Page 219 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - India

CENTR AL INDIA  217

BIHAR & JHARKHAND

The name Bihar derives from the Sanskrit word vihara, or monastery –
an apt title for a state that was the birthplace of Buddhism. Major sites
associated with the life and teachings of the Buddha, such as Bodh
Gaya, Nalanda and Rajgir, lie in the dry plains of central Bihar and
are the main attractions for visitors to the state. Northern Bihar
is a fertile agricultural plain, watered by the River Ganges and its
tributaries, where the famous Patna rice is grown. In November 2000,
the southern part of Bihar became the new state of Jharkhand, which
is dominated by a scenic, thickly forested highland called the Chhota Nagpur
Plateau. The game sanctuaries of Palamau and Hazaribagh are located here. Jharkhand
is rich in mineral resources, and is also the home of several indigenous tribes, believed
to be among the earliest settlers of the Indian subcontinent.

Sights at a Glance
Towns & Cities Historic Sites
1 Patna 2 Sasaram 0 Bodh Gaya
5 Munger 4 Vaishali q Parasnath
t Ranchi 7 Nalanda National Parks
y Jamshedpur 8 Rajgir w Hazaribagh National Park
Hill Stations Temple Towns & Holy Places e Palamau Wildlife Sanctuary
r Netarhat 3 Sonepur
6 Deoghar 0 kilometres 100
9 Gaya 0 miles 50

Gangtok •
Nichlaul •
Darjeeling •
• Motihari
• Gorakhpur Gandak NEPAL
NH85 NH28 NH77 NH105 NH102
Muzaffarpur • NH106 NH57
Ghaghara
•
Azamgarh NH102 • Darbhanga
NH19 Purnia •
Maner
• Ganges Barauni NH81
• N H 31
Buxar • NH34
NH30 NH83 NH82 • NH80 Balurghat
•
NH110 Bhagalpur
• Pawalpuri
Aurangabad • NH2 NH31 BANGLADESH
NH98
Son
NH99 Dumka •
NH100
Daltonganj • Dhanbad
McCluskiegunj N H 3 3 •
•
NH75 NH23 N H32
Key
NH23 National highway
Chhotta Nagpur Plateau NH33 Major road
NH78
Major railway
International border
State border
• Rourkela NH6
NH75
Baripada
•
Statue of the Buddha at the Mahabodhi Temple, Bodh Gaya For keys to symbols see back flap
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