Bihar, one of the few
states in India where lack of infrastructure and facilities have restricted
tourism to a very restricted number. Bihar otherwise has a wide variety of
sights. The earliest known habitation in the entire Ganga basin is in this
state. The world's most ancient highway, the nuclei of the first empire and
second civilization of the Indian subcontinent, the earliest of the cave temples
and the world's largest fair are some of the highlights which Bihar offers the
tourist.
However, early this century for
ore and minerals, have been tamed for industry. The availability of local
resources led the Tata Group to establish one of India's largest iron and steel
factories at Jamshedpur, named after Jamshed ji Tata, founder of the industrial
house of Tata. Energy for the factories is provided by a series of dams built on
the Damodar River that flows through the Plateau.
Bihar
is also very important state for the Buddhist pilgrims who throng this state to
visit sites associated with Lord Buddha. Bodhgaya, where Buddha attained
enlightenment under a Bodhi Tree, Rajgir where he spent many years meditating,
Nalanda - one of the most ancient Universities where most distinguished people,
religious leaders, astronomers visited or taught. Patna, earlier known as
Patliputra, the capital of Magadh Kingdom and the birth place of the tenth Sikh
Guru, Govind Singh is another important city.
