Bihar was part of the ancient kingdom of Magadha, and contains many sites associated with the Buddha's early life, including Bodh Gaya, the site of his enlightenment. Muslims occupied it in 1193 and the Delhi sultans in 1497. In 1765 the British took over Bihar and merged it with Bengal. The province of Bihar and Orissa was formed in 1912; Bihar became a separate province in 1936. About 3,150 sq mi (8,160 sq km) situated along Bihar's eastern boundary were transferred to West Bengal state in 1956. The southern half of Bihar became the state of Jharkhand in 2000. Violence, intimidation, and fraud have often accompanied elections in the state, and direct federal rule was imposed during the election period in 1995.
Bihar Sharifbēhär' shärēf' or Bihar, city (1991 pop. 201,323), on a tributary of the Ganges River, was the former capital of Magadha. It has many Muslim sites of pilgrimage.
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- Muzaffarpur
Muzaffarpur, city (1991 pop. 241,107), Bihar state, NE India, on the Burhi Gandak River. It is the district administrative center for a litchi- and mango-producing area and is the site of Biha...
- Buxar
Buxar or Baksr, town (1991 pop. 55,660), Bihar state, E central India. A British victory at Buxar in 1764 assured British control of the Bengal area. In Hindu mythology, it is connected to the...
- Chapra
Chapra, city (1991 pop. 136,877), Bihar state, NE India, on the Ghaghara River near its junction with the Ganges. It is a rail and road junction and an agricultural trade center. In the 18th c...
- Cooch Behar
Cooch Behar, former princely state, now part of West Bengal state, E India. It lies in a low, poorly drained plain. Rice, tobacco, corn, oilseeds, and jute are grown. Big-game hunting is pract...
- Bhagalpur
Bhagalpur, city (1991 pop. 260,119), Bihar state, NE India, on the Ganges River. It is a district administrative center and an agricultural market, with road and rail connections. The city is ...
- Nalanda
Nalanda, Buddhist monastic center in what is now Baragaon, Bihar state, E central India. Often referred to as a university, Nalanda was, from the 4th to the 12 cent. A.D., the most renowned ce...
- Ara
Ara or Arrah, city (1991 pop. 157,082), Bihar state, NE India, on the Son Canal. A major road and rail junction, it is the administrative center for a district that produces grain, sugarcane, ...
- Bodh Gaya
Bodh Gaya or Buddh Gaya, village (1991 pop. 21,692), Bihar state, E central India. According to tradition, Buddha received enlightenment in Bodh Gaya. The city has extensive relics of Buddhist...
- Darbhanga
Darbhanga, city (1991 pop. 218,391), Bihar state, NE India, E of the Baghmati River. It is a district administrative center and is located in a sugarcane- and tobaco-growing area on a fertile ...
- Gaya
Gaya, city (1991 pop. 294,427), Bihar state, E central India. The region is sacred to Buddhist and Hindu pilgrims, who visit the temple of Vishnupad [Sanskrit,=Vishnu's footstep]. Bodh Gaya, t...
