Bhagalpur — The Silk City of Bihar

Long before “Make in India” became a slogan, Bhagalpur was already making the world take notice — one handwoven silk thread at a time. Sitting proudly on the southern bank of the Ganga in eastern Bihar, this ancient city has never needed an introduction. It gave the world Tussar silk that European courts coveted, Vikramshila University that rivalled Oxford of its age, and a river that still shelters one of nature’s rarest miracles — the Gangetic dolphin.Today, Bhagalpur is writing a bold new chapter. A greenfield airport at Sultanganj is on its way. A software park is rising alongside its silk looms. Women entrepreneurs backed by Jeevika are reclaiming economic space. The Silk City is not just holding its heritage — it is building on it. This is not a comeback story. It was never gone.

Quick facts

Nickname

Silk City

of India & Bihar

Area

2,569 km²

16 blocks · 1,515 villages

Population

~30 Lakh

Census baseline 2011

River

Ganga

Lifeline & trade artery

GI-tagged Tussar Silk

Bhagalpuri silk holds a Geographical Indication tag — a global guarantee of authenticity. Woven for centuries in Nathnagar, it dresses royalty and runs the city’s economic veins.

Vikramshila — the Nalanda of the East

Founded in the 8th century by King Dharmapala, Vikramshila University was one of ancient India’s greatest seats of learning — welcoming Buddhist scholars from across Asia.

India’s only Gangetic Dolphin Sanctuary

The Vikramshila Gangetic Dolphin Sanctuary stretches 50 km along the Ganga — the only protected habitat in India for the rare freshwater river dolphin, our National Aquatic Animal.

Greenfield Airport at Sultanganj — incoming

Bihar’s 2025–26 budget announced a greenfield airport in Sultanganj, Bhagalpur district — set to unlock tourism, trade, and direct connectivity to the rest of India.