Despite having areas of great beauty and
historic religious links, Bihar is India’s poorest state and is notorious for
political uprisings. Because of political instability and lack of tourism infrastructure
in the state, few travellers spend much time in Bihar. This is pity because there is much
to see. In addition to the Buddhist sites, there are areas of natural beauty such as lakes,
waterfalls and springs. The rivers periodically flood, causing disastrous problems for
Bihar’s dense population, which scratches a bare living from the soil.
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Climate
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Summer - 470C - 200C
Winter - 280C - 40C
Monsoon-June to October
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| Places to
visit
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Patna: It is on the southern bank of the Ganges, which at
this point is very wide.
Patna Museum: This excellent, albeit somewhat dog-eared,
museum contains badly labelled metal and stone sculptures dating back to the Maurya and
Gupta periods. It also houses the world’s longest fossilized
tree.
Bodhgaya: It is the place where Buddha attained
enlightenment. It’s also the most important Buddhist pilgrimage
site in the world.
Nalanda
Founded in the 5th century BC, it was one of the world’s great universities and an
important Buddhist Centre.
Ranchi: Hill resort, nearby temples, waterfalls and picnic
spots.
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| Information
offices
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The state tourist office (BSTO) at Jayaprakash Lokanayak Bawan, Patna.
Ph: 0612 210219
Government of India tourist
office south of the railway line
Ph: 0612 345776. |
| Places to
stay
|
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Hotel President, Fraser Rd, Patna |
Ph: 0612 220600 |
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Rajasthan Hotel, Fraser Rd, Patna |
Ph: 0612 225 102 |
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Hotel Nataranjana, Bodh Gaya |
Ph: 0613 400 475 |
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Hotel Pataliputra Ashok, Patna |
Ph: 0612 226270 |
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Hotel Chanakya, Patna |
Ph: 0612 220591 |
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ITDC Hotel, Bodh Gaya |
Ph: 0613 400534 |
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More
hotels.... |
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| Getting
there and away |
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By Air:
Indian Airlines has daily flights between Patna and Delhi, Calcutta and Ranchi,
Patna and Lucknow (three flights a week)
Ph: 0612 226433
Flight schedule: Click
here
By train:
Patna Junction is the main train station
Some important trains.
Magadh Express (No. 2391, 2392, Tu, Th, Su)
Patna-Delhi 900kms
Shramjeevi Express (No. 2401, 2402, Daily)
Patna - N. Delhi
Dep 11.05 a.m. Dep 3.20 p. m.
Patna Chennai Express (No. 6043, 6044, Tu, Th)
Patna-Chennai 2339 Kms.
By Bus:
The main bus terminal is at Harding Park, There are buses to and from Silguri (West
Bengal, Rs. 145, 12 hrs) Kathmandu (Nepal Rs. 114). |
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