BHAGALPUR is SILK CITY of India, in Bihar state. The city is situated on the Ganges River, 120 miles southeast of Patna. Bhagalpur is a road and railroad junction and the trading center for a fertile area in which rice, wheat, corn, barley, oilseeds, and sugarcane are the chief corps. The city has rice and sugar mills, and silk- and wool- weaving factories. A silk culture institute, an agricultural research station alongwith Engineering and Medical college, are located there. Ancient cave sculptures dating from the reign of the Emperor Ashoka (about 274- 232 B.C) are found in the neighbourhood, and 5 miles west of the city, at Sultanganj is an early temple of the Gupta period of architecture ( about 320- 500 A.D)

Source : The Encyclopedia Americana, Vol 3, 1994.