Licchavi_(clan)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magadhahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhahoodhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assamhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Punjab_(India)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maharashtrahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nitish_Kumarhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Democratic_Alliance_(India)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RJDhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jharkhandhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1974_smallpox_epidemic_of_Indiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2008_attacks_on_North_Indians_in_Maharashtrahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/President_of_Indiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biharhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rajendra_Prasadhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biharhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deputy_Chief_Minister_of_Biharhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anugrah_Narayan_Sinhahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Chief_Ministers_of_Biharhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sri_Krishna_Sinhahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biharhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cabinet_(government)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jinnahhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_National_Congresshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Statesmanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parliament_of_the_United_Kingdomhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noakhali_riothttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Partition_of_Indiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prafulla_Chakihttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Upendra_Narayan_Jha_%22Azad%22&action=edit&redlink=1http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Khudiram_Bosehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dr._Maghfoor_Ahmad_Ajazihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pandit_Yamuna_Karjeehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sheel_Bhadra_Yajeehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yogendra_Shuklahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basawon_Singh_(Sinha)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Satyendra_Narayan_Sinhahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jayaprakash_Narayanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mulana_Mazharul_Haquehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anugrah_Narayan_Sinhahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baikuntha_Shuklahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swami_Sahajanand_Saraswatihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zamindari


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273232: Conquest of 'Indian' region by Ashok the Great (Modern Afghanistan, Pakistan, southern India, andGujarat) falls under Magadh territories and taxation system.232 BCE: Death of Emperor Ashok Maurya250 BCE: 3rd Buddhist Council185 BCE80 CE: The Magadh Empire falls under the Sunga Dynasty after the military coup by GeneralPusyamitra Shunga.7126 BCE: Magadh Empire falls under the Kanva Dynasty240600 CE: Magadh Empire falls under the Gupta Dynasty. First ruler is Chandra Gupta375415: Emperor Chandragupta II500: Attack by Huns weakens the Imperial center in Patliputra. Provinces break away. End of the Bihari GoldeAge600650: Harsha Vardhana empire expands into Magadh from the Haryana region7501200: The Bengali Pala Dynasty Expands into Magadh1200: Bakhtiyar Khilji's army destroys the Buddhist universities at Nalanda and Vikramshila in Bihar. Start of thMuslim Era.12001400: Sharp decline of Buddhism in Bihar and northern India in general12501526: Magadh becomes a core part of the Delhi Sultanate e Hind (Hindustan).

15261540: Mughal Emperor, Babur, defeats the last Sultan of Delhi, Lodi, and establishes the Mughal Dynasin Delhi and Agra15401555: New empire from Bihar (Magadh), with Shenshah SherShah Suri (from Sasaram, modern southBihar). SherShah captures empire from Mughals. (SherShah built the Grand Trunk Road, introduced the Rupeeand Custom Duties)1556: Hindu King Hem Chandra Vikramaditya popular as Hemu wins Agra and Delhi independently as aVikramaditya King and declares Hindu rule in North India1556: Mughal dynasty restored in Agra after the Battle of Panipat, centre of power moves back to Delhi-Agraregion15561764: Bihar is a wealthy, core territory/ province of the Mughal Sultanate-e-Hind (Hindustan)

1666: Guru Gobind Singh The 10th and last Sikh Guru, is born in Patna17571857: The British East India Company expands it rule into Bihar from Bengal1764: Battle of Buxar, Core lands of Mughal Hindustan are put firmly under British Company government. Taxcollection rights are now a duty of the Company.17641920: Migration of Bihari & United Provinces (Eastern Uttar Pradesh) workers across the British Empir

by the Company and later Crown Government. Bihari migrant population dominate and settle in Guyana,Surinam, Trinidad-Tobago, Fiji, Mauritius, and Natal-South Africa. Smaller settler colonies also established inJamaica and West Indies in general.1857: Period of the north Indian Rebellion of 1857 Bihari, Purvanchli, & Western UP East India CompanySepoys (80% Hindu according to William Daryample in the book "The Last Mughal") declare Bahadur Shah

Zafar II Emperor of Hindustan. The region becomes the centre of resistance to the East India Company. End othe Muslim Era.1858: Mughal Sultanate-e-Hind reorganised to form the new British Indian Empire after the British Governmenabolishes the East India Company. Start of the British Age1877: House of Windsor is made the new Imperial Royal Family. Queen Victoria declared the first Emperess othe British Indian Empire1912: Province of Bihar and Orissa separated from Bengal1913: Start of the dramatic slowdown in wealth creation in India and Bihar1916: Patna High Court founded

1917: Mahatama Gandhi arrives in Champaran with a team of[72] eminent lawyers:[73] Brajkishore Prasad,
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brajkishore_Prasadhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahatama_Gandhihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bengalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bihar_and_Orissahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Queen_Victoriahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/House_of_Windsorhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honourable_East_India_Companyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Indian_Empirehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mughal_Empirehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_Rebellion_of_1857http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colony_of_Natalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mauritiushttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fijihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tobagohttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trinidadhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Surinamhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guyanahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Buxarhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_East_India_Companyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guru_Gobind_Singhhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mughal_Empirehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vikramadityahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hemuhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hem_Chandra_Vikramadityahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mughal_Empirehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baburhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delhi_Sultanatehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhismhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vikramshilahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nalandahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ikhtiyar_Uddin_Muhammad_Bin_Bakhtiyar_Khaljihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dynastyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pala_Dynastyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harshahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gupta_Dynastyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kanvahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunga


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Rajendra Prasad, Anugrah Narayan Sinha and others.[72] The Champaran Satyagraha movement is launched.Establishment of Patna University.1925: Patna Medical College Hospital established under the name "Prince of Wales Medical Collage"1935: 1935 Government of India Act federates the Indian Empire and creates a new Bihar. End of the BritishAge.1936: Sir James David Sifton appointed the first Governor of Bihar.

1937: Formation of[74] first Congress government in Bihar under provincial autonomy granted by British rule, D

Sri Krishna Sinha sworn[75]

in as Chief Minister and Dr. Anugrah Narayan Sinha became[76]

Deputy ChiefMinister cum Finance Minister.1942: Quit India Movement.

1946: First Cabinet of Bihar formed, consisting[64] of two members: Dr. Sri Krishna Sinha as first Chief Ministe

of Bihar and Dr. Anugrah Narayan Sinha[65] as Bihar's first Deputy Chief Minister cum Finance[77] Minister(alsin charge of Labour, Health, Agriculture and Irrigation).Other ministers were inducted later.1947: Indian Independence; Bihar becomes a state in the new Dominion of India. Religious violence leads to thmigration of millions of Bihari Muslims to the new Pakistani states of Sindh and East Pakistan (East Pakistanknown as Bangladesh since 1971).19471950: The Dominion of India is replaced by a republic in 1950. Central Government adopts symbols of

ancient Imperial Bihar (Ashok Chakra added to the Indian flag, the Lion Pillor is made the symbol of the centragovernment of India, all state governments, reserve bank, and the military, whilst the Bihari Rupee is retained asthe currency)1950: Enactment of Land Reforms bill in Bihar, and abolishment of Zamindari system.1952:Many development projects needed for the all round development of the state initiated, be it on irrigation

front or on industrial front by the state government.[78] It included several river valley projects right from Koshi,

Aghaur and Sakri to several other such river projects.[79]

1952-57:Bihar rated as the best administered among the states in the country. [80]

1955 The Birla Institute of Technology(BIT) is established[81] at Mesra, Ranchi.

1957-62:Second five year plan period, Bihar government brought several heavy industries like Barauni OilRefinery, HEC plant at Hatia, Bokaro Steel Plant, Barauni Fertiliser Plant, Barauni Thermal Power Plant,Maithon Hydel Power Station, Sulphur mines at Amjhaur, Sindri Fertiliser Plant, Kargali Coal Washery, Barau

Dairy Project, etc. for the all round development of the state.[82]

19631967: Sri Krishna Ballabh Sahay became Chief Minister of Bihar by defeating his contestant MaheshPrasad Sinha with support of Satyendra Narain Sinha. In his term of government, the state underwent furthermassive industrialization.

1973: Indian wealth creation beings to recover; surge in all India GDP starts again.19751977: Suspension of the Republican Constitution. Bihar is the centre of resistance against the EmergencyJanata Party Came to power at Centre and in Bihar; Karpoori Thakur became CM after winning chief minister-

ship battle from the[83] then Janata Party President Satyendra Narayan Sinha.1984: Indira Gandhi Assassination leads to deadly anti-Sikh Riots in northern India, including Bihar

1988-1990: Unceremonious removal of Bihar CM Bhagwat Jha Azad, Veteran[84] Leader Satyendra NarayanSingh sworn in as Chief Minister of Bihar, Lalu Prasad Yadav became Leader Of Opposition.19902005: Lalu Prasad/ Rabri Devi term of Government (RJD Party). Period marks the complete collapse ofthe Bihar economy, massive rise in crime, and the development of mass migration to other states in Indian Unionof all classes/ castes and religions.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lalu_Prasad_Yadavhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Chief_Ministers_of_Biharhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indira_Gandhihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Janata_Partyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biharhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Janata_Partyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/K._B._Sahayhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Land_Reformshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bangladeshhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/East_Pakistanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sindhhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dominion_of_Indiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_Independencehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deputy_Chief_Minister_of_Biharhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anugrah_Narayan_Sinhahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Chief_Ministers_of_Biharhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sri_Krishna_Sinhahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anugrah_Narayan_Sinhahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sri_Krishna_Sinhahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patna_Medical_College_Hospitalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patna_Universityhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anugrah_Narayan_Sinhahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rajendra_Prasad


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1992: Bihar ecsapes sever rioting after the destruction of Babri Masjid.2000: Bihar divided into two states by NDA central government - The northern part retains the name "Bihar",whilst southern (and more industralised region) becomes the State of Jharkhand.20022004: Deadly crime wave grips Patna and Bihar2003: First Bihari-Bhojpuri Immigrant Worker Crisis; Bihari migrants attacked in Mumbai, and hundreds killedand tens of thousands flee Assam2005: In Feb, Lalu Prasad/ Rabri Devi lose power after 15 years, Presidents rule declared after no party winsoverall majority in lower house2005: In November, Janta Dal (United) with the BJP wins the state election with a working majority. NitishKumar becomes the first NDA Chief Minister of Bihar.20052007: Nitish Kumar is declared the best Chief Minister in India by the India Today magazine2007: First Global Meet for a "Resurgent Bihar" (http://www.bihartimes.com/globalmeet/index.html) wasorganised in Patna.President APJ Abdul Kalam inaugurated the meet.Bhojpuri cinema hall complex bombed inPunjab. 6 UP and Bihari migrant workers killed.2008: Second Bihari-Bhojpuri Immigrant Worker Crisis: Migrants killed in racially motivated hate attacks inMaharashtra, Assam, Manipur, and Nagaland. Hundreads of thousands flee back to Bihar and UP's Purvanchaterritory. Bihar economy makes remarkable recovery in Q1 2008, resulting in labour shortages in Punjab,

Maharashtra.[85]

See also

History of IndiaHistory of BengalHistory of Tamil NaduPolitical history of medieval Karnataka

Gallery

Patliputra as a capital ofthe Magadha

Empire[[{{subst:DATE}}|{{subst:DATE}}]] .

Patliputra as a capital ofNanda Empire.

The Nanda Empire at itsgreatest extent underDhana Nanda (c. 323

BCE).

Patliputra as a capital ofMaurya Empire.

The Maurya Empire atits largest extent under

Ashoka the Great.

Patliputra as a capital ofSunga Empire.

Approximate greatestextent of the Sunga

Empire (c. 185 BCE).
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Political_history_of_medieval_Karnatakahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Tamil_Naduhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Bengalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Indiahttp://www.bihartimes.com/globalmeet/index.htmlhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jharkhandhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunga_Empirehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunga_Empirehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patliputrahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ashoka_the_Greathttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maurya_Empirehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maurya_Empirehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patliputrahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahapadma_Nandahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nanda_Empirehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nanda_Empirehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patliputrahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shishunaga_dynastyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patliputra


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Patliputra as a capital ofGupta Empire.

Approximate greatestextent of the Gupta

Empire.

Patliputra as a capital ofPala Empire under

Dharmapala.

Patliputra as a capital ofPala Empire.

Approximate greatestextent of the Pala

Empire under Devapala.

Patliputra as a capital ofSher Shah's Empire.

Further reading

Swami Sahajanand Saraswati Rachnawali (Selected works of Swami Sahajanand Saraswati) in Six volumespublished by Prakashan Sansthan, Delhi, 2003.Swami Sahajanand and the Peasants of Jharkhand: A View from 1941 translated and edited by WalterHauser along with the unedited Hindi original (Manohar Publishers, paperback, 2005).Sahajanand on Agricultural Labour and the Rural Poortranslated and edited by Walter Hauser (ManoharPublishers, paperback, 2005).Religion, Politics, and the Peasants: A Memoir of India's Freedom Movementtranslated and edited byWalter Hauser (Manohar Publishers, hardbound, 2003).Pandit Yadunandan (Jadunandan) Sharma, 1947, Bakasht Mahamari Aur Uska Achook Ilaaz (BakashtEpidemic and its Infalliable Remedy) in Hindi, Allahabad.

Indradeep Sinha, 1969, Sathi ke Kisanon ka Aitihasic Sangharsha (Historic Struggle of Sathi Peasants), in HindPatna.Das Arvind N., The republic of Bihar, Penguin Books, 1992,George A. Grierson (1885).Bihar Peasant Life(http://archive.org/stream/cu31924072688025#page/n7/mode/2up). Bengal Secretariat Press, Calcutta.Mishra Shree Govind,History Of Bihar 1740-1772 (http://books.google.com/books?id=-tO1AAAAIAAJ&q=History+Of+Bihar+1740-1772&dq=History+Of+Bihar+1740-1772&pgis=1),Munshiram Manoharlal, 1970Verma B S, Socio-religious Economic And Literary Condition Of Bihar (From ca. 319 A.D. to 1000 A.D(http://books.google.com/books?id=0ZVtGQAACAAJ&dq=Socio-religious+Economic+And+Literary+Condition+Of+Bihar), Munshiram Manoharlal, 1962

Naipaul V S,India: A Wounded Civilization, Picador, 1977Trevithick Alan, The Revival Of Buddhist Pilgrimage At Bodh Gaya (18111949): Anagarika DharmapaAnd The Mahabodhi Temple

Omalley L S S,History Of Magadh, Veena Publication, 2005, ISBN 81-89224-01-8Ahmad Qeyamuddin,Patna Through The Ages: Glimpses of History, Society & Economy(http://books.google.com/books?id=W_J-HgAACAAJ&dq=Patna+Through+The+Ages), CommonwealthPublishers,1988Crindle John W Mc,Ancient India As Described By Ptolemy (http://books.google.com/books?
http://books.google.com/books?id=A3UIAAAAQAAJ&q=Ancient+India+As+Described+By+Ptolemy&dq=Ancient+India+As+Described+By+Ptolemy&pgis=1http://books.google.com/books?id=A3UIAAAAQAAJ&q=Ancient+India+As+Described+By+Ptolemy&dq=Ancient+India+As+Described+By+Ptolemy&pgis=1

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