Bihar GK Questions and Answers – Page 2

contributor to Bihar's craft economy. The wording of the question specifically requires the association represented by Bhagalpur. Option A (Patna) is incorrect because it does not match the specific person, district, place, institution, event or factual association asked in the question. Option B (Gaya) is incorrect because it does not match the specific person, district, place, institution, event or factual association asked in the question. Option D (Darbhanga) is incorrect because it does not match the specific person, district, place, institution, event or factual association asked in the question. Thus the correct option is supported by the relevant Bihar-related historical, geographical, cultural or administrative context, whereas every distractor fails the exact person–place–event relationship. Bhagalpur is known as the 'Silk City' or 'City of Silk' due to its thriving Tussar (Tasar) silk industry. Bhagalpur Tussar silk, also known as Bhagalpuri silk, is famous for its rich texture, natural golden sheen, and durability. This silk has received a Geographical Indication (GI) tag from the Government of India, recognizing its unique regional identity. The silk weaving tradition in Bhagalpur dates back several centuries and involves thousands of weaver families who depend on this craft for their livelihood. Bhagalpuri silk sarees and fabric are exported across India and internationally. Patna is the state capital and a major administrative and commercial city but is not known for silk production. Gaya is a religious city associated with Buddhist and Hindu pilgrimage, particularly Bodh Gaya, but does not have a prominent silk industry. Darbhanga is the cultural capital of the Mithila region, known for its Sanskrit scholarship and Madhubani painting connections, but it is not called the City of Silk. The Bhagalpur silk industry provides employment to over 200,000 people in the region and is a significant contributor to Bihar's craft economy.

The Karnauta (Karnata) dynasty of Mithila was founded by Nanyadeva (also written as Nanya Deva) around 1097 CE. He was a king from the Karnata region of South India who established rule over Mithila (north Bihar). The dynasty is also called the Nanyapala dynasty after him. The Karnauta rulers were great patrons of Sanskrit learning, Maithili literature, and the arts. The famous king Hari Singh Deva of this dynasty later became a feudatory of the Delhi Sultanate. The dynasty was gradually displaced by the rise of the Oiniwar dynasty in Mithila. Hari Singh was a later king of the Karnauta dynasty, not its founder. Shaktisimha has no direct connection to the founding of this dynasty. Ramananda was a 15th-century Vaishnava saint and teacher, not a ruler. The Karnauta dynasty is important for Bihar's medieval history and is occasionally asked in BPSC and related exams.

The Gandak river (also known as Narayani in Nepal) originates from the Tibetan plateau and flows through Nepal before entering Bihar through the West Champaran district. However, the Someshwar hills in Nepal are associated with the Gandak's tributaries and its entry point into Bihar. The Gandak enters Bihar at Trivenighat near Valmiki Nagar (West Champaran), where the Valmiki Tiger Reserve is located. It then flows south and joins the Ganga at Hajipur (Vaishali). The Bagmati originates from the Shivpuri hills of Nepal and flows through Sitamarhi district before entering Bihar. The Burhi Gandak (Old Gandak) is a separate river that flows through north Bihar and is different from the Gandak. The Rapti is a tributary of the Ghaghra and flows primarily through Uttar Pradesh and Nepal. The Gandak is significant for the Gandak Irrigation Project (Valmiki Nagar Barrage), which benefits both Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. Hajipur, at the Gandak-Ganga confluence, is famous for its banana cultivation.

Jharkhand was carved out of southern Bihar on November 15, 2000, under the Bihar Reorganization Act, 2000. The date of November 15 was chosen to coincide with the birth anniversary of Birsa Munda, the revered tribal leader and freedom fighter who fought against British colonial rule and is considered a 'dharti aaba' (father of the earth) by tribal communities. Ranchi became the capital of the newly formed state of Jharkhand. The demand for a separate Jharkhand state had been raised by tribal communities for decades before it was finally granted. November 1, 2000 was the day Chhattisgarh and Uttarakhand (then Uttaranchal) were also formed from Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh respectively, making three new states formed on the same date (with Jharkhand on Nov 15). November 9, 2000 is the date Uttarakhand was formed. November 26 is Constitution Day (Samvidhan Diwas) of India. Bihar lost 18 of its southern districts to Jharkhand after the bifurcation. Patna remained the capital of the remaining Bihar.

The Sonepur Mela (Harihar Kshetra Mela) is held at Sonepur in Saran district of Bihar, at the confluence of the Ganga and Gandak rivers. It is considered Asia's largest cattle fair and is held annually on Kartik Purnima (the full moon day of the Hindu month of Kartik, usually November). The fair has a history spanning thousands of years and is associated with the mythological story of Gajendra Moksha from the Bhagavata Purana, where Lord Vishnu rescued the elephant Gajendra from the grip of a crocodile at this very spot. During the fair, elephants, horses, cattle, and various animals are traditionally traded. The Ganga and Son meet near Patna (Arrah area), not at Sonepur. The Ganga and Kosi confluence is at Kursela in Katihar district. The Ganga and Bagmati confluence is in the Muzaffarpur-Vaishali area. The Sonepur fair also has significant cultural, commercial, and religious importance and attracts visitors from across India and abroad.

The Barabar Caves are located in the Jehanabad/Gaya district of Bihar (the caves are administratively linked to Jehanabad but are geographically close to Gaya). They are the oldest surviving rock-cut caves in India, dating back to the Mauryan period (3rd century BCE), constructed during the reign of Emperor Ashoka. The Barabar hill group has four caves: Lomas Rishi, Sudama, Visvakarma, and Karan Chaupar. The Nagarjuni Hills nearby also have three more caves. Forster based his fictional Marabar Caves in the novel 'A Passage to India' on the Barabar Caves. Nalanda district is famous for the ancient university ruins and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Rohtas district in south Bihar is known for the Rohtas Fort and Rohtasgarh, but not the Barabar Caves. Jamui is a district in south Bihar with tribal heritage but has no connection with the Barabar Caves. These caves are an important ASI-protected monument and a rare example of Mauryan rock-cut architecture.

The Son river (Sone river) forms a significant part of the natural boundary between Bihar and Jharkhand. The Son originates from the Amarkantak plateau in Madhya Pradesh and flows northeast before joining the Ganga near Patna. It flows through Jharkhand and Bihar, and its course marks the boundary in certain stretches between the two states. The Ganga is the principal river of Bihar but flows through the middle of Bihar from west to east and does not form a boundary with Jharkhand. The Punpun is a tributary of the Ganga that flows through central Bihar and is not a boundary river with Jharkhand. The Falgu river flows through Gaya district and is a sacred river in Hindu tradition, but it does not mark the Bihar-Jharkhand boundary. Jharkhand was carved out of Bihar on November 15, 2000. The Son river is also significant for the Indrapuri Barrage and Bansagar Dam project (shared between MP, UP, and Bihar). Understanding the river boundaries is essential for Bihar geography questions in BPSC exams.

Madhubani paintings, also known as Mithila paintings, originate from the Madhubani district of Bihar. This ancient folk art tradition is practiced predominantly by women of the Mithila region and uses natural dyes and pigments. The paintings are characterized by geometric patterns, depictions of Hindu deities, nature motifs, and scenes from epics and folklore. Madhubani painting received the Geographical Indication (GI) tag from the Government of India. Sitamarhi district is known for being associated with the birthplace of Goddess Sita but is not the primary center of Madhubani paintings. Darbhanga is the cultural capital of the Mithila region and is important in many ways but is not specifically named for this painting style. Muzaffarpur is famous for litchi production and is a major commercial center. Madhubani paintings are sold across the world and are a significant source of income for artisans in the district.

The Champaran Satyagraha of 1917 was launched by Mahatma Gandhi against the Tinkathia system (Tinkathiya pratha). Gandhi was invited by Raj Kumar Shukla, a local peasant leader, to visit Champaran. After surveying the situation, Gandhi launched a non-violent resistance movement, which became the first successful Satyagraha in India on Indian soil. The Salt tax was the target of the Dandi March (Salt Satyagraha) in 1930, not the Champaran movement. The Zamindari system involved landlord exploitation of tenants but was not specifically the target of the 1917 Champaran movement. The Ryotwari system was a land revenue system prevalent in Madras and Bombay Presidencies. The Champaran Agrarian Act of 1917 eventually abolished the Tinkathia system.

Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth and last human Sikh Guru, was born in Patna on December 22, 1666. The Patna Sahib Gurudwara (also called Takht Sri Patna Sahib) is one of the five Takhts (holy seats of temporal authority) of Sikhism and is built at the birthplace of Guru Gobind Singh. Guru Gobind Singh is revered for founding the Khalsa Panth in 1699 and introducing the five K's (Panj Kakars) for Sikhs. He spent his early childhood in Patna before moving to Anandpur Sahib. Guru Nanak Dev was the first Sikh Guru and founder of Sikhism; he was born in Nankana Sahib (Pakistan), not Patna. Guru Tegh Bahadur was the ninth Sikh Guru and father of Guru Gobind Singh; he visited Patna but was not born there. Guru Arjan Dev was the fifth Sikh Guru who compiled the Adi Granth. The Patna Sahib Gurudwara draws millions of pilgrims every year, especially during the birth anniversary (Gurpurab) of Guru Gobind Singh.