New Delhi: The state of Bihar is celebrating 109th foundation day on Monday. On this day, Bihar was carved out from Bengal in 1912. The state government has been celebrating the Bihar Diwas every year on March 22 since 2010. The state of Bihar has a rich historical legacy. People of Bihar can be often found taking pride in its history. The history dates back to ancient times. Although the Bihar Diwas has been celebrated in the last 109 years, the history of the state is more than thousand years old.
Bihar has been known for its glorious past since the ancient times. Many notable figures have emerged from the region. King Janaka, Maharishi Vishwamitra, Strategist Chanakya, Samrat Chadragupta and Samrat Ashoka hailed from this region. Many scholars, thinkers and philosophers have also been connected to the land of Bihar. Many religious figures have also emerged from Bihar. It is the land of Goddess Sita, Mahatma Buddha, Lord Mahavira and Guru Govind Singh. Many Sufi Saints have also emerged from Bihar. They have contributed greatly to the communal harmony in the region.
Bihar is also known for its contributions in the field of academics. Nalanda and Vikramshila universities were among the oldest universities in the world. The land has continued to give many achievers from different fields. Mathmatician Aryabhatta also hailed from Bihar. At present, Bihar is known for producing great number of IAS, IPS, Doctors and Engineers every year who serve the country. In Bihar, the achievers are respected a lot. They were projected as inspiration for coming generations.
The people of Bihar had also participated greatly in the freedom fight against the Britishers. One of the most prominent figures during the fight for freedom was Babu Vir Kunwar Singh. Bihar is his birthplace. He had led the fight for freedom and people of Bihar had supported him thoroughly. Many people had sacrificed their lives during the freedom fight. There are many other notable figures who also contributed in India's struggle for freedom. Bharat Ratna Dr Rajendra Prasad, Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narayan, Swami Sahjanand Saraswati, Maulana Mazharul Haq, Dr Shri Krishna Singh, Babu Anugraha Narayan Singh and Jannayak Karpuri Thakur had contributed greatly in the fight for freedom.
Due to the rising coronavirus cases, the Bihar Diwas celebrations are expected to be rather muted in comparison to earlier. On Monday, President Ram Nath Kovind, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar took to Twitter to extend their wishes on the foundation day of Bihar. “Congratulations to everyone on Bihar Diwas, especially the people of Bihar on this day. Apart from its rich historical heritage, Bihar also leads the way in the present. I had the privilege of serving as the Governor of this land which has been a witness to the earliest republic to Mahatma Gandhi's Champaran Satyagraha. My best wishes on this occasion,” tweeted the President in Hindi.
PM Modi tweeted, “Best wishes to the people of state on Bihar Diwas. The state, which is known for its glorious past and rich culture, should continue to create new dimensions.” CM Nitish Kumar wrote, “Heartiest greetings to the people of Bihar on Bihar Day. The history of Bihar is glorious and we are currently preparing the glorious future of Bihar. Jai Hind-Jai Bihar.” The theme of this year's Bihar Diwas is 'Jal Jeevan Hariyali'. The theme was decided to raise awarness about declining annual rainfall in the state.
