Bihar(Magadh)

The historical name of Bihar is Magadha. Pataliputra is the historic name of Bihar's capital city Patna.
Ancient history of Bihar

In ancient times Magadha's empire was one of the most powerful empires in the country. From here the Maurya dynasty, Gupta Dynasty and many other dynasties ruled most of the country. Emperor of the Maurya dynasty, Emperor Asoka's empire stretched across the west to Afghanistan. The rule of the Maurya dynasty ranged from 325 BC to 185 AD. Buddhist and Jain religions originated in the 6th and 5th centuries BC. Ashok played an important role in the propagation of Buddhism and sent his son Mahendra to Sri Lanka for the spread of Buddhism. He sent him away from a Ghat of Pataliputra (present Patna), which is still called Mahendru Ghat in the name of Mahendra. Later Buddhism reached China and its way to Japan.