Once the religious centre for Jains, Hindus and Buddhists, Bihar is an eastern state of India. Patna, the state capital, earlier known as Pataliputra was once the important centre of Indian civilization. India’s one of the best known genres of folk paintings is the Mithila or Madhubani paintings from Mithila region in Bihar state. Bodhgaya, the place where Lord Buddha got enlightenment is an outstanding place to visit. Sonepur, Vaishali, Rajgir, Gaya and Nalanda are some of the fascinating places in Bihar for travellers.