Bihar Sharif is the headquarters of Nalanda district and the fifth-largest sub-metropolitan area in the eastern Indian state of Bihar. Its name is a combination of two words: ''Bihar'', derived from '' vihara'' (meaning monastery), also the name of the state; and '' Sharif'' (meaning ''noble''). The city is a hub of education and trade in southern Bihar, and the economy centers around agriculture supplemented by tourism, the education sector and household manufacturing. The ruins of the ancient

Nalanda Nalanda (, ) was a renowned ''mahavihara'' (Buddhist monastic university) in ancient Magadha (modern-day Bihar), India.UNESCO World Heritage Site, are located near the city. Under the Pala Empire,

Odantapuri Odantapuri (also called Odantapura or Uddandapura) was a prominent Buddhist Mahavihara in what is now Bihar Sharif in Bihar, India. It is believed to have been established by the Pala ruler Gopala I in the 8th century. It is considered the second ...

, a major Buddhist monastic university was built at the site of Bihar Sharif. In the early 14th century, the city was captured by the Delhi Sultanate. Bihar Sharif was later ruled by other Muslim dynasties and then by the British until Indian independence in 1947. The city has important Buddhist, Hindu and Muslim heritage sites and landmarks. Bihar Sharif is one of the one hundred Indian cities selected to gain funds under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's flagship Smart Cities Mission. Bihar Sharif was selected in the preliminary list of 100 cities in July 2015 that were to compete for the Smart Cities project. According to Ease of Living Index 2020, Bihar Sharif has been ranked as the most livable among cities in Bihar which have population under 1 million. It was ranked 1st in Bihar and 28th among cities with a population under 1 million in India with an overall ranking of 63rd among 111 Indian cities.

Etymology

The city's name is a combination of two words: ''Bihar'', derived from vihara (meaning monastery), also the name of the state; and ''Sharif'' (meaning noble), referring to the resting place of the Sufi Saint Sheikh Makhdoom Sharfuddin Ahmed Yahya Maneri.

History

Pre-Islamic period and Odantapuri University

A pillar dating to the 5th century from the time of the Gupta Empire was found near the fort of Bihar Sharif. It is 14 ft tall and has two inscriptions inscribed upon it by two Gupta rulers, first of Kumaragupta (413-455 CE) and second of Skandagupta (456-480 CE). The name Bihar is derived from ''vihar'' or '' vihara'', meaning Buddhist monastery, a reference to the ancient Odantapuri University established near the city in the 7th century CE by Pala king Gopala I. The settlement does, however, predate the Buddha. It became the capital of the Magadha kingdom in the Pala Empire. Odantapuri is considered to have been the second-oldest of India's Mahaviharas, and it is believed to have been located on or at the foot of Bari Pahari ( en, Big Hill), or in the present-day ''Gadh Par'' locality of Bihar Sharif. According to Tibetan records it housed about 12,000 students and was an important centre of Buddhist learning. Acharya Sri Ganga of Vikramashila was a student there. The Big Hill or Badi Pahadi was known as Pashravati at the time. Odantapuri was part of a network of five Mahaviharas in eastern India. The others were

Nalanda Nalanda (, ) was a renowned ''mahavihara'' (Buddhist monastic university) in ancient Magadha (modern-day Bihar), India.Vikramashila, Somapura, and Jagaddala. During the Pala period, the state funding to Vikramshila and Odantapuri far exceeded what was granted to Nalanda. As a result, while Nalanda was struggling for survival around 11th century CE, Odantapuri had a rival institution thriving under the royal patronage of Palas.

Delhi Sultanate era

In 1193, during the time of Ikhtiyar ad-Din Muhammad bin Bakhtiyar Khilji's conquest of Bihar, he came to conquer eastern parts of India and destroyed

Nalanda Nalanda (, ) was a renowned ''mahavihara'' (Buddhist monastic university) in ancient Magadha (modern-day Bihar), India.Bakhtiyarpur. He then came to Vihar, where he completely destroyed

University, and the Buddhist viharas before leaving for Nalanda. A few years after Khilji's departure, local Bundela Rajput regained control of the city from its

Muslim Muslims ( ar, المسلمون, , ) are people who adhere to Islam, a monotheistic religion belonging to the Abrahamic tradition. They consider the Quran, the foundational religious text of Islam, to be the verbatim word of the God of Abrah ...

rulers. Bundela Rajputs then ruled the area until the reign of Raja Biththal. The end of Buddhist Monks, A

The district of Nalanda formed a part of the territory under Muslim rulers of Bengal till 1320 AD when

Ghiyasuddin Tughlaq Ghiyath al-Din Tughluq, Ghiyas-ud-din Tughlaq ) (Ghazi means 'fighter for Islam')ref name="sen2"> (died c.1325) was the Sultan of Delhi from 1320 to 1325. He was the first sultan of the Tughluq dynasty. During his reign, Ghiyath al-Din Tughl ...

separated Bihar from Bengal. Delhi Sultan Muhammad bin Tughluq (1324–1351 CE) then sent Syed Ibrahim Mallick with an army to conquer the Magadha region. After a fierce battle, the outnumbered Raja army was defeated and Raja Biththal was killed. The conquest of Bihar was a major achievement for Delhi, and on this occasion the Sultan conferred upon Syed Ibrahim Mallick the title of "Madarul Mulk", after which he was called "Mallick Baya". He was then appointed governor of Bihar by the Sultan, and he ruled over the region until his assassination in 1353 CE. Its control passed into the hands of the Sherqui Dynasty of Jaunpur from 1394 to 1486 CE. After that it was amalgamated with the Muslim kingdom of Gauda.

Later history

After the Delhi Sultanate, the first

Sur Sur or SUR or El Sur (Spanish "the South") may refer to: Geography * Sur or Shur (Bible), the wilderness of Sur/Shur from the Book of Exodus * Sur (river), a river of Bavaria, Germany * Súr, a village in Hungary * Sur, a district of the city of ...

emperor, Sher Shah Suri (r. 1540–1545 CE), moved the regional capital to Patliputra (modern-day Patna), and the whole Magadha region came to be called Bihar. Before that the residence of the Muslim governors of Bihar remained at Bihar Sharif until 1541 CE. Patna became a central place and Bihar Sharif lost its importance. However, Bihar Sharif continued to be enriched with buildings by the Muslims, and its sacred tombs have been visited by pilgrims for many centuries till modern day. In 1867, the city was officially declared a municipality.

Geography

Bihar Sharif is located from Patna, the capital of Bihar state (via 30 and 20). It is situated at the foot of Bari Pahari (Hiranya Parbat) and on the bank of the Panchanan (Panchane) River. The land around Bihar Sharif is very fertile, with alluvial soil deposited by several rivers. These local rivers include the Mahane, the Panchane – which divides west of Pawapuri into the Goithwa, Soyaba and smaller rivers – the Zerain, and others. To the west is the Paimar River, a tributary of the Ganges.

Economy

Agricultural trade and Education are the two main economic activities of Bihar Sharif, with crops including cauliflower, potato, mustard seed and other vegetables, which are exported to neighbouring states. The region is well known for extensive production of vegetables. Scenic view of fields Biharsharif

Tourism to nearby sites like

Nalanda Nalanda (, ) was a renowned ''mahavihara'' (Buddhist monastic university) in ancient Magadha (modern-day Bihar), India.Rajgir and Pawapuri also boosts the city's economy, as do footwear and garments manufactured by household industries. The locality of Sohsarai in the city hosts an extensive textile market, which is known as "Mini Surat". the city had a major beedi cigarette industry which employed 15,000 people, mainly Muslims and some lower-caste Hindus. In recent years the city has changed from a trade-based economy to an education hub. Bihar Sharif is one of four cities selected in Bihar state among the 100 Indian cities to developed as smart cities under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's flagship Smart Cities Mission. It figured in amongst the ambitious 100 smart cities list to receive funding in the fifth round of the smart cities project in January 2018.

Demographics

India census, Bihar Sharif had a population of 297,268, up from 231,972 in 2001 and around 130,000 in 1981. The sex ratio was 916 females per 1000 males, with a slightly higher ratio of 927 females per 1,000 males among children. The overall literacy rate was 75.30%, with male literacy at 80.80% and female literacy at 69.28%.

Religion

According to the 2011 census, 65.86% of the city's population identifies as

Hindu Hindus (; ) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism.Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pages 35–37 Historically, the term has also been used as a geographical, cultural, and later religious identifier for ...

, 33.59% identifies as

, 0.34% did not answer the census question, 0.17% identifies as

Christian Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words ''Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρι ...

, and fewer than fifty identified with each of the other religious groups on the survey. A 1981 report lists a 48% proportion of Muslims and notes this as unusual for the area. In 2012, plans were announced for the construction of a local Bahá'í House of Worship in Bihar Sharif. This would be only the second House of Worship for India's nearly two million Bahá'ís (the first being the well-known Lotus Temple in Delhi), and one of the first two local Bahá'í Houses of Worship in Asia (the other being in Battambang, Cambodia). The final model of the house of worship was unveiled in April 2020 and its foundation has been laid on 21 February 2021 and is expected to get completed by 2023.

Administration

*The Town Police Station (Bihar Thana) is the first child-friendly police station in the state of Bihar.

Transport

Roadways

The city is connected by road to major cities like Patna, Rajgir,

Nalanda Nalanda (, ) was a renowned ''mahavihara'' (Buddhist monastic university) in ancient Magadha (modern-day Bihar), India.Nawada Nawada is a city and a municipality in Bihar, India. It is also the headquarters of the Nawada district. It is the headquarters of the subdivision of the same name, lying on both sides of the Khuri River( also known as Sakri river in some ...

, Harnaut,

Jamshedpur Jamshedpur (, ) or Tatanagar is the largest and most populous city in Jharkhand and the first planned industrial city in India. It is a Notified Area Council and Municipal Corporation and also the headquarter of the East Singhbhum district. It ...

Ranchi Ranchi (, ) is the capital of the Indian state of Jharkhand. Ranchi was the centre of the Jharkhand movement, which called for a separate state for the tribal regions of South Bihar, northern Odisha, western West Bengal and the eastern area ...

, Dhanbad, Bokaro, Koderma, Kolkata,

Gaya Gaya may refer to: Geography Czech Republic *Gaya (German and Latin), Kyjov (Hodonín District), a town Guinea * Gaya or Gayah, a town India *Gaya, India, a city in Bihar **Gaya Airport *Bodh Gaya, a town in Bihar near Gaya *Gaya district, Bi ...

, Hazaribag, Barhi, Jehanabad, Bakhtiyarpur, Barh, Mokama, Munger, Purnea and

Ramgarh Ramgarh may refer to: Bangladesh * Ramgarh Upazila, a sub-district of Khagrachari District India * Ramgarh, Bihar, a village near Munger, Bihar * Ramgarh, Kaimur, a town in Kaimur district, Bihar * Ramgarh, Uttarakhand, a hill station in Nainit ...

. Being the district headquarters, it is a major transport hub and has regular bus service to all other major destinations in the region. NH 33 and

NH 20 National Highway 154 (NH 154) is a National Highway in India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most pop ...

, a part of

Asian Highway Network The Asian Highway Network (AH), also known as the Great Asian Highway, is a cooperative project among countries in Asia and the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) to improve their connectivity via hig ...

and AH42 passes through the city. NH 33 and NH 20 intersects each other in the city. NH 20 connects to Patna via Bakhtiyarpur and to Nawada, Barhi, Koderma, Hazaribagh and

. NH 33 connects the city to Mokama, Barbigha, Asthawan, Jahanabad and

Arwal Arwal town is the administrative headquarters of Arwal district in Bihar state of India. It was earlier part of Jehanabad district. The district as formed to control the naxalism in the area. District was formed from the area of two near by ...

. NH 120 starts here and runs to Dumraon via

Nalanda Nalanda (, ) was a renowned ''mahavihara'' (Buddhist monastic university) in ancient Magadha (modern-day Bihar), India.Rajgir and

. SH 78 connects it with Chandi, Daniyawan and Hilsa.

Public transport

Bihar Sharif is a part of the Intercity bus service of Bihar State Road Transport Corporation and Patna City bus service. So, state-owned Intercity bus services to the State capital Patna is available at very short intervals. BSRTC also provides City Bus services from Bihar Sharif to Rajgir,

Nawada Nawada is a city and a municipality in Bihar, India. It is also the headquarters of the Nawada district. It is the headquarters of the subdivision of the same name, lying on both sides of the Khuri River( also known as Sakri river in some ...

, Barh and

Jamui Jamui is a town and a municipality in Jamui district in the Indian state of Bihar. It is the district headquarter of Jamui district. Jamui was formed as a district on 21 February 1991 as a result of its separation from Munger. It is part ...

. Bihar Sharif also comes under the first Intercity Electric bus service in Bihar as a part of Patna - Rajgir route started in March 2021.

Railways

Bihar Sharif Junction is on the Bakhtiyarpur-Tilaiya line, part of the national

broad gauge A broad-gauge railway is a railway with a track gauge (the distance between the rails) broader than the used by standard-gauge railways. Broad gauge of , commonly known as Russian gauge, is the dominant track gauge in former Soviet Union (CIS ...

network. The city is served by the

Shramjeevi Express The 12391/12392 Shramjeevi Superfast Express is a daily superfast express train of Indian Railways, running between Rajgir, near Nalanda, Bihar, and New Delhi, the capital city of India. Previously it was running between Patna and New Delhi, l ...

, a direct daily train to New Delhi. There are also numerous passenger and express connections to the state capital, Patna, and to the hub at Rajgir which connects to many destinations in the country. Recently, the Fatuha–Islampur branch line has been connected to this route by linking Daniyawan to Bihar Sharif. The extension of passenger services to link Bihar Sharif with Hilsa, Sheikhpura and

began in 2013.

Airways

* The nearest airport is Patna Airport, about 86 km away, with carriers operating flights to major Indian cities. *

Gaya International Airport Gaya Airport is an international airport serving Gaya, Bihar, India. This airport is 12 kilometres south-west of Gaya and 5 kilometres away from the temple city of Bodh Gaya, from where Gautama Buddha attained enlightenment. Overview Ga ...

is about 95 km away.

Education

A number of colleges, schools and educational institutions are located in the city. Notable institutions include:

Universities

* K. K. University was opened in Bihar Sharif in 2017.

Colleges

* Nalanda College, second oldest college of Bihar. * Sardar Patel Memorial College * Nalanda Mahila College * Soghra College * Kisan College, Nalanda

Schools

* Soghra High School, Oldest School of Bihar Sharif and was founded in 1917 by

Bibi Soghra Bibi is a given name, nickname and surname. Notable people with this name As a nickname or stage name * Bibi Andersson (1935-2019), Swedish actress * Bibi (artist) (born 1964), French visual artist Fabrice Cahoreau * Bibi Baskin (born 1952 ...

. * DAV Public School, Powergrid Campus, Nalanda

Media and entertainment

Hindi dailies such as '' Dainik Jagran'', '' Hindustan'', '' Dainik Bhaskar'', ''

Prabhat Khabar Prabhat Khabar is a Hindi language newspaper published daily in Jharkhand, Bihar and West Bengal. The newspaper is circulated in several states in India, including Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal and some parts of Orissa. It was founded in August 1 ...

'', '' Aj'' and other local dailies are available as well as English-language newspapers including '' Times of India'', ''

The Hindu ''The Hindu'' is an Indian English-language daily newspaper owned by The Hindu Group, headquartered in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. It began as a weekly in 1878 and became a daily in 1889. It is one of the Indian newspapers of record and the secon ...

'' along with various types of magazines. Keshav Ram Bhatta, a Maharashtrian Brahman that settled in Bihar Sharif published ''Bihar Bandhu'', the first Hindi newspaper from Bihar in 1872.

Heritage and important sites

The city of Bihar Sharif also has the designation of the location of the first museum in Bihar. The first Bihar Museum, established here in the late 19th century by Alexander Meyrick Broadley was not just the oldest museum in Bihar but also one of the oldest in India. Broadley was the district magistrate of Bihar Sharif in 1860s and one of the earliest surveyors and explorers of Bihar. During the course of his amateur excavations, he collected many sculptures and architectural fragments, with which he established a museum at the Collector's Bungalow at Bihar Sharif in 1871–1872. The collection recorded at least 686 artefacts. In 1891, the governor of Bengal of decided to transfer the contents of the Bihar Museum to Indian Museum in Calcutta. After the foundation of Patna Museum, a significant part of the collection was transferred there, listed in the catalogue as from Broadley Collection. The Bihar Sharif Pillar Inscriptions from the Gupta Empire were found in front of the northern gate of the fort of Bihar (Bihar Sharif). The pillar was removed and set up on a brick pedestal opposite the Bihar Court House, and then later transferred to the Patna Museum. The city has many artefacts and relics of Buddhist and Jain heritage.

Mahavira Mahavira (Sanskrit: महावीर) also known as Vardhaman, was the 24th ''tirthankara'' (supreme preacher) of Jainism. He was the spiritual successor of the 23rd ''tirthankara'' Parshvanatha. Mahavira was born in the early part of the 6t ...

, often regarded as the founder of Jainism, is said to have attained Nirvana at the nearby town of Pawapuri, where the famous Jal Mandir is situated. Broken idols of Buddha and Mahavira can be found in the Nalanda Museum and in many temples. Nalanda College in Bihar Sharif and the locality of Garhpar are situated on the remains of Odantapuri. The ruins at

Nalanda Nalanda (, ) was a renowned ''mahavihara'' (Buddhist monastic university) in ancient Magadha (modern-day Bihar), India.Akhara; the Akhara of Sant Maniram was founded by Raja Biththal to train youth in fighting. *The mausoleum of Syed Ibrahim Mallick Baya The mausoleum of

Syed Ibrahim Mallick Baya Mallick Ibrahim Bayu was a legendary Sufi saint-warrior who arrived in South Bihar in the 14th century and defeated the tribal Kol chiefdoms who had been oppressing the local Muslims. He also defeated Raja Birthal and became first Muslim conqueror ...

is presently located on the top of the hill known as Hiranya Parvata. It was built in 14th century CE. *Badi Dargah The shrine of the

Sufi Sufism ( ar, ''aṣ-ṣūfiyya''), also known as Tasawwuf ( ''at-taṣawwuf''), is a mystic body of religious practice, found mainly within Sunni Islam but also within Shia Islam, which is characterized by a focus on Islamic spirituality, ...

Saint Sheikh Makhdoom Sharfuddin Ahmed Yahya Maneri, is located near the ruins of

. He is credited with converting many Hindus in the districts of Patna, Bihar Sharif, Gaya, Jehanabad, Arwal, Nawada, Jamui and Sheikhpura, and many Muslims celebrate Urs at the shrine each year in the month of Shawwal on the Hijri calendar. The inscription over its entrance mentions that the tomb was completed in 1569. *Badi Pahari Badi Pahadi, also known as Hiranya Parvat, has a large park, a temple and the mausoleum of

located on it. Most tourists visiting Biharsharif are domestic - from other places in Bihar and adjoining states. *Bihar Sharif Museum Housed in the building known as "Virasat Bihar", this museum opened in 1979 and housing relics and sculptures unearthed from the city and nearby areas as the area is very rich in archaeological remains. The stone sculptures housed here mostly belong to the Pala Empire period. There are medieval period sculptures, ancient pillars, Islamic inscriptions and Mughal coins. *Vajra Vidya Phulahari Thrangu Monastery A Buddhist monastery located on NH 20 near Hiranya Parvat. * Mora Talab A large tank said to be constructed by Queen Moora Devi, mother of the Mauryan Emperor

Chandragupta Maurya Chandragupta Maurya (350-295 BCE) was a ruler in Ancient India who expanded a geographically-extensive kingdom based in Magadha and founded the Maurya dynasty. He reigned from 320 BCE to 298 BCE. The Maurya kingdom expanded to become an empi ...

. A Sun Temple is located here. This place is located by the NH 20 on the northern side of the city. *Nagar Nigam Park Nagar Nigam Park is a park developed by the Municipal Corporation of Bihar Sharif on Badi Pahadi. The park features several fountains and cascades along with a children's park.

Events

*Urs or Annual "Chiraga" Fair *Annual Langot Fair held at Manibaba Akhara

In popular culture

Director Prakash Jha's National Award-winning documentary film ''Faces after Storms'' (1981) was based on the incident of communal riots that took place in Bihar Sharif in May 1981.

Notable people

* *

Aditya Kumar Aditya Kumar is an Indian actor who acted in film ''Gangs of Wasseypur – Part 2, Gangs of Wasseypur II''. Early life Aditya Kumar was born in Bihar Sharif, Nalanda district, Bihar, India.Saba Karim, former Indian cricketer * Vikas Kumar, actor * Makhdoom Sharfuddin Ahmed Yahya Maneri, a Sufi mystic *

L. S. N. Prasad Lala Suraj Nandan Prasad (1914–2009) was an Indian pediatrician and a former professor of pediatrics of the Patna Medical College and Hospital whose efforts were reported behind the establishment of the department of pediatrics and the develop ...

, Indian paediatrician and Padma Shri recipient * Vijay Kumar Yadav, former Member of Parliament from Nalanda

References

{{Authority control History of Bihar Cities and towns in Nalanda district