Bihar State Archives

Overview

The Bihar State Archives is the official state archival repository for Bihar, one of India's largest and historically significant states. Located in Patna, the capital of Bihar, the archives trace their origins to the Civil Secretariat Record Room, which was established in 1912 following the creation of the separate province of Bihar and Orissa under British rule. The archives eventually took their present name and form in 1974. The repository is accessible online at archives.bihar.gov.in.

History and Founding

The Bihar State Archives were established in 1912 as the Civil Secretariat Record Room when Bihar and Orissa became a separate province. Over the decades, the archives expanded to incorporate records from multiple levels of government and have undertaken digitization initiatives. A formal archival directorate was established, and the institution has since published an annual research journal, Abhilekh Bihar, since 2010, containing research articles on the administrative, political, social, economic, and cultural history of Bihar.

Collections and Holdings

The archives hold records beginning from 1770 AD, including: Secretariat Records of the Government of Bihar; Records of the Government of Bengal for the pre-1912 period; Divisional and District Records; Mughal-period Farmans and Sanads; confidential files on the Indian independence movement; proscribed documents from 1913 to the 1940s; and digitized documents related to Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, Mahatma Gandhi's Champaran visit, and records pertaining to the creation of the Province of Bihar and Orissa.

Access and Usage

Researchers can access the archives' reading room on weekdays (Monday–Friday) from 9:30 AM to 5:30 PM, excluding Saturdays and government holidays. Registration is required for access to records. The archives also offer digitized collections online through their website.