Bihar, India

Culture and Entertainment

The festival has long played an important role in the life of India, and Bihar is no exception. Almost all of the festivals common to other parts of India are observed here. Bihar does have a few festivals of a local nature as well. One of these is the festival of Chhath. Chhath is the number 6 in Hindi, and the name is used because the festival begins on the sixth day of the Hindu month of Kartik. This four day long festival is the holiest Hindu festival in Bihar. The festival is dedicated to the Sun God. It is an Indian version of Thanksgiving where the Sun is thanked for it contribution to bring forth the bounty of the earth. It is easy to see how such a festival would be important in agricultural dominated Bihar.

Song and dance are an important part of any culture, and Bihar is rich in both. Among the popular forms of music are group songs sung at family gatherings and special occasions. These songs that are very unique to Bihar, and have origins that are lost in the remote past. Dance is another form of entertainment with a distinct Bihar touch. There are dozens of local dances, and variations on these dances. Music and Dance often reflect the history of a people, and this is true in one form of Biharian culture. In the years when the economy of Bihar began to decline as a result partially of British mis-rule, many residents were forced to become indentured servants in the British West Indies on Islands like Fiji. These displaced Biharis developed a unique form of music and drama called biraha that reflected their sadness far from their native land. This form of drama is still popular in the theaters of Patay today.

The cuisine of Bihar, like much of India is very vegetarian based. As in so much of India’s life, religion has determined this as well as food availability. Despite the many rivers, for example, fish was not considered a food until its recent acceptance by certain religious sects. Even chickens and eggs are rarely eaten. Cattle, of course, is not considered a food source either again on religious based reasons. Despite this Bihar still offers a wide variety of foods that will not only keep the visitor filled but also amazed at their taste and the complexity of their preparation.