Bhagalpur
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Bhagalpur is a district in the state of Bihar in the eastern part of India.
The town of Bhagalpur is a small town of historical importance situated on the southern bank of the Ganga river. Situated 220km east of state capital Patna and 410km north west of Calcutta is well connected by rail and road.
Bhagalpur is famous worldwide for its silk production. The silk industry in this city is hundreds of years old (maybe even a thousand years) and a whole clan exists that has been producing silk for generations. There is a Silk Institute and Agricultural college there, as well as a University, and Engineering, Medical and Homeopath colleges.
References to Bhagalpur can be found in great Indian epics like the Ramayana and theMahabharata where Bhagalpur has been described as the kingdom of Anga. Mandar Hill, situated 52km south from Bhagalpur, is believed to have been used as Churner during Samudra-Manthan by God and Danav according to Indian epics. Ancient cave sculptures of Emperor Ashoka's regime (274 BC-232 BC) are found in the neighbourhood and at Sultanginj, 20 km west of Bhagalpur, a temple of the Gupta period (320-500) still exists. The tomb of Suja, brother of Moghul emperor Aurangzeb, in the heart of the town is reminiscent of the city's association with the Mughal period.
Ruins of ancient Vikramshila University are located 44 km east of Bhagalpur. It was the medieval centre to the conservation and propagation of Buddhist education, established by King Dharampal of Bengal (783-820) at the end of the 8th century.
The gangetic plains are very fertile and the main crops include rice, wheat, maize, barley, and oilseeds. The economy of Bhagalpur is dependent mainly on agriculure and silk.
References
- Bhagalpur Online (http://www.bhagalpuronline.com)