Aurangabad district is an administrative district in the southwestern part of the Indian state of Bihar. It lies in the Magadh region and shares borders with the districts of Gaya to the east, Arwal and Jehanabad to the north, Rohtas and Kaimur to the west, and the state of Jharkhand (Palamu district) to the south. The town of Aurangabad serves as the district headquarters.
| Country | India |
|---|---|
| State | Bihar |
| Division | Magadh |
| Headquarters | Aurangabad |
| Region | Magadh / South Bihar |
| Major river | Son |
| Major highway | Grand Trunk Road (NH-19, formerly NH-2) |
The district forms part of the southern Gangetic plain, with undulating terrain rising towards the Chhotanagpur plateau in the south. The Son river flows along the western boundary of the district and is the principal source of irrigation through the Sone canal system. Smaller rivers including the Punpun, Batane and Adri also drain the area. The southern parts of the district are forested and contain low hills, while the northern and central tracts are agricultural plains.
Aurangabad district is part of the Magadh Division. It is divided into sub-divisions and several community development blocks, with Aurangabad town as the principal urban centre. Other notable towns include Daudnagar, Rafiganj, Obra, Madanpur, Barun and Nabinagar. The district sends representatives to the Bihar Legislative Assembly from constituencies including Aurangabad, Rafiganj, Obra, Goh, Nabinagar and Kutumba; it also forms part of the Aurangabad Lok Sabha constituency.
The area now comprising Aurangabad district has historical associations with the ancient kingdom of Magadha. The temple at Deo, dedicated to the Sun god, is among the most prominent heritage sites and a major centre of the Chhath festival, drawing pilgrims from across Bihar and neighbouring states. Umga, with its medieval temple complex, is another notable site of religious and architectural importance.
Administratively, Aurangabad was carved out as a separate district from the older Gaya district on 26 January 1973, when several districts in Bihar were reorganised.
The economy of the district is predominantly agrarian. Paddy is the principal kharif crop, supported by canal irrigation from the Son system, while wheat, pulses and oilseeds are grown in the rabi season. The Nabinagar area hosts thermal power generation projects associated with NTPC and the Bhartiya Rail Bijlee Company, making power one of the significant industrial activities in the district. The Grand Trunk Road, one of the oldest and busiest highways of the subcontinent, passes through the district and supports trade and transport.
National Highway 19 (the Grand Trunk Road) traverses the district from east to west, connecting it with Patna, Dhanbad and Kolkata in one direction and Varanasi and Delhi in the other. The Gaya–Dehri-on-Sone railway corridor and the Son Nagar junction lie in the vicinity, providing rail connectivity. The nearest major airport is at Gaya.
Hindi and Magahi are the languages most widely spoken, with Urdu also in use. The district shares the cultural traditions of the Magadh region, including the prominence of Chhath as a major festival.