Wildlife Tour Bihar

Bihar Wildlife Tourism is one of the most promising tourisms offers best of wildlife sanctuaries and Tiger Reserves. India has wildlife Sanctuaries and Wildlife Reserves galore in which Wildlife in Bihar has an important place. Bihar Wildlife Tourism offers exodus of Wildlife National Park, wildlife sanctuary and Wildlife Safari. BBT provides best of Bihar Wildlife tour Packages to palate your taste buds for experiencing best of Wildlife Travel. 

With 21 wildlife sanctuaries and 2 wildlife national parks including Tiger Reserves Bihar marks to be the best in the country for witnessing the wonders of the nature. Huge area gives ample space for the creatures to thrive in natural habitats. The state Government has taken special initiatives to take proper care of the Wildlife and maintain the fragile ecosystem. Bihar wildlife sanctuaries are very renowned because they are home to some endangered species whose number has increased in the recent few years. Rajgir Wildlife Sanctuary and Valmiki Wildlife Sanctuary are the most famous of all the sanctuaries in Bihar.
Apart from hundreds of species of resident birds, there are similar numbers of migratory birds coming every year during winters and could be a dream come true experience for the bird watchers. 

Rajgir Wildlife Sanctuary 

Rajgir Wildlife Sanctuary is one of splendid sanctuaries covers an area of around 34 sq km. It is quite less than other sanctuaries of India, but this makes it even more interesting because the number of animals here is not less than any other sanctuaries of India. Leopards, Nilgai, Barking deer, and Hyena are the most common of all and could be seen easily. There are many more sanctuaries nearby like the Gautam Buddha Sanctuary in Gaya and Koderma Wildlife Sanctuary. These are main attractions of Wildlife tour Packages offered by BBT.

Bhimbandh Sanctuary

Bhimbandh Sanctuary covers an area of 682 sq km and situated close to Bhagalpur. This is well-known for the splendid bird life than land animals. Nearly 106 varieties of resident birds could be seen here. During the migration season (winters) the number of birds shoots up because these come from Central Asia and make nests here. Land animals like Tigers, panthers, wild boars, smabar, chitals and nilgai are could be seen in this sanctuary.

Valmikinagar Wildlife Sanctuary

The Valmiki Wildlife National Park is situated within the premises of Valmiki Sanctuary situated in the West Champaran district of Bihar. Right adjacent to the sanctuary is the famous Valmiki Ashram. The bacKEYWORD DESCRIPTIONrop of eastern Himalayas making it amazingly beautiful destination for the tourists to visit. Even if one does not see any wildlife would not return dissatisfied. Flora here contains extensive savannah lands and marshy lands. Being one of the Tiger Reserves, Tigers are one of the main attractions of the park. Other animals are leopars, nilgai, Sambars, hyenas, civets, jungle cats and many more. Wildlife tour Packages offered by BBT let you capture special moments with these species.

Betla Wildlife Reserves

It is 25km from Daltonganj and 175km from Ranchi and is easily accessible by road. The best time to visit Betla is October-November and February-March. Besides other tourist cottages one can opt for Ban Vihar or the Rest Houses for accommodation.

Palamau Tiger Reserve

Palamau Tiger reserve is one of the most interesting sanctuaries in Bihar and spread over an area of nearly 1026 sq km. It is around 180 Km from Ranchi, the capital of Jharkhand state. Palamau reserve is cut across by Koel River and many of its tributaries. However manmade water resources are the sources of survival for all these animals here and making it quite easy for tourists to sight some magnificent animals. Tigers, leopards, elephants, the Indian wolf, gaur and many more are regular visitors to the shores of these manmade lakes. Wildlife Travel galore offered by BBT let you cherish these special moments.

Udhwa Lake Bird Sanctuary

This Bird Sanctuary could bring the best Wildlife Travel moments of your life. It Is constituted by an amazing blend of two delectable lakes namely Pataura and Berhale that sum up together to occupy a cockling area that measures around 565 kilometers. Individually the lakes of Berhale and Pataura gobble up an area of 410 hectares and 155 hectares respectively. It is situated nearby the holy rivulet Ganga that adds to the beauty of the whole atmosphere created here. 

. The major attractions at the Udhwa Lake Bird Sanctuary are Gull, Jacana, Teal, Cormorant, Dabchick, Darter and others. The ones that spend most of their time on the banks satiated with huge quantities of mud are Wader, Lapwing, Plover, Wagtail, Egret, Heron, Ibis, Stork. Birds that explore the lush grasslands and open fields here include Blue Rock Pigeon, Lark, Bee-eater, Sparrow, Myna, Pipit, Bulbul other birds. 

. It houses an astonishing six varied taxonomic categories of Mynas are Pied Myna, Indian Myna, Bank Myna, Jungle Myna, Brahminy along with the extremely rare Grey-headed Myna. 

. Tern, Brahminy Kite, Fishing Eagle, Hawk and Vulture, House and Palm Swift, Swallow, Kingfisher, Drongo, Indian Roller and Parakeet and many more are the absolute opulence of predatory avian creatures. 

. Many migratory birds adore to spend some quality time here are Black-headed and Brown-headed Gull, Grey-headed Lapwing, Little-ringed Plover, Red and Green Shanks, Spotted Green Shanks, Common Sandpiper, Temmink’s Stint, Yellow and White Wagtail, Blue-throat, Western Swallow and others.

Tourist places in Jehanabad

Jehanabad

Introduction

Jehanabad district was carved out of old Gaya district on August 1, 1986. Earlier, it had been a subdivision of the Gaya district since 1872. The main objective behind the creation of this district was to accelerate the pace of development to tackle the problem of extremism, poverty, unemployment and under-development.

The city of Jehanabad, which is the district HQ is situated on the confluence of the rivers Dardha and Jamune. The total land of the district is plain. It is crisscrossed by a number of river and rivulets, all seasonal, such as Galgu, Morhar, Dardha, lamune, Baldeyia and Ganghar.

legends, Hindu as well as Buddhist, take down the history of jehanabad to a period of hoary antiquity. The earliest of the archeological remains in the district are to be found in the Barabar and Nagarjuni hills. The description of jlehanabad is also found in the famous book ‘Aain-e-Akbari’.

Places of Interest

WHAT TO LOOK FOR 
Barabar
 
 
Situated at a distance of 11 km from the Makhdumpur block HQ Barabar can be called a tourist’s paradise. Barabar, connected by a motorable road, consists of a group of hills with distinct peaks. The most conspicuous are the peaks known as Murali, Sandagiri and Siddheshwar. These hills are noted for the world-famous Seven Caves. For sheer panoramic grandeur and rugged natural beauty, very few places in the old Gaya district can be compared to the northern portion of the Barabar hills. There’s an ancient temple of Siddheshwar nath, which from an inscription in one of the neighbouring caves is known to belong to the sixth or seventh century. This temple attracted the attention of pilgrims even before the advent of Buddhism.

Towards the south of Siddheshwar nath Temple at its foot lies a small basin surrounded by hills with openings on the north-east and south-east where walls have been built. Towards the southern corner of the basin are two small sheets of water, which find an outlet under ground to the south-east and reappear in the sacred spring called ‘Patal Ganga’, where a bathing festival is held annually on Anant Chaturdashi.

The Barabar Caves are excavated in the hardest granite with infinite care and the interior surface of all of them contains high polish and is burnished like glass. Chinese traveller Xuanzang its visited this place and has given detailed descriptions of the place in his book. However, the credit for unravelling the charm and appeal of the Barabar hills goes to celebrated British author E M Forster. Forster’s ‘A Passage to India’ is replete with references to the Barabar hills though the name has been changed to Marabar.

Taking into consideration the immense tourism potential, historicity and religious significance of Barabar hills, the Bihar tourism department in association with the district administration has renovated the place giving it an entirely new look.

FACILITIES AT BARABAR

Stairways to the Siddheshwar nath Temple a top the hill
Tourist bungalow at ‘Patal Ganga’
Cafeteria
Piped water facilities
Nagarjuni Museum
Rural Marketing Complex
Police outpost
Telephone booths
Solar and electric lights

Dharaut

About 10 km north-west of Barabar hills, Dharaut has been identified as the site of the Buddhist monastery of Gunamati. At the foot of the Kunwa hill is a large tank known as Chandpokhar or Chandrapokhar. The name of the tank perpetuates the legend that it was excavated by Raja Chandra Sen. Two modern temples at its north-eastern corner once contained a large collection of ancient statues.

Dabthu

Six km east of Hulasganj in the district, Dabthu is chiefly known for its finely-carved images and ruins of temples. In the remains of ancient shrines, one can still see images of deities mutilated and decayed by ravages of time.

Ghejan

Situated in the Tatani-Faridpur block of the district and about 19 km away from jehanabad on the Shakmabad-Ghyan road, this place came light after the Gupta-period stone statues were excavated here. A huge statue of Lord Buddha has been on display in the village.

Kako

Kako is one of the blocks of this district situated at a distance of 10 km from the district HQ. There is a temple in the north-east of the village which has an ancient statue of sungod. There is also a mausoleum of great woman Sufi saint Hazrat Bibi Kamal. Bibi Kamal, aunt of Hazrat Makhdum Saheb of Biharsharif, is said to have been endowed with mystic and divine powers.

Ancient monuments have also been found in several other villages of the district like Bhelawar, Meerabigha, Amthua, Banwaria, Zaroo, Lat, Murgaon, Lari and Umta. 

HOW TO REACH 
  
By Air: 
  
Nearest Airport 
Jhanabad is 55 km from Patna and 50 km from Gaya; that is, it is centrally located between Patna and Gaya. It is linked by both road and rail routes. The Patna-Gaya section of the East Central Railway, popularly known as the PG line, passes through this district.

The Patna-Dobhi national highway also passes through this district, connecting it with the Grand Trunk national highway in the Gaya district. A number of buses ply between jehanabad and other towns of the state, including Patna and Gaya 
  
By Rail: 
  
Emergency,Contact 
District Magistrate: 223001 (Res), 9431226100 (Mobile)
Superintendent of Police: 223110 (Res), 9431822976 (Mobile)
Town Police Station: 223017, 9431822258 
  
Medical Emergencies, Contact District Sadar Hospital: 227794
Civil Surgeon: 9431071836
Dr Girijesh Kumar: 9431279908
Dr Leela Sinha: 223220
Dr K Rajan: 223366, 9431083321
Dr Qaisar Hussain: 9955430466 

By Road: 
Connected by good roads with all Indian cities. 

Where to Stay:
Sriram Hotel, PG Road, Mobile: 9431256935
Shalimar Rest House, PG Road, Mobile: 9234541644
Taj Rest House, PG Road, Mobile: 9934610150
Muralidhar Rest House, PG Road, Mobile: 9939912355
Balaji Rest House, Court area, Mobile: 9431280046 

Local Transport:
Auto rickshaws, Cycle-rickshaws, tangas. 

Tourist Season 
October to March. 

Clothing:
Light cotton in summer and woolen in winter (specially during November to January).

Story of Anti-Bihari sentiment in India

Story of Anti-Bihari sentiment in India

Bihari refers to the people of the Indian state of Bihar, which is a region in the north-eastern Gangetic plains (as well as people of the Bihari ethnic group  that originated there). Bihar has had slower economic growth than the rest of India in the 1990s, and as a consequnce many Bihari’s have migrated to other parts of India in search of work. Bihari migrant workers have been subject to a growing degree of xenophobia, 1] racial discrimination,   prejudice and violence. Biharis are often looked down upon  and their accent ridiculed. In 2000 and 2003, anti-Bihari violence led to the deaths of up to 200 people  and created 10,000 internal refugees.

Causes

Since the late 1980s and through to 2005, poor governance and Annual Flooding of Bihar by Kosi River (Sorrow of Bihar) contributed to a crisis in the Bihar economy. 9]  The criminalisation of politics, and kidnappings of professional workers between 1990-2005 contributed to an economic collapse and led to the flight of capital, middle class professionals, and business leaders to other parts of India. 10] 11]  This flight of business and capital increased unemployment and this led to the mass migration of Bihari farmers and unemployed youth to more developed states of India. The state has a per capita income  of $148 a year against India’s average of $997 and 30.6% of the state’s population lives below the poverty line against India’s average of 22.15%. The level of urbanisation (10.5%) is below the national average (27.78%); and behind states like Maharastra (42.4%). Urban poverty in Bihar (32.91%) is above the national average of 23.62%. 1   Also using per capita water supply as a surrogate variable, Bihar (61 litres per day) is below the national average (142 litres per day) and that of Maharastra(175 litres per day) in civic amenities.


Impact: Social and cultural

There is a perception in Indian states with smaller populations that Bihari culture could dominate local languages and customs as migration of poor workers continue from those states. This feeling that local customs would be overwhelmed by migrants was a key feature of the MNS campaign in Maharashtra and feelings of resentment in Punjab. 13] 14]  The migrant population in Punjab, according to state researchers, is nearing three million out of a total population of over nearly 30 million. One third of the migrants, nearly one million, live in and around Ludhiana. 15]  After the attacks on Uttar Pradeshi’s and Biharis in October 2008, a Punjabi group called the Dal Khalsa, carried banners and placards that read  Punjab for Punjabis  and  Return migrants, Save Punjab . This fear is further personified by the rise of Bhojpuri cinema in non-Bhojpuri speaking states. Punjabi comedian Jaspal Bhatti  said that instead of assimilating with the culture of the state, the migrant population was seeking to decimate Punjabi culture and cinema.  In Mumbai, Raj Thackeray had also complained to theatre owners for their reluctance to exhibit Marathi movies and producers of Marathi movies complained that it is becoming difficult to hire theatres in Mumbai to release their productions and exhibitors preferred to show Bhojpuri language movies. 

Furthermore, many see Biharis as criminals and attribute any rise in criminality to Bihari youth, or the so called “Bihari Mafia”. 18] Due to the high levels of crime in Bihar there is a perception by some that Biharis are inherently criminal by nature. This has led to Biharis being blamed for crimes ranging from automobile theft to increases in rape, murder and kidnapping.

Economic

Bihar has a per capita income of $148 a year against India’s average of $997. Given this income dispartity, migrant workers moved to better paid locations and offered to work at lower rates. For example, in Tamil Nadu inter-state migrant construction workers are paid about Rs.60 to Rs.70 a day against the minimum of Rs.130 per day. 20] After thousands of migrant workers left Nashik, industries were worried that their costs would increase through more expensive local workers. 21] In an interview with the Times of India, Raj Thackeray, leader of the MNS said; “The city (Mumbai) cannot take the burden anymore. Look at our roads, our trains and parks. On the pipes that bring water to Mumbai are 40,000 huts. It is a security hazard. The footpaths too have been taken over by migrants. The message has to go to UP and Bihar that there is no space left in Mumbai for you. After destroying the city, the migrants will go back to their villages. But where will we go then?”. 2  The strain to Mumbai’s infrastructure through migration has also been commented by mainstream secular politicians. 23] The Chief Minister, Vilasrao Deshmukh felt that unchecked migration had placed a strain on the basic infrastructure of the state. However, he has maintained and urged migrant Bihari workers to remain in Maharashtra, even during the height of the anti North Indian agitation. 24] Sheila Dikshit, the Chief Minister of Delhi, said that because of people migrating from Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, Delhi’s infrastructure was overburdened. She said, that “these people come to Delhi from Bihar and Uttar Pradesh but don’t ever go back causing burden on Delhi’s infrastructure.” 

Violence : Maharashtra

North Indian students, including students from Bihar, preparing for the railway entrance exam were attacked by Raj Thackeray’s MNS supporters in Mumbai on 20 October 2008. One student from Bihar was killed during the attacks. Four persons were killed and another seriously injured in the violence that broke out in a village near Kalyan following the arrest of MNS chief Raj Thackeray.  Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar demanded action against the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena activists and full security to students. Nitish Kumar requested Maharashtra Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh intervention. Kumar directed the additional director general of police to contact senior police officials in Maharashtra and compile a report on Sunday’s incident and asked the home commissioner to hold talks with the Maharashtra home secretary to seek protection for people from Bihar. In 2003, the Shiv Sena alleged that of the 500 Maharashtrian candidates, only ten of them successful in the Railways exams. 90 per cent of the successful candidates were alleged to be from Bihar. Activists from the Shiv Sena ransacked a railway recruitment office in protest against non-Marathi’s being among the 650,000 candidates set to compete for 2,200 railway jobs in the state. 30] Eventually, after attacks on Biharis heading towards Mumbai for exams, the central government delayed the exams.

Violence : North East states

Biharis have sought work in many states that form part of North East India. There were significant communities in Assam, Nagaland, and Manipur. As with all migrations in history, this has created tensions with the local population, which has resulted in large scale violence. In 2000 and 2003, anti-Bihari violence led to the deaths of up to 200 people,and created 10,000 internal refugees. Similar violent incidents have also taken place recently in Manipur and Assam.  According to K P S Gill waves of xenophobic violence have swept across Assam repeatedly since 1979, targeting Bangladeshis, Bengalis, Biharis and Marwaris. 36]

Violence : Punjab

In early 2008, bombs exploded in Ludhiana which killed six people and injured a further 30 in a blast in one of the three cinema halls in a multiplex. The halls were frequented by migrant workers from Bihar and Uttar Pradesh and one credible theory being considered was that the blasts were an attempt to scare away migrant workers. 

Violence : Karnataka
In July 2009, activists of the Kannada Protection Force (KPF) in Karnataka stormed into exam centres and disrupted railway recruitment examinations in protest against the appearance of north Indian candidates, especially from Bihar, in large numbers. 


Controversial Statements: Derisive use of BIMARU term
Dr Ashish Bose, a Bengali retired govt servant coined the epithet BIMARU.Even official planning commission records use this term. BIMARU resembles the Hindi word for illness, Bimar. The BI in BIMARU stands for Bihar. Ther other Hindi-speaking states that are included in BIMARU are Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh. Bihar, and other North Indian states, have also been held accountable for holding India’s GDP ranking below the double digit number.

Controversial Statements: Editorial by Bal Thackeray

Shiv Sena leader, Bal Thackeray, commented in the Shiv Sena newspaper, Samnna on why Biharis are disliked outside Hindi-speaking North India. He quoted part of a text message as the title of his article. The message suggests that Biharis bring diseases, violence, job insecurity, and domination, wherever they go. The text message says, “Ek Bihari, Sau Bimari. Do Bihari Ladai ki taiyari, Teen Bihari train hamari and paanch Bihari to sarkar hamaari”  (One Bihari equals hundred diseases, Two Biharis is preparing for war, Three Biharis it is a train hijack, and five Biharis will try to form the ruling Government). Nitish kumar, the Chief Minister of Bihar, and the Union Railway Minister, Lalu Prasad Yadav, protested against the remark, demanding official condemnation of Bal Thackeray. Kumar, during a press report at Patna Airport, said, “If Manmohan Singh fails to intervene in what is happening in Maharashtra, it would mean only one thing – he is not interested in resolving the issue and that would not be good for the leader of the nation”. Angered by Thackeray’s insulting remark against the Bihari community, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) activists burnt the effigy of the Shiv Sena chief at Kargil Chowk  in Patna and said that the senior Thackeray had completely lost his marbles and needed to be immediately committed in a mental asylum. 

Consequences : Protests & demonstrations

Angry students in various parts of Bihar damaged railway property and disrupted train traffic, as protests continued against assaults on north Indians by MNS activists in Mumbai. The police said the protesters targeted Patna, Jehanabad, Barh, Khusrupur, Sasaram and Purnia railway stations in the morning. The protesting students reportedly set afire two AC bogies of an express train at Barh railway station. They ransacked Jehanabad, Barh, Purnia and Sasaram  railway stations. According to the railway police, at least 10 students were detained in the morning and extra security was deployed to control the situation. 45] Noted Physician Dr Diwakar Tejaswi observed a day-long fast in Patna to protest against repeated violence by the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) leader Raj Thackeray and his goons against the north Indians. 46]  Various student organisations gave a call for Bihar shutdown on October 25, 2008 to protest attacks on north Indian candidates by Maharashtra Navnirnam Sena activists during a Railway recruitment examination in Mumbai. 

Various cases were filed in Bihar and Jharkhand against Raj Thackeray for assaulting the students. A murder case was also filed by Jagdish Prasad, father of Pawan Kumar, who was allegedly killed by MNS activists in Mumbai. Mumbai police, however, claimed it to be a case of accident. 51] Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar announced a compensation of Rs 1,50,000 to Pawan’s family. Bihar state Congress chief, Anil Kumar Sharma, has demanded enactment of an Act by Parliament for closing opportunities to any political party or organisation that indulge in obscurantism and raise such narrow, chauvinistic issues based on caste, religion and regionalism to capture power. 5  A murder case was also lodged against Raj Thackeray and 15 others in a court in Jharkhand on 1 November 2008 following the death of a train passenger last month in Maharashtra. According to the Dhanbad police, their Mumbai counterparts termed Sakaldeo’s death as an accident. According to social scientist Dr. Shaibal Gupta, the beating of students from Bihar has consolidated Bihari sub-nationalism. 

Rahul Raj

Rahul Raj, from Patna, was shot dead aboard a bus in Mumbai by the police on the 28 October. Rahul was 23 years old and was brandishing a pistol and shooting at public from the bus. The Mumbai police alleged that he wanted to assassinate Raj Thackeray.  Nitish Kumar questioned the police action, but R R Patil justified it, and restored Raj Thackeray`s security.  It was alleged that Rahul was protesting against the attacks on Bihari and Uttar Pradeshi candidates appearing for railway examinations. Mumbai crime branch is looking in to the incident.  During Rahul’s funeral slogans of “Raj Thackeray murdabad” and “Rahul Raj amar rahe” were heard. Despite Mumbai police’s allegations, there was high level government representation at the funeral. Bihar Deputy CM Sushil Kumar Modi and PHED minister Ashwini Kumar Chaubey represented the state government at the cremation which was also attended by Patna MP Ram Kripal Yadav. The bier was carried by Rahul’s friends even as the district administration had arranged a flower-bedecked truck for the purpose. 

Attacks against Marathis

After the October 2008 anti-Bihari attacks in Maharashtra, members of the Bharatiya Bhojpuri Sangh (BBS) vandalised the official residence of Tata Motors Jamshedpur plant head S.B. Borwankar, a Maharashtrian. Armed with lathis and hockey sticks, more than 100 BBS members trooped to Borwankar’s Nildih Road bungalow around 3.30 pm. Shouting anti-MNS slogans, they smashed windowpanes and broke flowerpots. BBS president Anand Bihari Dubey called the attack on Borwankar’s residence unfortunate, and said that he knew BBS members were angry after the attack in Maharashtra on Biharis, but did not expect a reaction. Fear of further violence gripped the 4,000-odd Maharashtrians settlers living in and around the city. 58] 59] Two air-conditioned bogies of the train Vikramshila Express   reportedly with Maharashtrian passengers on board – were set on fire in Barh area of Bihar. Hundreds of slogan-shouting students surrounded Barh railway station in rural Patna demanding that MNS  leader Raj Thackeray be tried for sedition. No one was reported injured and passengers fled soon as the attackers started setting the bogies on fire. 

A group of 63 tourists, of which many were Marathis, were on a tour of sacred Buddhist sites. The tourists found themselves stranded on the outskirts of Patna as riots broke out. The Marathis in the group were forced to hide their identity for fear of attacks. The group avoided speaking in Marathi, and women wore saris in the north Indian rather than the Marathi style. For security, the group had to be escorted by 25 policeman to the station. The tourists reached Nagpur safely. 61] In another incident, a senior woman government official in Bihar, with the surname Thackeray, was the target of an angry mob that surrounded her office and shouted slogans against her in Purnia district. Ashwini Dattarey Thackeray was the target of a mob of over 200 people. The mob, led by a local leader of the Lok Janashakti Party, surrounded Thackeray’s office in Purnia, about 350 km from here, and shouted slogans like,  Go back Maharashtrians  and  Officer go back, we do not need your services .

A gang of 25 people pelted stones on the Maharashtra Bhawan in Khalasi Line, Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh. Constructed in 1928, the building is owned by the lone trust run by Marathis in Kanpur. It has served as an important venue for prominent festivals, including Ganesh Utsav and Krishna Janmastami. On 29 October, in Ghaziabad, Marathi students at Mahanand Mission Harijan PG College were attacked, allegedly by an Uttar Pradesh student leader and his friends. Police sources in Ghaziabad confirmed the victims stated in their FIR that the attackers  mentioned Rahul Raj and Dharam Dev  while kicking them in heir hostel rooms. A group of 20 youths, from Bihar, attacked Maharashtra Sadan in the capital on 3 November. The Rashtrawadi Sena has claimed responsibility for the attack. They ransacked the reception of the building and raised slogans against Raj Thackeray.

Cultural, economic threats

Bihari leaders have urged a boycott of music CDs of Bollywood singers, movies, clothes and drugs manufactured in Maharashtra.  Why don’t Sachin Tendulkar, Sunil Gavaskar, Lata Mangeshkar or Anna Hazare come out and speak against such attacks on Bihari people? They enjoy greater influence on the society and their words would indeed matter ,  asked renowned Bollywood actor Mr Shatrughan Sinha. Nitish Kumar also threatened to block cash flow to Mumbai, country’s financial capital. “If Maharashtra is rich today, it’s just because the capital investments from across the country have made there. Does Raj Thackeray know where will Mumbai go if we block fund flow to Mumbai and Maharashtra”‘  … “I will pump out air of Mumbai by blocking cash flow if the violence against Biharis does not stop”. The Bharatiya Bhojpuri Sangh also demanded a ban on the import of onions from Maharashtra. The organisation said if the ban is not implemented by the Jharkhand government it will stop the entry of trucks carrying onions from Maharshtra. Jharkhand imports onions from Nashik in Maharashtra. “We will intensify our agitation if north Indians are beat in Maharashtra,” said Anad Bihari Dubey. In Jamshedpur, trucks arriving from Maharashtra were stopped and searched by nationalist groups. The government has declared that firm action will be taken to prevent a breakdown in law and order. “We have come to know that some people want to stop trucks coming from Maharashtra. “We will not allow people to prevent movement of trucks. Police have been alerted,” R.K. Agrawal, Deputy Commissioner of East Singhbhum district said to the media. A mob also attacked a cinema hall in Purnia screening films of Marathi directors. 65] After the attack the angry mob announced the start of their  non-cooperation  movement against Marathis.

Bhojpuri Film industry relocation

The Rs 200-crore Bhojpuri film industry  is considering moving out of Mumbai owing to threats from MNS workers, and growing insecurity. With an average output of 75 movies per annum and an over 250 million target audience, the Bhojpuri  film industry employs hundreds of unskilled and semi-skilled people from the state in various stage of production and distribution. The industry, which has around 50 registered production houses in Mumbai, has initiated talks with Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. “We have given a proposal to the Uttar Pradesh  government through its Culture Minister Subhash Pandey for setting up the industry in Lucknow. Besides, we are also counting on some other options like Delhi, Noida and Patna,” Bhojpuri superstar and producer Manoj Tiwari said. The films have a large market because the Bhojpuri diaspora is spread over countries like Mauritius, Nepal, Dubai, Guyana, West Indies, Fiji, Indonesia, Surinam and the Netherlands. There is a significant wealthy Bihari doctor community in the United Kingdom. citation needed]  70 per cent of the total production cost of a Bhojpuri film — budgets of which range from Rs 80 lakh to Rs 1.25 crore is usually spent in Maharashtra, providing direct employment to junior artists, make-up men, spot boys and local studios among others.

Improving Bihar

However, the state government, post 2005, has made an effort to improve the economic condition of the state, and reduce the need for migration. In 2008, the state government approved over Rs 70,000 crore worth of investment, has had record tax collection, broken the political-criminal nexus, made improvements in power supply to villages, towns and cities. They have laid greater emphasis on education and learning by appointing more teachers, 68] and opening a software park. State Ministers who have failed to live up to election commitments have been dismissed. 69]  Bihar’s GSDP grew by 18% over the period 2006-2007, which was higher than in the past 10 years and one of the highest recorded by the Government of India for that period.

Tourist places in Motihari

Motihari

Introduction

Motihari is a town steeped in history.When the British carved out the district of Champaran from Saran in the later part of the 19th century. Motihari was made its headquarters. After the creation of West Champaran district with Bettiah as its headquarters in 1972, Motihari continued as the headquarters of truncated East Champaran. 
Motihari holds its eminence as the birth place of famous writer George Orwell,born Eric Arthur Blair,and of Mahatma Gandhi’s Champaran Satyagraha. 
Places in and around Motihari have had an older link:Buddhism.The world’s tallest stupa is at Kesaria,just an hour from Motihari. Motihari,thus,is a crucible of both the Gandhi and Buddhist circuits. 
A museum and a stone pillar are there to commemorate Mahatma Gandhi’s links with Motihari.Gandhiji’s courageous statment given before a magistrate is inscribed here on a stone.The 48-ft tall Chunar stone pillar stands exactly on the place where Gandhi was prouced before the court of the sub-divisional magistrate on April 18,1917 for violating prohibitory orders. 
Mahatma Gandhi’s first Satyagraha was experimented on the soil of Motihari in the Champaran district and,thus,Champaran has been the starting point of India’s independence movement launched by Gandhi.

Places of Interest

WHAT TO LOOK FOR

Gandhi Sangrahalaya 
It has on display an array of photographs and relics of the Champaran satyagraha. 
  
Schools started by Gandhi 
The schools started by Mahatma Gandhi in the village of Barharwa Lakhensen and Madhuban are among other important sites of interest in the vicinity of Motihari. 
  
Kesaria 
There’s a stupa at Kesaria near Motihari which is said to be the tallest and the largest Buddhist stupa in the world.It was discovered in 1998 through excavation by the Archaeological Survey of India. 
 
The stupa’s height is 104 feet,which is far less than its reported original height.Yet,it is one ft taller than the famous Borobodur stupa in Java.Legend has it that Buddha,on his last journey,is reported to have spent a memorable night at Kesaria,where he reportedly made some historical revelations.These were later recorded in a Buddhist Jataka story 
  
Orwell’s birth place 
 
George orwell,one of the greatest writersof twentieth century and author of famous books like ‘Animal Farm’ and ‘Nineteen Eighty-Four’,was born in Motihari in 1903.His father Richard walmesley Blair was a deputy posted in the opium department in Bihar.The cottage,where the famous author was born,lies in the midst of the town.A plaque commemorating has birth place stands outside the house. 
  
Areraj Temple 
A little away from Motihari lies the temple town of Areraj.The Shiva temple here is a popular pilgrim site.Also at Areraj lies an Ashokan pillar attracting tourists throughout the year. 
  
Lake Town 
Motihari has a picturesque lake-Motijheel-running through it.HOW TO REACH

By Air:

Nearest Airport
Motihari has a railway station. But it is advisable to travel to Motihari by road from Patna. Buses and taxis are available. The distance between Patna and Motihari is 160 km. 

By Rail: 

Nearest railhead
Motihari 

By Road:
A number of buses play between Patna and Motihari. 

Where to Stay: 
Hotels, Rest houses and Dharmshalas in the Motihari Town.
Aarti Hotel,Main Road,Phone: 06252-290664,09304255459
ACjnon-AC rooms are available for Rs 150 to Rs 1,000. Food is also served here.
Hotel Shakti,Chhatauni Road,Phone: 06252-235715
ACjnon-AC rooms available. Tariff ranges from Rs 250 to Rs 900.
Hotel Monica,Madhuban Chhawni Chowk,Phone: 09430255419
ACjnon-AC rooms available. Tariff ranges from Rs 250 to Rs 900.
Hotel Divya Raj,Madhuban Chhawni Chowk,Phone: 06252-241777 
ACjnon-AC rooms available. Tariff ranges from Rs 250 to Rs 1,400. 

Local Transport:
Auto rickshaws, Cycle-rickshaws, tangas. 

In Emergency,Contact:
District Magistrate: 06252-222695(Off) , 242800(Res) 9431811222 (Mobile)
Superintendent of Police: 222684(Off),232683(Res) 9431822988 (Mobile
Sub-Divisional Police Officer: 222923(Off),9431800068(Mobile) 

Medical Emergencies,Contact
Dr.Shambhu Saran(Cardiologist): 9431233077
Dr.Ashutosh Saran(Surgeon): 9431233123
Dr. Jasbir Saran(Gynaecologist): 9431434954
Dr Shekhar Verma (Dentist): 9431434954
Dr. J. N. Gupta(Physician): 9431233022 

Tourist Season
October to March. 

Clothing: 
Light cotton in summer and woolen in winter (specially during November to January).