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BIHAR
STATE INFO
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In the north, Bihar is a fertile, alluvial plain,
the Gangetic Valley; and a rocky, incredibly mineral rich plateau
in the south, the Chhotanagpur Plateau- Bihar. The northern plain
of this state extends from the foothills of the Himalayas in the
north to a few miles south of the river Ganges as it flows through
the State from the  west
to the east. The Chhotanagpur plateau occupies roughly 1/3rd of
the south, extending up to the southern border with Orissa. The
southern plateau is among the world's richest source of mineral.
In the north, rich farmland and lush orchards extend throughout
.
Crops:
Paddy, wheat, lentils,
sugarcane, jute (hemp, related to the marijuana plant, but a source
of tough fibers and "gunny bags".) Also, cane grows wild
in the marshes of West Champaran.
Fruits:
Mangoes, banana,
jack fruit and litchis. This is one the very few areas outside China
which produces litchi. There is very little industry in the plain
region except for the sugar factories that are scattered all over
the northern plains, particularly in the western region. Jute is
transported to the jute factories located mostly in Calcutta.
Minerals:
Coal, iron ore, bauxite, copper, and mica. For mica, Bihar is perhaps
the only source, confined mostly to the districts of Hazaribagh
and Giridih. This mineral was valuable in the manufacture of windshields
for airplanes and automobiles due to its transparent and non-shattering
property. With the invention of synthetic materials, the commercial
value of mica has declined.
Bihar
is the single most important source for coal, iron ore and bauxite
in India. The south is also a forested area. People belonging to
many tribal groups live in the forests of Chhotanagpur and Santhal
Parganas. Among the wildlife, notable are: deer, bears, numerous
species of birds, including the peacock, pheasant, and wild fowl,
and most notably,the tiger. The forest around Hazaribag is one of
the last remaining refuge of this highly endangered species. The
forests of Bihar yield valuable commercial products besides the
timber. Leaves of some trees are used in the manufacture of an indigenous
product for smoking, i.e., the bidi. A resinous material
secreted by the lac insect is valuable commercially. It is the source
of shellac. Also, bangles made of lac are very popular among women
of Bihar. The silkworm is the source of magnificent silk - characteristically,
the tusser or tussah silk.The majestic banyan tree (Ficus bengalensis),
and the related pipal (Ficus religiosa), dot the entire
landscape of the State.
Hindi
is by far the most common language of the state, understood by all.
There is a significant number of Benagli speaking people also. They
are descendants of the settlers from the old British Presidency
of Bengal. English is the language of commerce and is spoken by
the educated masses. As over much of India, a combination of Hindi
and English (sarcastically dubbed "Hinglis") is the language
in the homes of middle-class Biharis.
In
addition people speak many dialects in different regions. The major
dialects are: Bhojpuri, Magahi and Maithili. Bhojpuri is spoken
in the districts of Champaran (East and West), Saran, and Shahabad.
Magahi is the dialect of Central Bihar, i.e., the districts of Patna,
Gaya and Bihar. Maithili, and its variants, is the dialect of the
people in the north-east, i.e., the districts of Muzaffarpur, Vaishali,
Darbhanga, Samastipur, Saharsa, Purnia and Bhagalpur.
Of
all the dialects and languages, only Maithili can be classified
as a distinct and uniquely Bihari language. It has a very old literature
of its own. (Hindi, as a distinct literary form, came about only
very recently - towards the turn of this century.) The famous poet,
Vidyapati, of medieval Bihar, was the composer of lyrical poems
in Maithili. These songs are devoted to the worship of Lord Krishna
and Shiva. Shrimati Vindhyabasini Devi is a current exponent of
the songs of Vidyapati.
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