Bihar tourism offers an unique amalgamation of ancient civilization, religion, history and culture that is identifiable with India. The state bears testimony of rise and fall of some of India's major dynasties - the Mauryas, the Guptas and the Palas. Between 5th to 11th century, the world's earliest university flourished here. Its remains are one of the attractions of Bihar tourism. Some of the holy places of the Buddhist religion are situated here. Some significant sites of Hinduism, Sikhism and Jainism are also located here.

Navlakha Palace

Kakolat waterfall

Patna Museum

Maner Sharif

Jal Mandir

Rajgir

Nalanda

Bodhgaya

It’s quite a little known fact to us Indians that the state of Bihar is famous through the world over for its tasty and luscious varieties of fruits and cuisines. The Bihar Makhana which is a type of water fruit has now spread over through out the country and being exported to several foreign countries. Similarly, there are many fruits and gastronomically delightful foods of rare varieties not to be found elsewhere. This article details the Bihari fare and fruits for your information.

Litchi of Muzafferpur of Bihar

The fame of the Shahi Litchi of Muzafferpur is not limited to India but to the European countries also. About 18 lack tonnes of litchi is produced every year round by the farmers in an area of 3 lack hectares in Muzafferpur. The litchi of China, Taiwan, Thailand and Bangladesh feel ashamed in the presence of the ‘Shahi Litchi’ of Muzafferpur. It has a special tinge of taste incomparable with other litchis. It has established a sort of rare record in the world market for its unique taste.

Mango of the Maldah and Bumbaiya of Muzaffarpur & Sitamarhi (Bihar)

The king of fruits mango is highly popular through out the country. Different varieties of mangoes grow in the different parts of the Indian Territory. But the Maldah Mango of Bihar is famous for its taste of a different kind which is to be tasted to be believed. It cannot be described in mere words which would mean doing injustice with the maldah mango of Bihar. The Alfonso of Ratnagiri of Maharashtra shall stand nowhere near it.

Banana of Hazipur (Bihar)

Likewise the story of ‘Konhara Ghat in the olden story is famous for the battle of Gaj (elephant) and Grah (crocodile), so is similarly famous the bananas of Hazipur. This banana of Bihar state is famous through the world over for its juicy taste. This exported to the foreign countries where there is a massive demand for the Hazipuri bananas. Like the column of the tree of banana and its leaves, the fruit of banana is also seen with great piety which is offered to the Gods and Goddesses while praying to them or worshipping them. Hazipur is situated in the northern region of Bihar, where banana is produced in 28000 hectare of land. 100 gm of banana produces 150 calories of energy. The ripe banana, apart from being a good source of vitamin’ A’ is also packed with protein, vitamin ’B’, and minerals like iron, phosphorous, potassium etc.

The Paan Makhan of Mithilanchal (Bihar)

The paan-makhan and fish of Mithila region of the state of Bihar is very popular in which the agriculture of makhan and fish is carried out while the paan (the betel leaf) is brought from the Magadh region of Bihar. Brush shaped thorny leaves are noticeable in the big ponds. There are blackish stony types of lumps at the base of the roots which are broken riding in a boat. The bony lumps are then fried in hot sands after which, whitish popcorns bursts out which is famous as Makhan or Makhana.

In every auspicious works of Mithila, Makhana and fish are used. The use of makhana has spread over entire parts of India of late. It's exported as well. Some people use it as dry fruit. Yet some people fry it to eat. The taste of makhana-keer is excellent which doesn't frees off from mouth. Mithila is the central place for the manufacturing of makhana. There are about 76000 ponds and hundreds of cheers here. This is cultivated here in a large scale. It is exported through out the countries of the world. Makhan is the emblem of the special cultural living tradition of Mithilanchal and used in every festival, ceremony and performance.

Bihari cuisine is eaten mainly in Bihar, Jharkhand, Eastern Uttar Pradesh, Bangladesh, Nepal, Mauritius, Fiji, some cities of Pakistan, Guyana, and Trinidad and Tobago as these are the places where Bihari people are present. Bihari cuisine is predominantly vegetarian because traditional Bihar society, influenced by Buddhist and Hindu values of non-violence, did not eat eggs, chicken, fish and other animal products. However, there is also a tradition of meat-eating, and fish dishes are especially common due to the number of rivers in Bihar, such as the Sone, Gandak and Ganges. There are also numerous Bihari meat dishes, with chicken and mutton being the most common.

Dairy products are consumed frequently throughout the year, with common foods including yogurt known as dahi and also buttermilk known as mattha, ghee, lassi and butter. The cuisine of Bihar is similar to a great extent to North Indian cuisine but has an influence from other East Indian Cuisine (for example like Bengali cuisine). It is highly seasonal, with watery foods such as watermelon and Sherbet made of pulp of the wood-apple fruit being consumed mainly in the summer months and dry foods, preparations made of sesame seeds,poppy seeds in the winter months.

Some dishes which Bihar is famous for include Sattu Paratha, which are parathas stuffed with fried chickpea flour, chokha (spicy mashed potatoes), fish curry and Bihari Kebab, Postaa-dana kaa halwaa.

Bihari Thali

As the seasons change so does the Bihari thaali, every 3–4 months. The constants are rice, roti, achar, chatni, dals and milk products with some variation.

People use both vegetable oil or mustard oil and zeera (cumin) or panchforan (literally "five seeds"), namely saunf, sarson, methi, ajwain and mangraeel(Kalaunji) for "chhounkna"/"Tadka"(tempering) of some vegetables. There is a lot of light frying, called bhoonjnaa, in Bihari food.

One of the most remarkable thing about this cuisine is "smoked food". It refers to using smoked red chilli to infuse a strong aroma in food. It is used in preparing "chokhaa", i.e. mashed brinjals/potatoes/tomatoes, either single or combined. Smoked chilli is also used in preparing kadam (a common fruit sweet sour in taste, technical name Anthocephalus morindaefolia) chutney.

Traditional cuisine

• Kadhi Bari - these fried soft dumplings made of besan (gram flour) are cooked in a spicy gravy of yogurt and besan. It goes well over plain rice.
• Khichdi - Mix of Rice, Dal and several Vegetables; steamed together to give a distinctive taste of different ingredients combined in one dish. It is often topped up with ghee.
• Ghugni - It is a preparation made of black grams soaked (either lightly/overnight)in water and then sauted in mustard oil in a wok. All kinds of garam masala made as paste on a sil is used for flavouring and chana is also ground to form a paste used as thickener. This thickens the masala and makes gravy as per desire. After proper seasoning and bhunjana water is added to the mix for gravy as desired.
• Pittha - It is something like momos. It could be either salty or sweet.It is either a semi circular/ball shaped preparation made of crust made of soft rice flour and filled with preparations made of Channa Daal lentil paste, or Poppy seeds & Gur (Jaggery). and then steamed in water/ milk (allowed to thicken).
• Choora - beaten rice, served with a coat of creamy curd and sugar or jaggery. In winters, this is mildly baked and accompanied with a thick spicy preparation made of peas and onions.
• Sattu - powdered baked gram, a high energy giving food usually mixed with water or with milk. Sometimes, sattu mixed with spices is used to prepare stuffed 'chapattis', locally called as 'makuni roti'.
• Dhuska - a deep fried item prepared from a mixture of powdered rice and ghee but is salted.
• Litti - Powdered baked gram is mixed with chopped onions,green chillies,lemon juice,coriander leaves. This mixture is filled inside atta and either barbecued over coal or deep fried with oil. Best accompanied with Ghee,Curd and Chokha and baigan bharta.

Vegetarian cuisine

• Saag
• Kofta
• Bharwan karela
• Vegetarian-Korma - Subziyon ka Panchranga Korma
• Paalak paneer
• Shaahi paneer

Non-vegetarian cuisine

The distinctive Bihari flavour of non-vegetarian cooking finds mention in the memoirs of Maulana Abul Kalam Azad who found it quite tasty. Forms of kebabs, mutton preparations and dishes prepared from various fowl and birds have a distinctive flavor. Biharis are quite famous for their Bihari kebabs, another typical Bihari non-vegetarian dish. This dish was traditionally made from mutton and is eaten with roti, paratha or boiled rice. The region of Champaran is famous for a mutton grilled dish called Taash. Recently, in fast food restaurants, these Bihari Kebabs are also sold as Bihari kebab rolls, which are essentially kebabs wrapped up in a paratha.

• Prawns
• Mutton Biryani

1. Shaahi Jhinga Masaledaar
2. Jhor Waali Machhli
3. Jhinga Biryaani

• Bihari Kebabs
• Chicken Tandoori
• Kela machali

Breads

• Parauntha

1. Aalu Parauntha
2. Satuwa Parauntha
3. Piyaz Parauntha
4. Parauntha - filling of a paste made of poppy seeds soaked overnight in water and then ground with spices, particularly red chilli.

• Dal puri
• Makuni
• Makai ke roti
• Naan

Appetizers

• Chaat
• Golgappa
• Chatni
• Jhal Murhi
• Dahi bada
• Pakora
• Raita
• Tarua
• Kachauri

Saags

• Munga saag
• Kalmi saag
• Gandhari saag
• Koinar saag
• Chakod saag
• Sarla saag
• Chench saag
• Chimti saag
• Katai saag
• Dhhahdhhaa saag
• Golgola saag
• Khesaari saag Lathyrus sativus:
• Poi saag Basella alba:
• Palak Saag Spinach:
• Bathua Saag Chenopodium album:
• Methi Saag Fenugreek:

Bihari fast food

• Litti - can be prepared with minimum of utensils by people who away on tour. It is a ball shaped dish of the size between a table tennis and a lawn tennis ball, baked in mild fire (though it can be done in any electric oven/ microwave oven, but would miss the distinct flavour infused by fire .The crust is made of a hard dough made of wheat flour and filled with a dry amorphous preparation made of Sattu (gram flour) and spices.It is accompanied with chokhaa (mashed potato or brinjals, green chilli and coriander leaf. Dill is an essential ingredient for brinjal chokhaa).
• Chokha - Pulsed and mashed vegetables with mustard oil and spices.
• Bajka
• Bhurta -
• Bhunjia - Sautéed vegetables cooked in spices, usually containing potatoes. Has no gravy and usually goes well with rice and lentils or chappatti
• Samosa
• Kachori
• Samosa Chaat, it is basically samosa sweet chatni, curd, Namkeen mixtures with chura, onion and other garnishing ingredients.
• Bhunja- commonly eaten at evening.

Sweets

There is large variety of sweet delicacies. Unlike Oriya and Bengali sweets, which are soaked in syrups made of sugar and are therefore wet, sweets of Bihar are mostly dry.

• Khaja - This may be compared to the Greek baklava. Famous one is from Silao Nalanda
• Tilkut (Til Burfi) - This is made of sesame seed and is available only in winters. A thick hard base of sugar of the size of a tennis ball is rolled in copious amount of sesame seed and then hammered to roll out in round shape. The more the seed, the softer, better and amorphous it is. Though available all over the state, the one from Gaya is famous.
• Malpua 
• Rabri/Basundi
• Kheer  - A special form of kheer called Rasia is prepared during the Chhath festival.
• Thekua 
• Khajur 
• Laktho
• Churma
• Balushahi - Famous one is from Harnaut
• Anarasa (Come from particular area Basopatti & the nearest villages)
• Motichoor ka Ladoo - Famous one is from Maner
• Gulab Jamun
• Kala Jamun
• Pantua - Same as Kala Jamun but the shape is elongated. Famous one is from Barahiya, Begusarai. Also called "Atom Bomb".
• Peda - Famous one is from Kesaria
• Khurma - found only in southwest bihar.
• Parwal ki Mithai - It is made of pointed gourd (botanical name-Trichosanthes dioica). The fruit is scrapped to remove the skin,sliced longitudinally, deseeded and boiled to make it tender and then filled with Khoyya- a preparation made of condensed milk and dry fruits. It is then imbibed with warm sugar syrup. Silver foil may be added after it cools off.
• Khubi ka Lai - Famous one is from Barh
• Belgrami
• Padokkia
• Murki - Famous one is from Koelwar
• Pirikya - Made from flour and khoya etc. It is famous in Basopatti and villages nearby.
• Khurchan - This is made of layers of scrapped condensed milk. Available in Patna city (old town).
• Postaa-dana kaa Halwa -a sweet pudding made of poppy seeds soaked overnight in water and then ground to a paste and sauted in ghee(clarified butter)in a wok. This is generally prepared in winter season.
• Kasar - A dry sweet prepared of coarsely ground rice during the Chhath festival.
• Lai -There are several varieties of Lai available in Bihar, including Lai from Gaya. The main component of this Lai is Ram dana seeds. These ram danas are processed and mixed with khoya and sugar to give rise to a disk shaped sweet.
• Dangra ka Tilkut - This is made of sesame seed and is available only in winters. A thick hard base of jaggey (gur/mittah) of the size of a tennis ball is rolled in copious amount of sesame seed and then hammered to roll out in round shape.The more the seed, the softer, better and amorphous it is. Though available all over the state, the one from Dangra village in Gaya is famous.
• Paan Peda - Famous one is from Mohiuddin Nagar,Madudabad, Kalyanpur Basti area. it is a heart shaped peda with a completely different taste from common peda available in the market.
• Gaja - It is a sweet which is cubical in form and made out of maida.

1. Maharshi Valmiki – Author of the epic Ramayana.

2. Mahavira – The 24th Tithankara of the Jains (599 – 527 BCE)

3. Aryabhata – The great ancient mathematician and astronomer who had enormous contribution in theories of mathematics and the asronomical facts(476–550 CE)

4. Chanakya – The great ancient political advisor and author of ‘Arthashastra’ (350 – 275 BCE)

5. Chandragupta Maurya - The great emperor of India who founded the great Maurya dynasty. (340 – 297 BCE)

6. Ashoka - The great Mauryan emperor who embraced Buddhism at the peak of his power. (304 – 232 BCE)

7. Samudra Gupta – (335 – 380) The Gupta ruler who ushered the empire to the height of art, culture and education that is regarded as golden age of India.

8. Vidyapati – The great poet from Mithila who wrote copious love poems on Krishna and Radha ( 1352 – 1448 CE).

9. Sher Shah Suri - He was founder of the Sur Empire in North India, with its capital at Delhi. (1486 – 22 May 1545)

10. Guru Govind Singh – The 10th and the last guru of the Sikh faith. (1666 – 1708 CE)

11. Rajendra Prasad - The first President of Republic of India and played a prominent role in the independence movement (1884 – 1963).

12. Jayaprakash Narayan - A prominent political leader of India and was famous as ‘Loknayak’ and JP was active in the national movements in pre-independent India (1902 -1979).

13. Satyendra Narayan Singh – Participant in the independence movement of India and former Chief Minister of Bihar (1917 – 2006).

14. Bismillah Khan – The legendary musician who was the pioneer to bringing the music instrument Shehnai to the status of classical music (1916 – 2006)

15. Ramdhari Singh Dinkar – A humanist and progressive poet of Hindi literature hailed as a ‘Rastra Kavi’. He also became a nominated member of Rajya Sabha.

16. Ganga Devi – A folk painter who imbibed contemporary subjects in the traditional art of Mithila.

17. Subodh Gupta- A well recognised contemporary visual artist working in the medium of sculpture, photography, video and installations.