Tourism, one of the most attractive industries, attracts people from all over to know and experience a place and satiate their hunger for exploration. Bihar, a state in eastern India, is a historical hub with more than 70 nationally protected monuments and several historically important sites. The government of Bihar is leveraging this opportunity to put the eastern state on the tourism map.
However rich in ancient history, several major sites like Ashokan pillar and Buddhist Stupa at Lauria Nandangarh in West Champaran and even the Nalanda ruins, a World Heritage Site and the country’s oldest university, have lost their charm due to waterlogging, dense greenery and improper pathways leading to the sites.
Bihar gets archaeological “Atlas”
Such administrative negligence from a long time, coupled with the wrong notions about Bihar have made it suffer its rich heritage with oblivion. But Bihar will not remain oblivious anymore as the state government has mapped all cultural sites for the people to visit the state with ease. The government has published an archaeological “atlas” highlighting the importance of at least 300 cultural sites all over Bihar, in both Hindi and English. It is a first-of-its-kind archaeological atlas with 400-page that was introduced by Union Culture Secretary Govind Mohan in September.
Ajeet Kumar of Study Today Publications had done the cartography, designed and printed the atlas. He said that over the course of seven years, a technical team traveled more than 25,000 kilometers.
Bihar’s heritage tourism is restricted to only UNESCO and nationally protected sites that attract huge crowds from all over the world. This is due to the unawareness regarding the other marvels of the ancient state which are not much highlighted due to administrative ignorance. Taking into account all this, the Development Commissioner of Bihar Vivek Kumar Singh started the Bihar Archaeological Atlas in 2015 while being the Cultural Secretary of the State. He told the Indian English magazine Frontline, “I took on this project so that we can in layman’s words explain the significance of these sites, especially for future generations.”
Difficulties in mapping
He further said, “When we talk about history and heritage in Bihar, it is mainly limited to the central and southern parts because north Bihar has suffered in terms of monuments owing to recurrent floods.” Singh also informed that major tourism comprises foreigners among whom the districts of Bodh Gaya, Rajgir, and Vaishali are favorite. Domestic travelers must learn to value these locations, he advised.
Vivek Kumar Singh, a native of Darbhanga, associated personal connection to the project which was a tough job. According to him Bihar’s dense population made it difficult to accurately document monuments and cultural places. “Take the example of the Begu Hajjam Mosque in Patna. It is a very important site but because the vicinity is so crowded, it is difficult to map it,” he said. The Begu Hajjam mosque dates back to the 15th century.
Bihar’s Atlas- a mix of geography and history
The book is a coffee table-style book in which the government has attempted to merge both geography and history. The atlas includes photographs and maps of artworks, artifacts, structures, ruins, and monuments. Historical documents, legends, mythology, and traveler’s tales have been its sources. The copies of the atlas have reached libraries, government agencies, and academic institutions. The atlas would be reasonably priced and available online by November end. For students, a paperback version will be available.
An average traveler would face a lot of difficulties in Bihar. Poor connectivity and stay can prove hurdles in their journey. However, Vivek said that popular destinations like Bodh Gaya have well-maintained roads and lodging facilities. He highlighted another issue of nil investment in other areas due to the low frequency of travelers.
Active marketing and promotion of tourist locations is vital, along with the building of essential infrastructure, according to archaeologist and executive director of the government-run Bihar Heritage Development Society Bijoy Kumar Choudhary. Bihar, he noted, has failed to promote itself as a significant Sufi center. He advised that religious tourism needed to be cultivated.
