BIHAR UPRISING

Ashoka, the Mauryan Emperor, looked at the bodies strewn around the smashed city, and at the Daya River that ran red with blood. He was surveying the damage that his army had inflicted on the recalcitrant Kalinga region. About 100,000 civilians were dead, as well as 10,000 of Ashoka's soldiers. Far from feeling the glorious rush of victory, Ashoka felt sick and saddened. He vowed that never again would he rain down death and destruction on other people. He would devote himself to his Buddhist faith and practice ahimsa , or nonviolence. This story and many others about a great emperor called Ashoka appear in ancient Sanskrit literature, including the Ashokavadana , Divyavandana , and Mahvamsa . For many years, westerners considered them to be mere legend. They did not connect the ruler Ashoka, grandson of Chandragupta Maurya , to the stone pillars inscribed with edicts that are sprinkled all around the edges of India . In 1915, however, archaeologists found a pillar inscr...

Bihar in the ancient times was known by "Magadh". Magadh (Bihar) was founded by King Jarasandha, a semi mythical king some 5000 years ago. Since then, Magadh has been in the eye of each and every one. It has been the centre of every Great Revolution, be it Religious reformation or Political. Mythologically, Bihar is also mentioned in Ramayana, the Holy Epic of Hindus. During Bhagwan Ram's time North-East Bihar was known by Mithila and it was ruled by Maharaj Janak, Father of Goddess Sita, who later married Lord Ram. Jaanki Mata, Goddess Sita, consort of Bhagwan Ram was born in Bihar's Mithilanchal (Mithila) district, she was daughter of an ancient king of Bihar from Mithilanchal, called Maharaj Janak. She was called Mithlesh-Nandini, a daughter of Mithila. She has been regarded as the Kuldevi (Goddess) of Magadh, and Sun God Surya is the Kuldevta(chief God) of Magadh. That is the reason why Chatth-Parva(a festival of Bihar) for the worship of Sun-God is s...