Bihar History GK Questions and Answers

Ancient History

Q1:  Nalanda University, one of the ancient centres of learning in Bihar, was founded during the reign of which Gupta ruler?
Answer: Kumaragupta I

Q2:  The Ashokan pillar with a single lion capital, located at Vaishali in Bihar, was erected during the reign of which Mauryan emperor?
Answer: Ashoka

Q3:  Who shifted the capital of Magadha from Rajgir (Rajagriha) to Pataliputra?
Answer: Udayin

Q4:  Bimbisara, who expanded the Magadha empire through matrimonial alliances, belonged to which dynasty?
Answer: Haryanka

Q5:  Lord Mahavira, the 24th Tirthankara of Jainism, was born at Kundagrama near which ancient city in present-day Bihar?
Answer: Vaishali

Q6:  Gautama Buddha attained enlightenment under the Bodhi tree at which place in Bihar?
Answer: Bodh Gaya

Q7:  Before Pataliputra, the earliest capital of the ancient Magadha kingdom was located at which site (also called Girivraja)?
Answer: Rajagriha (Rajgir)

Q8:  Chandragupta Maurya, founder of the Mauryan Empire, established his imperial capital at which city, located in present-day Bihar?
Answer: Pataliputra

Q9:  Which Mauryan emperor embraced Buddhism after witnessing the bloodshed of the Kalinga War?
Answer: Ashoka

Q10:  Who founded the Nanda dynasty, which ruled Magadha before the rise of the Mauryas?
Answer: Mahapadma Nanda

Q11:  Which Magadha ruler, son of Bimbisara, fortified the village of Pataligrama on the bank of the Ganges as a military outpost against the Licchavis of Vaishali — a settlement that Udayin later developed into the capital city of Pataliputra?
Answer: Ajatashatru

Q12:  Chanakya (Kautilya), the strategist and mentor who helped Chandragupta Maurya found the Mauryan Empire, is credited with authoring which political treatise?
Answer: Arthashastra

Q13:  The Ashokan pillar at Lauriya Nandangarh, inscribed with Major Pillar Edicts, is located in which present-day Bihar district?
Answer: West Champaran

Q14:  Vaishali, in present-day Bihar, was the capital of the Licchavi state, often described as one of the world's earliest examples of which form of governance?
Answer: Republic

Q15:  The Chinese pilgrim Faxian (Fa Hien) visited Pataliputra during the reign of which Gupta emperor?
Answer: Chandragupta II

Q16:  The Chinese scholar Xuanzang (Hiuen Tsang) studied and taught at Nalanda University during the reign of which Indian ruler?
Answer: Harshavardhana

Q17:  Ashoka appointed special officers called "Dhamma Mahamatras" to spread and oversee which aspect of his administration?
Answer: Moral and religious welfare (Dhamma)

Q18:  The name "Bihar" is widely believed to be derived from which Sanskrit/Pali word, reflecting the region's dense concentration of Buddhist monasteries?
Answer: Vihara

Q19:  The ancient Magadha kingdom's rise to imperial dominance is often attributed to its location near iron ore deposits and control over which major river for trade?
Answer: Ganges

Q20:  The famous Sultanganj Buddha, a large copper/copper-alloy sculpture from the Gupta–Pala transitional period, was discovered in which present-day Bihar district?
Answer: Bhagalpur

Q21:  King Bimbisara of Magadha was a contemporary of and patron to which two major religious founders of ancient India?
Answer: Buddha and Mahavira

Q22:  The Great Stupa at Kesaria in Bihar's East Champaran district, one of the tallest known Buddhist stupas, is traditionally believed to have originated from an earlier structure associated with which emperor?
Answer: Ashoka

Q23:  The ancient Magadhan king Ajatashatru is recorded to have used a new war engine mentioned in Buddhist texts, called "Mahashilakantaka," which was designed for what purpose?
Answer: Hurling large stones

Q24:  The Mundeshwari Temple in Bihar's Kaimur district, dedicated to Shiva and Shakti, is regarded as one of the oldest surviving functional temples of which religion in India?
Answer: Hinduism

Q25:  The Second Buddhist Council, held at Vaishali about a century after the Buddha's parinirvana, was convened under the patronage of which Shishunaga dynasty ruler?
Answer: Kalashoka

Q26:  Which Gupta emperor, known for his military conquests recorded in the Allahabad Pillar inscription, is often referred to as the "Napoleon of India"?
Answer: Samudragupta

Q27:  Ashoka's Rock Edicts and Pillar Edicts found across Bihar were primarily inscribed in which script?
Answer: Brahmi

Q28:  Which ruler of the Shishunaga dynasty is credited with defeating the kingdom of Avanti and incorporating it into the Magadhan empire, ending their long-standing rivalry?
Answer: Shishunaga

Q29:  The Third Buddhist Council, held at Pataliputra in present-day Bihar under the patronage of Emperor Ashoka, was presided over by which monk?
Answer: Moggaliputta Tissa

Q30:  Griddhakuta (Vulture Peak), one of the hills where Buddha delivered several important sermons, is located near which ancient Bihar city?
Answer: Rajgir

Q31:  The Barabar Caves in Bihar's Jehanabad district, considered the oldest surviving rock-cut caves in India, were built by Emperor Ashoka for the use of which ascetic sect?
Answer: Ajivikas

Q32:  The Greek ambassador Megasthenes, whose writings provide valuable insights into Mauryan administration and society, resided at the court of which emperor in Pataliputra?
Answer: Chandragupta Maurya

Q33:  The Sanskrit political drama "Mudrarakshasa," which dramatizes Chanakya's strategies to help Chandragupta Maurya seize the throne of Magadha, was composed by which playwright?
Answer: Vishakhadatta

Q34:  Amrapali, who held the ceremonial position of nagarvadhu (royal courtesan) of ancient Vaishali before becoming a disciple of the Buddha, was associated with which ancient Bihar polity?
Answer: Licchavi (Vaishali)

Q35:  Magahi, one of the major languages spoken in present-day Bihar, developed from which ancient Middle Indo-Aryan (Prakrit) language of the Magadha region?
Answer: Magadhi Prakrit

Q36:  Madhubani painting, a traditional folk art form using natural dyes and pigments, originated in which historical region of northern Bihar?
Answer: Mithila

Q37:  Chirand, an important prehistoric archaeological site revealing Neolithic and Chalcolithic culture, is located in which present-day Bihar district?
Answer: Saran

Q38:  The ancient trade route connecting Pataliputra to Taxila in the northwest, running along a corridor later associated with the Grand Trunk Road, was known in early Indian history as the?
Answer: Uttarapatha

Q39:  Bhojpuri, Magahi, and Maithili, the major indigenous languages historically spoken across Bihar, belong to which broader language family branch?
Answer: Eastern Indo-Aryan

Q40:  The Mithila region of northern Bihar is traditionally associated in the Ramayana with which mythological king, father of Sita?
Answer: Janaka

Q41:  Ashoka's Minor Rock Edict in Bihar is found near which present-day town in Rohtas district?
Answer: Sasaram

Q42:  Anga, one of the sixteen Mahajanapadas of ancient India, had its capital at Champa, located near present-day which Bihar city?
Answer: Bhagalpur

Q43:  How many of the sixteen ancient Mahajanapadas mentioned in early Buddhist texts were located within the present-day boundaries of Bihar?
Answer: Three

Q44:  Vajji, a confederacy of clans including the Licchavis with its capital at Vaishali, was governed under which form of ancient political system?
Answer: Gana-sangha (oligarchic republic)

Q45:  Champa, the capital of the ancient Anga kingdom near present-day Bhagalpur, was historically renowned as a major hub for which economic activity?
Answer: Riverine and long-distance trade

Q46:  The Barabar Hills in Bihar, site of ancient rock-cut caves associated with the reign of Ashoka, were known in ancient times by which name?
Answer: Khalatika Mountain

Q47:  Pataliputra, the ancient capital of the Magadha, Mauryan, and Gupta empires, is known today by which modern name, the present capital of Bihar?
Answer: Patna

Medieval History

Q48:  What was the original name of Sher Shah Suri before he rose to become the ruler of Delhi?
Answer: Farid Khan

Q49:  Vikramshila University, an ancient centre of learning in Bihar, was founded by which Pala ruler?
Answer: Dharmapala

Q50:  The ancient Nalanda University in Bihar was destroyed in the late 12th century by which invader?
Answer: Bakhtiyar Khilji

Q51:  Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth Sikh Guru, was born at Patna Sahib in which city of Bihar?
Answer: Patna

Q52:  At the Battle of Chausa (1539), fought in Bihar, Sher Shah Suri defeated which Mughal emperor?
Answer: Humayun

Q53:  The Grand Trunk Road, one of South Asia's oldest and longest major roads, was rebuilt and extended by which Bihar-based ruler?
Answer: Sher Shah Suri

Q54:  The tomb of Sher Shah Suri, a notable example of Indo-Islamic architecture, is located in which town of Bihar?
Answer: Sasaram

Q55:  At the Battle of Surajgarh (1534), fought in Bihar, Sher Khan (later Sher Shah Suri) decisively defeated the combined forces of the Bihar Lohani chiefs and which Bengal Sultanate ruler?
Answer: Ghiyasuddin Mahmud Shah

Q56:  The Pala dynasty, which patronized Nalanda and Vikramshila universities, primarily followed which religion?
Answer: Buddhism

Q57:  Rohtasgarh Fort in Bihar, later captured by Sher Shah Suri in 1539 through a ruse against its ruler Raja Hari Krishan Rai, derives its name from Rohitasva, the legendary son of which Suryavanshi (Solar dynasty) king?
Answer: Raja Harishchandra

Q58:  The ancient site of Antichak in Bhagalpur district, Bihar, has been identified by archaeologists as the remains of which famous Pala-era university?
Answer: Vikramshila University

Q59:  Sher Shah Suri introduced a silver coin called the "Rupiya," which became the ancestor of which modern currency's name?
Answer: Indian Rupee

Q60:  Bakhtiyar Khilji, who conquered Bihar around 1200 CE and destroyed Nalanda, served as a military commander under which Sultanate power at the time of this conquest?
Answer: Ghurid dynasty (under Muhammad Ghori)

Q61:  Sher Shah Suri reorganized the administrative divisions of his empire into units called "Sarkars," which were further subdivided into which smaller administrative units?
Answer: Parganas

Q62:  Patna was renamed "Azimabad" in 1704 by which Mughal prince, a grandson of Aurangzeb, during his governorship of Bihar?
Answer: Azim-us-Shan

Q63:  The ancient university of Odantapuri, another major Buddhist learning center in Bihar besides Nalanda and Vikramshila, was located near which present-day city?
Answer: Bihar Sharif

Q64:  Gurdwara Gai Ghat in Patna commemorates the visit of which founder of Sikhism, who stayed at the house of his follower Bhagat Jaitamal during his travels?
Answer: Guru Nanak Dev

Modern History

Q65:  In 1912, Bihar (along with Orissa) was separated from the Bengal Presidency to form which new province?
Answer: Province of Bihar and Orissa

Q66:  The Champaran Satyagraha, Mahatma Gandhi's first Satyagraha movement in India, took place in which year?
Answer: 1917

Q67:  Who persuaded Mahatma Gandhi to visit Champaran to investigate the grievances of indigo cultivators?
Answer: Rajkumar Shukla

Q68:  Dr. Rajendra Prasad, the first President of India, was born in Zeradei village in which district of Bihar?
Answer: Siwan

Q69:  The Battle of Buxar (1764), fought in Bihar, resulted in a decisive British East India Company victory and directly led to the Company gaining which key right?
Answer: Diwani rights (revenue collection) over Bengal, Bihar, and Odisha

Q70:  Bihar Vidyapeeth, a nationalist educational institution formally established by Mahatma Gandhi in Patna in 1921, had which future first President of India as its founding Principal?
Answer: Rajendra Prasad

Q71:  In which year did police firing on protesters at the Patna Secretariat during the Quit India Movement kill several students?
Answer: 1942

Q72:  Under the Tinkathia system opposed during the Champaran Satyagraha, cultivators were forced to grow indigo on what fraction of their land?
Answer: 3/20

Q73:  Patna University, the first modern university established in Bihar, was founded in which year?
Answer: 1917

Q74:  Orissa was separated from the province of Bihar and Orissa to become a distinct province in which year?
Answer: 1936

Q75:  Babu Kunwar Singh, a prominent leader of the 1857 revolt in Bihar, belonged to which locality?
Answer: Jagdishpur

Q76:  Bengal Nawab Mir Qasim shifted his capital from Murshidabad to which fortified town in present-day Bihar?
Answer: Munger

Q77:  Sachchidananda Sinha, who presided over the first sitting of India's Constituent Assembly, also served as President of which provincial legislative body?
Answer: Bihar and Orissa Legislative Council

Q78:  During the 1857 uprising, Indian sepoys stationed at which cantonment in present-day Bihar mutinied, prompting Kunwar Singh to join the revolt?
Answer: Danapur

Q79:  At the Congress Socialist Party's formation conference held in Patna in May 1934, where Jayaprakash Narayan served as General Secretary, who was elected as its first President?
Answer: Acharya Narendra Dev

Q80:  Swami Sahajanand Saraswati, who organized peasants against zamindari oppression in Bihar, founded which peasant organization in 1929?
Answer: Bihar Provincial Kisan Sabha

Q81:  Sadaqat Ashram, established by Mazhar-ul-Haq in Patna, presently serves as the headquarters of which political organization?
Answer: Bihar Pradesh Congress Committee

Q82:  The Non-Cooperation Movement of 1920-22, in which Bihar participated actively, was called off by Gandhi following which violent incident?
Answer: Chauri Chaura incident

Q83:  The Bihar-Nepal earthquake, one of the most severe in the Indian subcontinent's recorded history, struck on 15 January of which year?
Answer: 1934

Q84:  Dr. Rajendra Prasad, the Bihar-born freedom fighter, was elected President of India's Constituent Assembly in which year?
Answer: 1946

Q85:  The Golghar, a massive granary in Patna built in 1786 as a precaution against future famines following the devastating Bengal famine of 1770, was designed by which British engineer?
Answer: Captain John Garstin

Q86:  The 1857 uprising in Patna, which challenged Commissioner William Tayler's administration, was led by a local bookseller named?
Answer: Pir Ali

Q87:  Archaeologist Alexander Cunningham, through his archaeological work in the 1860s, identified the site of ancient Vaishali with which present-day Bihar village?
Answer: Basarh

Q88:  Khuda Bakhsh Oriental Public Library in Patna, renowned for its rare Persian and Arabic manuscripts, was opened to the public in 1891 by which scholar and collector?
Answer: Khan Bahadur Khuda Bakhsh

Q89:  Bihar Diwas (Bihar Day), commemorating the state's formation as a separate province in 1912, is observed every year on which date?
Answer: 22 March

Q90:  The Bihar Provincial Congress Committee played a leading role in organizing which mass movement launched from Patna's Gandhi Maidan in August 1942?
Answer: Quit India Movement

Post-Independence History

Q91:  Who became the first Chief Minister of Bihar after India's independence?
Answer: Krishna Sinha

Q92:  The state of Jharkhand was carved out of southern Bihar in which year?
Answer: 2000

Q93:  Who became the first woman Chief Minister of Bihar?
Answer: Rabri Devi

Q94:  Jai Prakash Narayan, a prominent Bihar-born socialist leader, launched the "Total Revolution" (Sampoorna Kranti) movement in which decade?
Answer: 1970s

Q95:  Which Bihar leader, a close associate of Gandhi during the Champaran Satyagraha, became independent Bihar's first Deputy Chief Minister, serving as Finance Minister from 1946 to 1957?
Answer: Anugrah Narayan Sinha

Q96:  After Sri Krishna Sinha's death in 1961, Deep Narayan Singh briefly served as interim Chief Minister of Bihar before which leader took over as the state's next full-term Chief Minister?
Answer: Binodanand Jha

Q97:  Sri Krishna Sinha, Bihar's first Chief Minister, holds the distinction of being the first Chief Minister in India to implement which major land reform?
Answer: Abolition of the zamindari system

Q98:  The archaeological ruins of Nalanda Mahavihara were inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in which year?
Answer: 2016

Q99:  The Mahabodhi Temple Complex at Bodh Gaya, marking the site of Buddha's enlightenment, was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in which year?
Answer: 2002

Q100:  Who served as the first Governor of Bihar after India's independence in 1947?
Answer: Jairamdas Daulatram