TBengal (/bɛŋˈɡɔːl/;[4] Bengali: বাংলা/বঙ্গ, romanized: Bānglā/Bôngô Bengali pronunciation: [bɔŋgo]) is a

geopolitical, cultural and historical region in South Asia, specifically in the eastern part of the Indian
subcontinent at the apex of the Bay of Bengal. Geographically, it is made up by the Ganges-
Brahmaputra delta system, the largest such formation in the world; along with mountains in its north
bordering the Himalayan states of Nepal and Bhutan and east bordering Burma.
Politically, Bengal is currently divided between Bangladesh (which covers two-thirds of the region)
and the Indian state of West Bengal. In 2011, the population of Bengal was estimated to be
250 million,[1] making it one of the most densely populated regions in the world.[5] Among them, an
estimated 160 million people live in Bangladesh and 91.3 million people live in West Bengal. The
predominant ethnolinguistic group is the Bengali people, who speak the Indo-Aryan Bengali
language. Bengali Muslims are the majority in Bangladesh and Bengali Hindus are the majority in
West Bengal and Tripura, while Barak Valley contains almost equal proportions of Bengali Hindus
and Bengali Muslims. Outside Bengal proper, the Indian territories of Jharkhand, Bihar and
the Andaman and Nicobar Islands are also home to significant communities of Bengalis.
Dense woodlands, including hilly rainforests, cover Bengal's northern and eastern areas; while an
elevated forested plateau covers its central area. In the littoral southwest are the Sundarbans, the
world's largest mangrove forest and home of the Bengal tiger. In the coastal southeast lies Cox's
Bazar, the longest beach in the world at 125 km (78 mi).[6] The region has a monsoon climate, which
the Bengali calendar divides into six seasons.
At times an independent regional empire, Bengal was a leading power in South Asia and later the
Islamic East, with extensive trade networks. In antiquity, its kingdoms were known as seafaring
nations. Bengal was known to the Greeks as Gangaridai, notable for mighty military power. It was
described by Greek historians that Alexander the Great withdrew from India anticipating a
counterattack from an alliance of Gangaridai.[7] Later writers noted merchant shipping links between
Bengal and Roman Egypt. The Bengali Pala Empire was the last major Buddhist imperial power in
the subcontinent,[8] founded in 750 and becoming the dominant power in the northern Indian
subcontinent by the 9th century,[9][10] before being replaced by the Hindu Sena dynasty in the 12th
century.[8]
Islam was introduced during the Pala Empire, through trade with the Abbasid Caliphate.[11] Following
the formation of the Delhi Sultanate in the 13th century, Islam spread across the Bengal region.
During the Islamic Bengal Sultanate, founded in 1352, Bengal was a major trading nation in the
world and was often referred to by Europeans as the richest country to trade with.
[12]
 The Khorasanis referred to the land as an "inferno full of gifts", due to its unbearable climate but
abundance of wealth.[13] It was later absorbed into the Mughal Empire in 1576. Bengal Subah,
described as the Paradise of the Nations,[14] was the empire's wealthiest province, and became a
major global exporter,[15][16][17] a center of worldwide industries such as cotton textiles, silk,
[18]
 and shipbuilding.[19] Its economy was worth 12% of the world's GDP,[20][21][22] a value bigger than the
entirety of Western Europe, and its citizens' living standards were among the world's highest.[23]
[24]
 Bengal's economy underwent a period of proto-industrialization during this period.[25] It was
conquered by the British East India Company after the Battle of Plassey in 1757 and became
the Bengal Presidency of the British Raj. Bengal made significant contributions to the world's
first Industrial Revolution, but experienced its own deindustrialisation.[26] The East India Company
increased agriculture tax rates from 10% to up to 50%, which caused multiple famines such as
the Great Bengal famine of 1770 which caused the death of 10 million Bengalis and the Bengal
famine of 1943 which killed millions.
Bengal played a major role in the Indian independence movement, in which revolutionary
groups were dominant. Armed attempts to overthrow the British Raj began with the Sannyasi and
Fakir Rebellion, and reached a climax when Subhas Chandra Bose led the Indian National
Army allied with Japan to fight against the British. A large number of Bengalis died in the
independence struggle and many were exiled in Cellular Jail, located in Andaman. The United
 Kingdom Cabinet Mission of 1946 split the region between India and Pakistan, an action popularly
known as the partition of Bengal (1947). This was opposed by the Prime Minister of Bengal, Huseyn
Shaheed Suhrawardy, and nationalist leader Sarat Chandra Bose. They campaigned for a united
and independent nation-state of Bengal. The initiative failed owing to British diplomacy and
communal conflict between Muslims and Hindus. Subsequently, Pakistan ruled East Bengal which
later became the independent nation of Bangladesh by the Bangladesh War of Independence in
1971.

Contents

 1Etymology

 2Geography

o 2.1Geographic distinctions

 2.1.1North Bengal

 2.1.2Northeast Bengal

 2.1.3Central Bengal

 2.1.4South Bengal

 2.1.5Southeast Bengal

o 2.2Places of interest

 3Flora and fauna

 4History

o 4.1Prehistory

o 4.2Antiquity

o 4.3Medieval era

o 4.4Mughal era (1576–1757)

o 4.5Colonial era (1757–1947)

o 4.6Post-partition (1947–present)

 4.6.1India

 4.6.2Bangladesh
  4.6.2.1East Pakistan (1947–1971)

 4.6.2.2Bangladesh (1971–present)

 5Historical maps and flags of states

o 5.1Maps

o 5.2Flags

 6Politics

o 6.1Bangladeshi Republic

o 6.2Indian Bengal

o 6.3Crossborder relations

 7Demographics

 8Economy

o 8.1Intra-Bengal trade

 9Major cities

o 9.1Metropolises

o 9.2Major ports

o 9.3Tourist attractions

 10Strategic importance

 11Culture

o 11.1Language

o 11.2Currency

o 11.3Literature

o 11.4Personification

o 11.5Art

o 11.6Architecture

o 11.7Sciences
 o 11.8Music

o 11.9Cuisine

o 11.10Boats

o 11.11Attire

o 11.12Festivals

o 11.13Media

o 11.14Sports

 12See also

 13Notes

 14References

 15External links

ransport
Main article: Transport in Bihar

Patna river port on national inland waterways-1 at Gai Ghat

Steamers and dredgers at Gai Ghat, Patna

Airways
Bihar has two operational airports: Lok Nayak Jayaprakash Airport, Patna; and Gaya Airport.

Inland Waterways
The Ganges is navigable throughout the year, and was the principal river highway across the
vast Indo-Gangetic Plain. Vessels capable of accommodating five hundred merchants were known
to ply this river in the ancient period, when it served as a conduit for overseas trade. The role of the
Ganges as a channel for trade was enhanced by its natural links to major rivers and streams in north
and south Bihar.[142]

Tourism
Main article: Tourism in Bihar

The Mahabodhi Temple, among the four holy sites related to the life of the Lord Buddha and UNESCO World
Heritage Site

The culture and heritage of Bihar can be observed from the large number
of ancient monuments spread throughout the state. Bihar is visited by many tourists from around the
world,[143] with about 24 million tourists visiting the state each year.[143]
In earlier days, tourism in the region was purely based on educational tourism, as Bihar was home of
some prominent ancient universities like Nalanda and Vikramashila.[144][145][relevant?  –  discuss]

Sabhyata Dwar in Patna

 
 

Monuments of Darbhanga
 

Remains of the ancient city of Vaishali

 

Trolley ride in Rajgir

 

The tomb of Sher Shah Suri is in the Sasaram town of Bihar

 

Barabar Caves – Asokan Inscription

 


 Vikramshila Monastery
 

Buddha Smriti Park

the plastered walls of mud huts, and is also done on cloth, handmade paper and canvas. Famous
Mithila painters include Smt Bharti Dayal, Mahasundari Devi, the late Ganga Devi, and Sita Devi.
Mithila painting is also called Madhubani art. It mostly depicts human beings and their association
with nature. Common scenes illustrate deities and Saraswati from ancient epics, celestial objects,
and religious plants like Tulsi, and scenes from the royal court and social events. Generally, no
space is left empty.[118]
The Patna School of Painting (Patna Salaam), sometimes called "Company Painting", flourished in
Bihar during the early 18th to mid-20th centuries. It was an offshoot of the Mughal Miniature School
of Painting. Those who practiced this art form were descendants of Hindu artisans of Mughal
painting. Facing persecution from the Mughal Emperor, Aurangzeb, these artisans found refuge,
via Murshidabad, in Patna during the late 18th century. Their art shared the characteristics of the
Mughal painters, expanded subject matter from court scenes to bazaar scenes, daily life and
ceremonies. They used watercolours on paper and on mica. This school of painting formed the basis
for the formation of the Patna Art School under the leadership of Shri Radha Mohan. The school is
an important centre of the fine arts in Bihar.

Performing arts
See also: Music of Bihar

Bihar has produced musicians like Bharat Ratna, Ustad Bismillah Khan and dhrupad singers like the
Malliks (Darbhanga Gharana) and the Mishras (Bettiah Gharana), along with poets
like Vidyapati Thakur who contributed to Maithili music. The classical music in Bihar is a form
of Hindustani classical music.[citation needed]
Gaya is another centre of classical music, particularly of
the Tappa and Thumri varieties. Pandit Govardhan Mishra – son of the Ram Prasad Mishra, himself
an accomplished singer – is perhaps the finest living exponent of Tappa singing in India, according
to Padma Shri Gajendra Narayan Singh, founding secretary of the Sangeet Natak Academi of
Bihar[citation needed].
Gajendra Narayan Singh also writes, in his memoir, that Champanagar, Banaili, was another major
centre of classical music. Rajkumar Shyamanand Sinha of Champanagar, Banaili princely state, was
a great patron of music and was himself one of the finest exponents of classical vocal music in Bihar
in his time.[119] Singh, in another book on Indian classical music, wrote that "Kumar Shyamanand
Singh of Banaili estate had such expertise in singing that many great singers including Kesarbai
Kerkar acknowledged his ability. After listening to bandishes from Kumar Sahib, Pandit Jasraj was
moved to tears and lamented that, alas, he did not have such ability himself." [free translation of
Hindi text].[120][121]
During the 19th century, many Biharis emigrated as indentured labourers to the West Indies, Fiji,
and Mauritius. During this time many sad plays and songs called birha became popular in
the Bhojpur region, as Bhojpuri Birha. Dramas incorporating this theme continue to be popular in the
theatres of Patna.[122][better  source  needed]
 

Vidyapati
 

Magahi folk singers
 

Bharat Ratna Ustad Bismillah Khan, from Dumraon, Bihar.

Cinema
Main article: Cinema of Bihar

See also: Bhojpuri Film Industry and List of Bhojpuri films

Anurita Jha acted as the lead actress in Maithili film Mithila Makhaan

Bihar has a robust Bhojpuri-language film industry. There is also a smaller production

of Magadhi-, Maithili- and Angika-language films. The first film with Bhojpuri dialogue was Ganga
Jamuna, released in 1961.[123] Bhaiyaa, the first Magadhi film, was released in 1961.[124] The
first Maithili movie was Kanyadan released in 1965.[125] Maithili film Mithila Makhaan won the National
Film Award for Best Maithili Film in 2016.[126] The history of films entirely in Bhojpuri begins in 1962
with the well-received film Ganga Maiyya Tohe Piyari Chadhaibo ("Mother Ganges, I will offer you a
yellow sari"), which was directed by Kundan Kumar.[127] 1963's Lagi nahin chute ram was the all-time
hit Bhojpuri film, and had higher attendance than Mughal-e-Azam in the eastern and northern
regions of India. Bollywood's Nadiya Ke Paar is another well-known Bhojpuri-language movie. Films
such as Bidesiya ("Foreigner", 1963, directed by S. N. Tripathi) and Ganga ("Ganges", 1965,
directed by Kundan Kumar) were profitable and popular, but in general Bhojpuri films were not
commonly produced in the 1960s and 1970s.
In the 1980s, enough Bhojpuri films were produced to support a dedicated industry. Films such
as Mai ("Mom", 1989, directed by Rajkumar Sharma) and Hamar Bhauji ("My Brother's Wife", 1983,
directed by Kalpataru) had success at the box office. However, this trend faded during the 1990s.[128]
In 2001, Bhojpuri films regained popularity with Saiyyan Hamar ("My Sweetheart", directed by
Mohan Prasad), which raised actor Ravi Kishan to prominence.[129] Several other commercially
successful films followed, including Panditji Batai Na Biyah Kab Hoi ("Priest, tell me when I will
marry", 2005, directed by Mohan Prasad) and Sasura Bada Paisa Wala ("My father-in-law, the rich
guy", 2005). These films did much better business in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar than mainstream
Bollywood hits at the time, and were both made on extremely tight budgets.[130] Sasura Bada Paisa
Wala also introduced Manoj Tiwari, formerly a well-loved folk singer, to the wider audiences
of Bhojpuri cinema. The success of Ravi Kishan and Manoj Tiwari's films led to a revival in Bhojpuri
cinema, and the industry began to support an awards show[131] and trade magazine Bhojpuri City.
[132]
 The industry produces over one hundred films per year.[citation needed]

Religion
Main article: Religion in Bihar
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transparent;position:absolute;width:100px;line-height:0;
Religions in Bihar (2011)[71]

  Hinduism (82.69%)

  Islam (16.87%)

  Christianity (0.12%)

  Other religions (0.31%)

Hindu Goddess Sita, the consort of Lord Rama, is believed to have been born in Sitamarhi district in
the Mithila region of modern-day Bihar.[133][134] Gautama Buddha attained Enlightenment at Bodh
Gaya, a town located in the modern day district of Gaya in Bihar. Vasupujya, the 12th
Jain Tirthankara was born in Champapuri, Bhagalpur. Vardhamana Mahavira, the 24th and
last Tirthankara of Jainism, was born in Vaishali around the 6th century BC.[135]

Mahavir Mandir dedicated to Lord Hanuman

 

Vishnupadh Temple, Gaya, Bihar

 


Buddha's statue at Bodh Gaya's temple
 

31 feet Statue of Lord Vasupujya, Champapur, Bhagalpur

 

Sita Kund at Sitamarhi, Mithila, Bihar is believed to be the birthplace of Hindu Goddess Sita[136]

 

Buddha's Statue - Bihar Museum