Bhagalpur

Introduction

Bhagalpur, historically known as Champa Nagari, sits on the southern bank of the Ganges in the Indian state of Bihar. It is known as the Silk City, and it has been listed for development under the Smart Cities Mission. The river around the city is home to the Gangetic dolphin, India's national aquatic animal, and the Vikramshila Gangetic Dolphin Sanctuary is established near the town.

The city's cultural life includes the largest Manasa Puja and one of the largest processions in Kali Puja, an important part of the region's heritage. Bhagalpur is also a centre of higher education: it is the only district in Bihar besides Patna with three major higher educational institutions — IIIT Bhagalpur, TMBU, and Agriculture University (BAU). Vikramshila Central University is under construction next to the ruins of the medieval Vikramshila Mahavihara. Bhagalpur Railway Station serves the city.

Before you go

Bhagalpur sits in the ancient region of Anga, which the Mahabharata describes as a kingdom ruled by Karna, and it later passed through the Magadha and Gaur kingdoms before coming under Akbar's Delhi empire and, in the eighteenth century, the East India Company. The city appears in both the Ramayana and the Mahabharata, and a Gupta-period temple still stands here. Knowing this history helps you read what you see: Bhagalpur was once a major trade centre in the Bengal Presidency, and it has since become one of Bihar's more economically and socially stable districts.

That stability is recent. The city and district were long known for criminal activity and poor public safety, which peaked in the 1970s and led to the Bhagalpur blindings in 1980, and communal violence in and around the city in late 1989 continued for about two months. Keep this context in mind as you plan, and check current local conditions before you travel rather than relying on older impressions of the city.

Getting there

Bhagalpur is served by Bhagalpur Junction railway station, so arriving by train is the straightforward option. By road, the journey from Patna takes a decent six hours by car.

Getting around

Bhagalpur is a large, busy regional hub, and almost all local movement happens on roads, informally and in cash. Three landmarks anchor the system: Bhagalpur Junction railway station, the City Bus Station close to it, and the Ghanta Ghar clock tower area. Most local buses and auto-rickshaws converge on these points, so learning to move between them gets you almost anywhere. There is no metro and no tram, and no suburban rail network, so the railway station serves intercity journeys rather than everyday city travel. Local buses, run by the state road transport corporations or private operators, are the cheapest way to cover longer routes but are crowded, and clear route maps are not readily available to non-locals — ask at your hotel which bus goes your way. Pay the conductor in cash on board; cards are not accepted. Public transport generally runs from early morning until around 9–10 PM.

Auto-rickshaws are the most common motorised way to get around locally, flexible about routes and useful for short hops and for leaving the railway station; cycle-rickshaws are the slower pedal-powered alternative, handy in residential and market areas. Both are cash only and you negotiate the fare with the driver, so agree on the price before you set off, and expect them to become less frequent late at night. Licensed taxis are less common and are booked through local taxi stalls, your hotel or designated stands rather than hailed in the street, usually at a fixed negotiated price or as a half- or full-day hire. Ride-hailing is thin on the ground — check the app when you arrive rather than counting on it — and for anything beyond a short trip a car with a driver, booked through a local agency or your hotel, is the usual arrangement. Walking takes attention: congestion and irregular pavements make much of the city a matter of watching your step, though the Ganga ghats riverfront is pleasant in the mornings and evenings, and parks and residential colonies are quieter. There are no dedicated bicycle lanes and cycling on main roads is hazardous; formal rentals are scarce, with some guesthouses and shops lending basic bicycles. Boats on the Ganges run mainly for religious purposes or short recreational rides from the ghats and are best treated as a sightseeing outing rather than a commute. Carry cash throughout, and note that public transport is generally not wheelchair accessible and pavements are often uneven or absent, so pre-arrange assistance through your hotel or a travel agent, ideally before arriving.

Where to stay

Bhagalpur has plenty of three-star hotels, so you can arrange a comfortable stay without difficulty. The city's accommodation is straightforward rather than luxurious, and booking ahead is sensible if you are arriving during a busy period.

• SAI INTERNATIONAL, on Station Road, is one option worth knowing about if you want to be near the station.

Food & drink

Bhagalpur's food scene is modest and local, with no restaurant listings to work from. Your best approach is to eat where the city does: ask at your accommodation for the nearest everyday eateries and stick to busy places serving fresh, simple meals.

What to see and do

Bhagalpur rewards travellers who look beyond the riverfront. In the heart of town, the Tomb of Suja, resting place of the brother of Mughal emperor Aurangzeb, recalls the city's Mughal connections. The Dargha of Shawaz Rahmat-ulla, near the railway station, is one of the most popular places of worship for Muslims locally, while the Jain temple at Nathnagar is an important pilgrimage centre for Jains. On the bank of the Ganges stands the ancient Budhanath Temple, a Shiva temple. Ancient cave sculptures dating from Emperor Ashoka's reign are found in the neighbourhood and at Sultangunj, west of the city.

Mandar Parvat, a granite hill rising some 800 feet, is rich in legend and relics: inscriptions, statues and rock-cut sculptures of Hindu gods, and a summit revered by Jains as the place where their 12th Tirthankara attained nirvana. The surrounding landscape is striking, and the hill is a popular picnic spot for people living in the area. Further afield, Sultanganj to the west is an important Hindu religious centre from where holy water of the Ganges is carried and offered at Deoghar, and the ruins of Vikramshila University to the east, founded by the Pala king Dharmapala, were a medieval centre for Buddhist education. Time a visit for the Vish-hari Puja, the worship of the Snake Queen, when believers and snake charmers offer milk to the Nag and Nageen.

Three days in Bhagalpur

Day one: Start in Bhagalpur itself, the city known as Silk City, and take in its character as part of the Smart Cities Mission. Wander the neighbourhoods and get a feel for the place, then head to the Ganges, the great Gangetic river that defines the city's setting. In the evening, look for local celebrations of Manasa Puja or Kali Puja if your visit coincides with them.

Day two: Turn to the region's history and learning. Bhagalpur sits in the old Anga country, a setting tied to the Mahabharata and to Karna, and later linked with Magadha, the Guptas, Gaur and Akbar's Delhi. Visit the sites associated with Vikramshila Mahavihara and Vikramshila Central University, and note the presence of IIIT Bhagalpur, TMBU, Agriculture University and BAU in the city's academic life.

Day three: Head out to the Vikramshila Gangetic Dolphin Sanctuary for a quieter day on the water. On your way back, use Bhagalpur Junction or the City Bus Station to plan your onward travel, whether toward Patna or elsewhere in Bihar. Keep the pace easy and let the river set the rhythm of your last day.