Biharsharif
| Bihar Sharif | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Coordinates: 25°11′49″N 85°31′05″E / 25.197°N 85.518°ECoordinates: 25°11′49″N 85°31′05″E / 25.197°N 85.518°E | |
| Country |
 India
|
| State | Bihar |
| Division | Patna |
| District | Nalanda district |
| Elevation | 55 m (180 ft) |
| Population (2016) | |
| • Total | 369,972 |
| • Rank | 5 th |
| Languages | |
| • Spoken | Hindi |
| Time zone | IST (UTC+5:30) |
| PIN | 803101 803118 |
| Telephone code | 06112 |
| ISO 3166 code | IN-BR |
| Vehicle registration | BR 21 |
Bihar Sharif is the fifth largest city in the eastern Indian state of Bihar and the district headquarters of Nalanda district. The city is a hub of education and trade in south Bihar and the economy centers around agriculture, while also including tourism and household manufacturing. The city is one of the hundred Indian cities competing in a national level competition to get the funds under Narendra Modi's flagship Smart Cities Mission. Bihar Sharif will be competing for the one of last 10 spots against 20 cities from across India.
Bihar Sharif has over two millennia of history. Under the Pala Empire, a major Buddhist (Hindu) monastic university was built at the site and it became the capital of Magadha. It became part of the Muslim Delhi Sultanate in the late 12th century, though local Rajputs soon re-established effective control. In the early 14th century it was permanently captured by the Delhi Sultanate. It was later ruled by other Muslim dynasties and then the British until Indian independence in 1947. The city has important Jain, Buddhist, Hindu, and Muslim heritage and landmarks.
The name Bihar is derived from "Vihar" or "Vihara," meaning Buddhist monastery, a reference to the ancient Odantapuri University established near the city in the 7th century CE by Pala king Gopala I. Bihar Sharif does, however, predate the Buddha. It became the capital of the Magadha kingdom during the rule of the Pala Empire and then until the 14th-century CE. Odantapuri is considered to have been the second oldest of India's Mahaviharas, and it was located at the foot of Bari Pahari (Big Hill). According to Tibetan records, there were about 12,000 students there, and it was an important center of Buddhist learning. Acharya Sri Ganga of Vikramashila was a student there.
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