The Ultimate Bihar Quiz: Test Your Knowledge About India's Rich Historical State

1. Bihar houses two UNESCO World Heritage Sites. If Nalanda University is one, what is the other?

a) Barabar Caves

b) Rohtasgarh Fort

c) Mahabodhi Temple

2. After whom is Patna's international airport named?

a) Rajendra Prasad

b) Jayaprakash Narayan

c) LN Mishra

3. In 2025, who became the youngest player to score a century in men's T20 cricket with 101 runs off 38 balls for which team?

a) Delhi Capitals

b) Rajasthan Royals

c) Gujarat Titans

4. Which common bird also serves as Bihar's state bird?

a) Rock Pigeon

b) Common Myna

c) House Sparrow

5. Around 475 BCE, where was the Magadha empire's capital located?

a) Darbhanga

b) Purnea

c) Pataliputra

6. Which festival is also known as Surya Shashti?

a) Makar Sankaranti

b) Chhath Puja

c) Teej

7. Which Muzaffarpur-grown fruit received GI certification in 2018?

a) Chinia banana

b) Dussehri mango

c) Shahi litchi

8. Which musician from Dumraon played Raag Kafi at the Red Fort during Independence Day in 1947?

a) Hariprasad Chaurasia

b) Shiv Kumar Sharma

c) Bismillah Khan

9. Which language is included among the 22 scheduled languages in the Eighth Schedule of the Indian Constitution?

a) Bhojpuri

b) Maithili

c) Magahi

10. Which renowned English novelist was born in Motihari on June 25, 1903?

a) George Orwell

b) Rudyard Kipling

c) Thomas Hardy

11. Which city, famous for silk textiles and sarees, was described as the kingdom of Anga in the Mahabharata?

a) Gaya

b) Samastipur

c) Bhagalpur

12. Traditionally, on what surface was Madhubani painting created?

a) Cotton bedsheets

b) Mud walls and floors of huts

c) Large serving dishes

13. Who won his first National Film Award for Best Supporting Actor for portraying Bhiku Mhatre in the 1999 film Satya?

a) Pankaj Tripathi

b) Naseeruddin Shah

c) Manoj Bajpayee

14. Which Purnea-born politician was part of India's 1983 Cricket World Cup winning team?

a) Saba Karim

b) Kirti Azad

c) Yashpal Sharma

15. Which movement began after agriculturist Raj Kumar Shukla requested Gandhiji's assistance?

a) Bardoli Satyagraha

b) Champaran Satyagraha

c) Bhoodan Movement

16. How is Champaran meat (Ahuna Mutton Curry) traditionally prepared?

a) Large brass cauldrons/kadhais

b) Sealed earthen pots

c) Cast iron tawas

17. Which river is known as the 'Sorrow of Bihar'?

a) Kosi

b) Ghaghara

c) Gandak

18. What significant event does the Jal Mandir at Pawapuri commemorate?

a) Guru Nanak's birth

b) Lord Mahavira's cremation

c) Gautama Buddha's enlightenment

19. Which month-long event occurs during Kartik Purnima in November at the confluence of the Ganga and Gandak rivers?

a) Rajgir Mahotsav

b) Chhath Puja

c) Sonepur Fair

20. Which traditional deep-fried sweet snack from Bihar is also called khajoor?

a) Thekua

b) Lai

c) Malpua

21. At a traditional Bihari wedding, what would a groom do with a 'mauri'?

a) Wear it

b) Eat it

c) Sleep on it

22. Which Bihar-born footballer was the top scorer for India's gold medal-winning team at the 1951 Asian Games?

a) Sahu Mewalal

b) Mahabir Prasad

c) Sheikh Abdul Latif

23. Which is Bihar's only tiger reserve?

a) Sahyadri Tiger Reserve

b) Valmiki Tiger Reserve

c) Dudhwa Tiger Reserve

24. Which ancient university established by King Dharmapala lies about 38 km from Bhagalpur?

a) Vikramshila

b) Taxila

c) Nagarjuna Vidyapeeth

25. Which prominent politician, born on December 2, 1960, received early education at St. Xavier's School in Patna?

a) Rajnath Singh

b) JP Nadda

c) Dharmendra Pradhan

Answers: 1. Mahabodhi Temple

2. Jayaprakash Narayan

3. Rajasthan Royals

4. House Sparrow

5. Pataliputra

6. Chhath Puja

7. Shahi litchi

8. Bismillah Khan

9. Maithili

10. George Orwell

11. Bhagalpur

12. Mud walls and floors of huts

13. Manoj Bajpayee

14. Kirti Azad

15. Champaran Satyagraha

16. Sealed earthen pots

17. Kosi

18. Lord Mahavira's cremation

19. Sonepur Fair

20. Thekua

21. Wear it — it is a traditional headgear worn by the groom at his wedding.

22. Sahu Mewalal

23. Valmiki Tiger Reserve

24. Vikramshila

25. JP Nadda

Scores 0-4: Unfortunately, your knowledge about Bihar is quite limited.

5-8: Well done. You have good knowledge about Bihar even if you're not from there.

9-15: You can certainly consider yourself knowledgeable about Bihar.

16-25: Excellent! You're truly a Bihar expert.

(Derek O'Brien, MP, leads the Trinamool Congress in the Rajya Sabha)