Part IX — Culture, Festivals, and Heritage
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Chapter 9: Festivals, Art Forms, Languages, Cuisine, and Tourism
9.1 Chhath Puja — Bihar's Signature Festival
Chhath Puja is Bihar's most distinctive and widely celebrated festival, dedicated to the Sun God (Surya) and Chhathi Maiya, observed over four days in the Hindu month of Kartik (typically October–November), roughly six days after Diwali. Devotees observe a rigorous fast and offer prayers (Arghya) to the setting and rising sun while standing in water bodies — rivers, ponds, or specially constructed ghats — making it one of the few major Hindu festivals centred on worship of the rising sun, without any accompanying idol worship. Chhath is celebrated with particular intensity across Bihar, Jharkhand, and the Purvanchal region of Uttar Pradesh, and has spread wherever Bihari and Purvanchali diaspora communities have settled (including Mauritius, Trinidad, Fiji, and Nepal's Terai region), making it a significant marker of regional cultural identity.
9.2 Other Major Festivals and Fairs
Sonepur Mela (also called the Harihar Kshetra Mela), held annually at Sonepur near Patna at the confluence of the Ganga and Gandak rivers, is traditionally described as Asia's largest cattle fair, with a history extending back centuries and historically significant as a trading point for elephants, horses, and cattle. Rajgir Mahotsav celebrates the cultural heritage of ancient Rajgir. Pitrapaksha Mela at Gaya draws pilgrims for ancestral rites (Pind Daan) at the Vishnupad Temple, tied to the Falgu river discussed in the geography chapter. Bihula-Bishahari festivals in parts of Bihar honour snake deities, reflecting the region's syncretic folk-religious traditions.
9.3 Art Forms
Madhubani painting (also called Mithila painting), originating in the Madhubani/Mithila region of North Bihar, is Bihar's most internationally recognised art form — traditionally practised by women using natural pigments and dyes on freshly plastered mud walls and floors, and more recently on paper and cloth for commercial and artistic distribution. The art form is characterised by intricate geometric patterns, bold colours, and depictions of religious and mythological themes, nature, and social occasions such as weddings. Madhubani painting has received Geographical Indication (GI) recognition. Other traditional Bihar crafts include Sikki grass craft (woven decorative and utility items, GI-tagged, from the Mithila region), Sujini embroidery, and Manjusha art (a scroll-painting tradition from the Bhagalpur region, associated with the Bishahari/snake-worship folk tradition).
9.4 Languages and Literature
Bihar's linguistic landscape is notably diverse for a single state: Bhojpuri (spoken across western Bihar and extending into eastern Uttar Pradesh, with a significant global diaspora presence via indentured-labour migration history to Mauritius, Fiji, Trinidad, Suriname, and Guyana), Maithili (spoken in the Mithila region — Darbhanga, Madhubani — recognised as a scheduled language under the Eighth Schedule of the Indian Constitution, with a substantial classical literary tradition including the poet Vidyapati), Magahi (spoken in the Magadh region — Gaya, Nawada, Nalanda), Angika (spoken in the Anga region — Bhagalpur, Munger), and Bajjika (spoken around Muzaffarpur/Vaishali). Hindi and Urdu serve as Bihar's official languages, functioning as the primary languages of administration and education even where a regional language is a household's first language.
9.5 Cuisine
Bihari cuisine is known for dishes such as Litti Chokha (roasted wheat-flour balls stuffed with sattu/roasted gram flour, served with mashed vegetable chokha), Sattu-based preparations more broadly (Sattu Paratha, Sattu Sharbat — a popular summer cooling drink), Thekua (a sweet, deep-fried wheat-flour snack particularly associated with Chhath Puja offerings), and Khaja (a layered, flaky sweet particularly associated with Silao, near Nalanda, and traditionally offered at religious functions).
9.6 Tourism Circuits
Bihar's tourism profile is dominated by Buddhist circuit destinations (Bodh Gaya, Nalanda, Rajgir, Vaishali) drawing pilgrims and tourists from across the Buddhist world (Sri Lanka, Thailand, Myanmar, Japan, and beyond), alongside Jain pilgrimage sites (Vaishali, Pawapuri — where Mahavira is believed to have attained Nirvana), Sikh heritage sites (Patna Sahib/Takht Sri Harmandir Sahib, the birthplace of the tenth Sikh Guru, Guru Gobind Singh, one of Sikhism's five Takhts), and Hindu pilgrimage sites (Vishnupad Temple at Gaya, Mundeshwari Temple in Kaimur district — among India's oldest surviving Hindu temples, with an octagonal shape).
9.7 Practice Set — Culture, Festivals, and Heritage (25 MCQs)
- Chhath Puja is dedicated primarily to worship of:
(a) The Moon God (b) The Sun God (Surya) and Chhathi Maiya (c) Lord Shiva (d) Goddess Durga - Chhath Puja is typically observed over how many days?
(a) Two (b) Three (c) Four (d) Seven - Which of the following is a distinctive feature of Chhath Puja rituals?
(a) Idol immersion in rivers (b) Offering Arghya to the setting and rising sun while standing in water (c) Fire-walking (d) Animal sacrifice - Sonepur Mela, held at the confluence of the Ganga and Gandak, is traditionally described as:
(a) Asia's largest cattle fair (b) India's largest book fair (c) The world's largest religious congregation (d) A purely modern commercial trade fair with no historical roots - Madhubani painting originates from which region of Bihar?
(a) Magadh region (b) Mithila region (c) Anga region (d) Saran region - Madhubani painting is traditionally practised primarily by:
(a) Men only (b) Women, using natural pigments on mud walls and floors (c) Only professional urban artists (d) Foreign tourists - Which art form is a scroll-painting tradition from the Bhagalpur region, associated with snake-worship traditions?
(a) Madhubani painting (b) Manjusha art (c) Sikki grass craft (d) Sujini embroidery - Maithili, spoken in the Mithila region, is recognised as:
(a) A dialect with no formal recognition (b) A scheduled language under the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution (c) A dead/extinct language (d) A dialect of Bengali exclusively - The classical Maithili poet associated with this region's literary tradition is:
(a) Kalidasa (b) Vidyapati (c) Tulsidas (d) Kabir - Bhojpuri has a significant global diaspora presence due to historical migration to:
(a) Only within India (b) Mauritius, Fiji, Trinidad, Suriname, and Guyana, among others (c) Only to the Middle East (d) Only to East Africa - Angika is primarily spoken in which region of Bihar?
(a) Mithila region (b) Anga region (Bhagalpur, Munger) (c) Magadh region (d) Saran region - Litti Chokha, a signature Bihari dish, consists of roasted wheat-flour balls stuffed with:
(a) Potatoes (b) Sattu (roasted gram flour) (c) Paneer (d) Rice - Thekua, a sweet snack, is particularly associated with which festival?
(a) Holi (b) Diwali (c) Chhath Puja (d) Eid - Khaja, a layered flaky sweet, is particularly associated with which town near Nalanda?
(a) Rajgir (b) Silao (c) Bihar Sharif (d) Pawapuri - Patna Sahib (Takht Sri Harmandir Sahib) is significant as the birthplace of:
(a) Guru Nanak (b) Guru Gobind Singh (c) Guru Tegh Bahadur (d) Guru Arjan Dev - Patna Sahib is recognised as one of Sikhism's:
(a) Five Takhts (b) Only historical gurdwaras with no special status (c) Seven sacred rivers (d) Nine treasures - Pawapuri is significant in Jain tradition as the site where:
(a) Mahavira was born (b) Mahavira is believed to have attained Nirvana (c) The first Jain temple was built (d) Rishabhanatha was born - Mundeshwari Temple, among India's oldest surviving Hindu temples, is located in which district?
(a) Gaya (b) Kaimur (c) Rohtas (d) Nawada - Mundeshwari Temple is notable for its distinctive:
(a) Circular shape (b) Octagonal shape (c) Pyramidal shape (d) Rectangular shape with no distinguishing feature - Sikki grass craft, a GI-tagged traditional craft, originates from which region?
(a) Magadh region (b) Mithila region (c) Anga region (d) Munger region - Bihar's official languages are:
(a) Only Hindi (b) Hindi and Urdu (c) Only Bhojpuri (d) Only Maithili - Sattu Sharbat, a popular Bihari summer drink, is made from:
(a) Roasted gram flour (sattu) (b) Wheat flour dough (c) Rice flour (d) Milk and saffron - Bihar's "Buddhist circuit" tourism destinations include Bodh Gaya, Nalanda, Rajgir, and:
(a) Vaishali (b) Sasaram (c) Munger (d) Kishanganj - Pitrapaksha Mela, drawing pilgrims for ancestral rites, is held at:
(a) Gaya (b) Rajgir (c) Sonepur (d) Vaishali - Which of the following best describes Bihar's overall linguistic landscape?
(a) A single uniform language across the entire state (b) Notably diverse, with Bhojpuri, Maithili, Magahi, Angika, and Bajjika alongside official Hindi and Urdu (c) Exclusively English-speaking (d) No regional languages exist
Answer Key
1.(b)
2.(c)
3.(b)
4.(a)
5.(b)
6.(b)
7.(b)
8.(b)
9.(b)
10.(b)
11.(b)
12.(b)
13.(c)
14.(b)
15.(b)
16.(a)
17.(b)
18.(b)
19.(b)
20.(b)
21.(b)
22.(a)
23.(a)
24.(a) 25.(b)