Hinduism Hinduism () is an Indian religion or '' dharma'', a religious and universal order or way of life by which followers abide. As a religion, it is the world's third-largest, with over 1.2–1.35 billion followers, or 15–16% of the global p ...

is the most followed religion in

Bihar Bihar (; ) is a state in eastern India. It is the 2nd largest state by population in 2019, 12th largest by area of , and 14th largest by GDP in 2021. Bihar borders Uttar Pradesh to its west, Nepal to the north, the northern part of West Be ...

, followed by nearly 82.7% of total population as per 2011 Census.

Islam Islam (; ar, ۘالِإسلَام, , ) is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic Monotheism#Islam, monotheistic religion centred primarily around the Quran, a religious text considered by Muslims to be the direct word of God in Islam, God (or ...

is the second-most followed religion which is followed by nearly 16.8% of population. There is also a significant population of

Jains Jainism ( ), also known as Jain Dharma, is an Indian religion. Jainism traces its spiritual ideas and history through the succession of twenty-four tirthankaras (supreme preachers of ''Dharma''), with the first in the current time cycle being ...

and

Christians 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 ...

in the state.

History of religion in Bihar

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 ...

Goddess A goddess is a female deity. In many known cultures, goddesses are often linked with literal or metaphorical pregnancy or imagined feminine roles associated with how women and girls are perceived or expected to behave. This includes themes of s ...

Sita Sita (; ) also called as Janaki and Vaidehi is a Hindu goddess and the female protagonist of the Hindu epic, ''Ramayana''. She is the consort of Rama, the avatar of the god Vishnu, and is regarded as a form of Vishnu's consort, Lakshmi. She ...

, the consort of

Lord Rama Rama (; ), Ram, Raman or Ramar, also known as Ramachandra (; , ), is a major deity in Hinduism. He is the seventh and one of the most popular ''avatars'' of Vishnu. In Rama-centric traditions of Hinduism, he is considered the Supreme Being ...

, is believed to have been born in Sitamarhi district in the

Mithila region Mithila (), also known as Tirhut, Tirabhukti and Mithilanchal is a geographical and cultural region of the Indian subcontinent bounded by the Mahananda River in the east, the Ganges in the south, the Gandaki River in the west and by the foothill ...

of modern-day Bihar. It was the Ancient Bihar that give birth to new Indic religions:

Buddhism Buddhism ( , ), also known as Buddha Dharma and Dharmavinaya (), is an Indian religion or philosophical tradition based on teachings attributed to the Buddha. It originated in northern India as a -movement in the 5th century BCE, and gra ...

and

Jainism Jainism ( ), also known as Jain Dharma, is an Indian religions, Indian religion. Jainism traces its spiritual ideas and history through the succession of twenty-four tirthankaras (supreme preachers of ''Dharma''), with the first in the current ...

Gautama Buddha Siddhartha Gautama, most commonly referred to as the Buddha, was a wandering ascetic and religious teacher who lived in South Asia during the 6th or 5th century BCE and founded Buddhism. According to Buddhist tradition, he was born in Lu ...

attained

Enlightenment Enlightenment or enlighten may refer to: Age of Enlightenment * Age of Enlightenment, period in Western intellectual history from the late 17th to late 18th century, centered in France but also encompassing (alphabetically by country or culture): ...

Bodh Gaya Bodh Gaya is a religious site and place of pilgrimage associated with the Mahabodhi Temple Complex in Gaya district in the Indian state of Bihar. It is famous as it is the place where Gautama Buddha is said to have attained Enlightenment ( pi, ...

, a town located in the modern day district of

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 ...

in Bihar. Vasupujya, the 12th Jain

Tirthankara In Jainism, a ''Tirthankara'' (Sanskrit: '; English: literally a 'ford-maker') is a saviour and spiritual teacher of the ''dharma'' (righteous path). The word ''tirthankara'' signifies the founder of a '' tirtha'', which is a fordable passag ...

was born in Champapuri,

Bhagalpur Bhagalpur is a city in the Indian state of Bihar, situated on the southern banks of the river Ganges. It is the 2nd largest city of Bihar by population and also the headquarters of Bhagalpur district and Bhagalpur division. Known as the Silk ...

. Vardhamana

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 ...

, the 24th and last

, was born in Vaishali around the sixth century BC.

in Bihar is an important pilgrimage center for the global Buddhists. The tenth Guru of the Sikhs,

Guru Gobind Singh Guru Gobind Singh (; 22 December 1666 – 7 October 1708), born Gobind Das or Gobind Rai the tenth Sikh Guru, a spiritual master, warrior, poet and philosopher. When his father, Guru Tegh Bahadur, was executed by Aurangzeb, Guru Gobind Sing ...

, was born here in 1666 and spent his early years here before moving to Anandpur. The

Gurdwara A gurdwara (sometimes written as gurudwara) (Gurmukhi: ਗੁਰਦੁਆਰਾ ''guradu'ārā'', meaning "Door to the Guru") is a place of assembly and worship for Sikhs. Sikhs also refer to gurdwaras as ''Gurdwara Sahib''. People from all faiths ...

Patna Sahib Patna City, popularly known as Patna Saheb or Patna Sahib, is a city and one of the 6 Sub-divisions (Tehsil) in Patna district, Bihar, India. Patna City is an old area of Patna. Patna City history belongs to Patliputra. It is regarded as ver ...

marks the birthplace of Guru Gobind Singh.

Religious demographics

The main religions in the

Indian state India is a federal union comprising 28 states and 8 union territories, with a total of 36 entities. The states and union territories are further subdivided into districts and smaller administrative divisions. History Pre-indepen ...

are

(practiced by 82.7% of the population) and

(16.9%) as of 2011.

Total number

Total percentage

Hinduism

is the main religion of the state, being practiced by 82.7% of the total state population. The Hindu population in Bihar is 86,078,686 as of 2011 census report. Hindus are majority in all the districts in Bihar except

Kishanganj Kishanganj is a city and district headquarters of Kishanganj district in Purnia division of Bihar state. History Kishanganj, which was previously part of Purnia district, is part of the Mithila region. Mithila first gained prominence after bei ...

. Most of the festivals stem from it. There are many variations on the festival theme. While some are celebrated all over the state, others are observed only in certain areas. But Bihar being so diverse, different regions and religions have something to celebrate at sometime or the other during the year. So festivals take place round the year.On arrival in any part of this state, a tourist finds around him evidence of the extent to which religion enters into the daily life of the people. The calendar is strewn with festivals and fairs of different communities living together. Many of these are officially recognised by the days on which they take place being proclaimed as Government holidays. The battle cries of the Bihar Regiment, consisting of 17 battalions, are "Jai

Bajrang Bali Hanuman (; sa, हनुमान, ), also called Anjaneya (), is a Hindu god and a divine '' vanara'' companion of the god Rama. Hanuman is one of the central characters of the Hindu epic ''Ramayana''. He is an ardent devotee of Rama and on ...

" (''Victory to Lord Hanuman'').

Hindu pilgrimage

Hindu pilgrimage sites in Bihar are as follows: *

Mahavir Mandir Mahavir Mandir, Patna one of the holiest Hindu temples dedicated to Lord Hanuman, located in Patna, Bihar, India. Millions of pilgrims visit the temple every year. Acharya Kishore Kunal is the secretary of the Mahavir Mandir Temple Trust, Patna. ...

* Sitamarhi *

Deo, Bihar Deo also known as "Dev", is a city council, town and a notified area in Aurangabad district, Bihar, Aurangabad district in the Indian state of Bihar. Deo is located 10 km to the southeast of District Administrative Aurangabad district, Bihar, A ...

* Madhubani * West Champaran * Munger * Buxar *

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 of Mun ...

Darbhanga Darbhanga is the fifth-largest city and municipal corporation in the Indian state of Bihar situated centrally in Mithila region. Darbhanga is the headquarters of the Darbhanga district and the Darbhanga division. It was the seat of the erstw ...

Buddhism

The name Bihar derives from the Sanskrit word '' vihāra'', an important institution of

meaning "abode". The land of Bihar is considered important in Buddhism as

Siddhartha Gautama Siddhartha Gautama, most commonly referred to as the Buddha, was a wandering ascetic and religious teacher who lived in South Asia during the 6th or 5th century BCE and founded Buddhism. According to Buddhist tradition, he was born in Lu ...

was said to have attained enlightenment in

under the Bodhi Tree, making

the holiest site in

and a key place of pilgrimage associated with the Mahabodhi Temple Complex in Bihar's

Gaya district } Gaya district is one of the thirty-eight districts of the Indian state of Bihar. It was officially established on 3 October 1865. The district has a common boundary with the state of Jharkhand to the south. Gaya city is both the district head ...

preached many sermons in different places in Bihar, including Vaishali and

Rajgir Rajgir, meaning "The City of Kings," is a historic town in the district of Nalanda in Bihar, India. As the ancient seat and capital of the Haryanka dynasty, the Pradyota dynasty, the Brihadratha dynasty and the Mauryan Empire, as well as the d ...

. Even after his Mahaprinirvana, disciples carried on the doctrine of

in the regions of

Magadha Magadha was a region and one of the sixteen sa, script=Latn, Mahajanapadas, label=none, lit=Great Kingdoms of the Second Urbanization (600–200 BCE) in what is now south Bihar (before expansion) at the eastern Ganges Plain. Magadha was ruled ...

's disciples opened several monasteries and universities such as Nalanda University and

Vikramshila University Vikramashila (Sanskrit: विक्रमशिला, IAST: , Bengali:- বিক্রমশিলা, Romanisation:- Bikrômôśilā ) was one of the three most important Buddhist monasteries in India during the Pala Empire, along with N ...

emperor Ashoka the Great became a

Buddhist Buddhism ( , ), also known as Buddha Dharma and Dharmavinaya (), is an Indian religion or philosophical tradition based on teachings attributed to the Buddha. It originated in northern India as a -movement in the 5th century BCE, and ...

and made

the

state religion A state religion (also called religious state or official religion) is a religion or creed officially endorsed by a sovereign state. A state with an official religion (also known as confessional state), while not secular state, secular, is not n ...

, spreading its doctrine to different parts of India and abroad.

Buddhist Pilgrimage

Buddhist pilgrimages in Bihar are as follows: * Mahabodhi Temple * Bodhi Tree *

* Vaishali * Pawapuri *

Nalanda Nalanda (, ) was a renowned ''mahavihara'' (Buddhist monastic university) in ancient Magadha (modern-day Bihar), India.Rajgir Rajgir, meaning "The City of Kings," is a historic town in the district of Nalanda in Bihar, India. As the ancient seat and capital of the Haryanka dynasty, the Pradyota dynasty, the Brihadratha dynasty and the Mauryan Empire, as well as the d ...

Kesariya Kesariya or Kesaria is a town in the district of East Champaran, in the Indian state of Bihar. It is the site of a stupa built by the Mauryan king Ashoka. Geography It is near Rampur Khajuria. The nearest villages are Noori Mohalla Trilok ...

Vikramashila Vikramashila (Sanskrit: विक्रमशिला, IAST: , Bengali:- বিক্রমশিলা, Romanisation:- Bikrômôśilā ) was one of the three most important Buddhist monasteries in India during the Pala Empire, along with N ...

Areraj Areraj is a town and a notified area in East Champaran district in the state of Bihar, India. District entry point Mehsi City Geography Areraj is located at . It is just 30 KM away from Motihari. No train route is available to reach here, ...

Pataliputra Pataliputra (IAST: ), adjacent to modern-day Patna, was a city in ancient India, originally built by Magadha ruler Ajatashatru in 490 BCE as a small fort () near the Ganges river.. Udayin laid the foundation of the city of Pataliputra at the ...

Sikhism

The capital of Bihar,

Patna Patna ( ), historically known as Pataliputra, is the capital and largest city of the state of Bihar in India. According to the United Nations, as of 2018, Patna had a population of 2.35 million, making it the 19th largest city in India. ...

, is one of the holiest cities in

Sikhism Sikhism (), also known as Sikhi ( pa, ਸਿੱਖੀ ', , from pa, ਸਿੱਖ, lit=disciple', 'seeker', or 'learner, translit=Sikh, label=none),''Sikhism'' (commonly known as ''Sikhī'') originated from the word ''Sikh'', which comes fro ...

. The tenth Guru of the Sikhs,

, was born here in 1666 and spent his early years here before moving to Anandpur. The

marks the birthplace of Guru Gobind Singh. Patna was visited by Guru Nanak in 1509 as well as Guru Tegh Bahadur in 1666.

Takht Shri Harmandir Saheb Takhat Sri Patna Sahib also known as Takhat Sri Harimandir Ji, Patna Sahib, is a one of the five Takhats of the Sikhs, located in Patna, Bihar, India. The construction of the Takhat was commissioned by Maharaja Ranjit Singh in the 18th c ...

(also known as Patna Saheb) is one of the Five Takhts of

Guru Nanak Dev Guru ( sa, गुरु, IAST: ''guru;'' Pali'': garu'') is a Sanskrit term for a "mentor, guide, expert, or master" of certain knowledge or field. In pan-Indian traditions, a guru is more than a teacher: traditionally, the guru is a reverentia ...

visited Patna and stayed in GaiGhat in 1509, and later same place was visited by Guru Tegh Bahadur along with his family in 1666. Gurdwara Pahila Bara (commonly known as Gurdwara Ghai Ghat) is dedicated to these two Guru and is situated at the same holy place. Other shrines are

Gurdwara Gobind Ghat Gurdwara Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ghat, also known as Gurudwara Kangan Ghat, is a Sikh place of worship on the banks of the Ganges River approximately from Takht Sri Patna Sahib. In sikh historical sources, this is the place where Guru Gobind S ...

and Gurdwara Guru ka Bagh. Gurdwara Bal Leela is directly related to the childhood of Guru Gobind Singh.

Gurdwara Handi Sahib Gurdwara Handi Sahib is situated in Danapur is a cantonment station, 20 km west of old Patna City. Guru Tegh Bahadur had returned to Punjab in April 1670 leaving his family behind at Patna. The family after leaving Patna Sahib made their fi ...

was built in the memory of

Guru Teg Bahadur Guru Tegh Bahadur ( Punjabi: ਗੁਰੂ ਤੇਗ਼ ਬਹਾਦਰ (Gurmukhi); ; 1 April 1621 – 11 November 1675) was the ninth of ten Gurus who founded the Sikh religion and the leader of Sikhs from 1665 until his beheading in 167 ...

, who stayed here in 1728 with Mata Gujri and Bala Preetam. After the

partition of India The Partition of British India in 1947 was the Partition (politics), change of political borders and the division of other assets that accompanied the dissolution of the British Raj in South Asia and the creation of two independent dominions: ...

in 1947, many

Sikh Sikhs ( or ; pa, ਸਿੱਖ, ' ) are people who adhere to Sikhism, Sikhism (Sikhi), a Monotheism, monotheistic religion that originated in the late 15th century in the Punjab region of the Indian subcontinent, based on the revelation of Gu ...

s came to Patna. The total population of Sikhs in Bihar is only 20,780. Most of Bihari Sikhs are Nanakpanthi. Most of the Sikhs are residing in Patna and mainly they are self-employed or in business.

Sikh Pilgrimage

Sikh pilgrimages in Bihar are as follows: *

Guru ka Bagh About three kilometers east of Takht Sri Harmandir Sahib is where Guru Tegh Bahadur first alighted in a garden (bagh) belonging to Nawabs Rahim Bakhsh and Karim Bakhsh, nobles of Patna, and where the sangat of Patna along with the young Guru G ...

* Ghai Ghat * Handi Sahib * Gobind Ghat * Bal Lila Maini * Guru Bagh

Jainism

Vardhamana

, the 24th and the last

, was born in Vaishali around sixth century B.C.Pathak Prabhu Nath,''Society and Culture in Early Bihar'', Commonwealth Publishers, 1988, pp. 140

is birthplace of

Munisuvrata Munisuvrata () was the twentieth ''tirthankara'' of the present half time cycle (''avasarpini'') in Jain cosmology. He became a siddha, a liberated soul which has destroyed all of his karma. Events of the Jaina version of Ramayana are placed ...

, the twentieth Jain tirthankara and Pawapuri is nirvana place of

the last Jain tirthankara.

and Vaishali is significant religious place in

. Champapuri is a Jain pilgrimages where all the five kalyanaks of lord Vasupujya have taken place. The tallest statue of Jain tirthankara Vasupujya which stands 31 Feet in height was built in Champapuri in 2014. The Panch Kalyanak Pratishtha Mahotsav of the statue was done from 27 Feb to 3 Mar 2014.

Jain Pilgrimage

Jain pilgrimages in Bihar are as follows: *

* Pawapuri *

Arrah Arrah (also transliterated as Ara) is a city and a municipal corporation in Bhojpur district, India, Bhojpur district (formerly known as Shahabad district) in the Indian state of Bihar. It is the headquarters of Bhojpur district, located near ...

* Champapur

Islam

constitutes second largest religion in

. According to 2011 Indian census, there were 17,557,809

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 ...

s constituting 16.9% population of the state.

Christianity

Padari ki haveli is a Roman Catholic church of centuries. Holy Saviour Church of

is also historically important site.

Baháʼí Faith

In 2012, plans were announced for the construction of a local

Baháʼí Faith The Baháʼí Faith is a religion founded in the 19th century that teaches the Baháʼí Faith and the unity of religion, essential worth of all religions and Baháʼí Faith and the unity of humanity, the unity of all people. Established by ...

House of Worship in Bihar Sharif. This would be the second Baháʼí House of Worship in India (the first being the well-known Lotus Temple in

Delhi Delhi, officially the National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi, is a city and a union territory of India containing New Delhi, the capital of India. Straddling the Yamuna river, primarily its western or right bank, Delhi shares borders w ...

), and one of the first two local Baháʼí Houses of Worship in Asia (the other being in

Battambang Battambang ( km, បាត់ដំបង, UNGEGN: ) is the capital of Battambang Province and the third largest city in Cambodia. Founded in the 11th century by the Khmer Empire, Battambang is the leading rice-producing province of the coun ...

Cambodia Cambodia (; also Kampuchea ; km, កម្ពុជា, UNGEGN: ), officially the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochinese Peninsula in Southeast Asia, spanning an area of , bordered by Thailand t ...

). In 2013, the

Baháʼí World Centre The Baháʼí World Centre is the name given to the spiritual and administrative centre of the Baháʼí Faith, representing sites in or near the cities of Acre and Haifa, Israel. Much of the international governance and coordination of the ...

released an hour-and-a-half-long video in five languages entitled ''Frontiers of Learning'', showing Baháʼí community-building activities in four cities from different continents, the fourth of which is Bihar Sharif.

Other religions

Sarnaism has a presence among the tribal populations.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Religion in Bihar Religion in the British Empire