4 Best Heritage Sites & Historical Places in Bihar

The ancient city of Nalanda is one of the popular places of heritage in Bihar and among the must include places in the Buddhist Circuit of India that also includes Bodh Gaya, Sarnath, and Lumbini. About 92 km from Patna, Nalanda is one of the greatest centers of learning in the ancient kingdom of Magadha in India as it houses one of the world's oldest and finest residential universities.

It is said that the Jain Tirthankara, Mahavira, spent 14 rainy seasons at Nalanda. Gautama Buddha too is said to have delivered lectures in this area and one of his two chief disciples, Sariputra, was born in the area. Today, it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The rich past of Nalanda can be ascertained by the fact that scholars from Tibet, China, Turkey, Greece, and Persia and students from far and wide came here to seek knowledge.

The Nalanda University has 'viharas' or monasteries, and 'chaityas' or temples. Although in ruins, the entire complex presents a pretty picture and is flocked by tourists day in and day out. Besides, Hiuen Tsang Memorial Hall, Archaeological Museum, the Great Stupa, Pawapuri, and Kundalpur are some prominent places to visit in Nalanda.

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Rajgir is an ancient city in the Nalanda district of Bihar. About 12 km from Nalanda, and 103 km from Patna, it is one of the popular places of pilgrimage in India and among the must include places in Bihar Tour Packages. Rajgir was the first capital of the kingdom of Magadha, until the 5th century BC when Udayin (460-440 BC), son of Ajatshatru, moved the capital to Pataliputra. Rajgir was the birthplace of the 20th Jain Tirthankara Munisuvrata and closely associated with the Arihant Mahavira and Gautama Buddha.

Set in a green valley and surrounded by rocky hills, Rajgir is a spiritual town with natural serenity in the form of dense forests, mysterious caves, and springs. Vishwa Shanti Stupa, Rajgir Hot Springs, Venu Van, Ghora Katora Lake, Veerayatan Museum, Swarna Bhandar, Bimbisar Jail, The Cyclopean Wall, Ajatshatru Fort, etc., are some of the top places to visit in Rajgir. Rajgir Dance Festival is one of the major and important events celebrated in Rajgir.

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Vaishali or Vesali was once an ancient city and is now an archaeological site near Basarh, Bihar. About 55 km from Patna, it is one of the popular Buddhist Pilgrimage places in India and among the must include places in Bihar Tour Packages.

Gautama Buddha preached his last sermon before his death in c. 483 BC, then in 383 BC, the Second Buddhist council was convened here by King Kalasoka, making Vaishali an important place in both Jain and Buddhist religions. Apart from Buddhists, Vaishali is revered as a holy place by Jains as it is the birthplace of Lord Mahavir.

Vaishali is known for its stupas along with its religious and historical importance. Ashoka Pillar, Vishwa Shanti Stupa, Chaumukhi Mahadev, Ramchaura Temple, Bawan Pokhar Temple, Vaishali Museum, etc., are some of must include places in Vaishali Tour Packages. Also, Vaishali is famous as the land of Amrapali, the great Indian dancer who is related to many folktales.

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At a distance of 31 km from Gaya, and 42 km from Bodhgaya, Barabar Caves are the ancient Buddhist caves located at Barabar near Gaya in Bihar, India. These are the oldest surviving rock-cut caves in India, and among the most-visited places in Bodhgaya.

Situated on the twin hills of Barabar and Nagarjuni, Barabar Caves are a set of 7 rock-cut-caves dating back to the 3rd century BC, during the Maurya period. These rock-cut chambers bear dedicatory inscriptions which informs that the four caves on Barabar hill were assigned by King Ashoka to Ajivika monks in 261 BC. Another inscription on the Nagarjuni hill is of the grandson of King Ashoka, Dasaratha Maurya, which tells that the Ajivikas continued to enjoy imperial Mauryan patronage for long.

Out of the 7 caves, the Barabar Hill houses 4 caves and the Nagarjuni Hill is having 3 caves. Carved out of granite, the caves on Barabar Hill are named as Karna Chaupar, Lomas Rishi Cave, Sudama Cave, and Vishwamitra Cave. The cave of Lomas Rishi is probably the most famous of the caves of Barabar, because of its beautifully carved door. It is on the southern side of Barabar Hill and is adjacent to Sudama cave, which is on the left. Lomas Rishi consists of two rooms- a rectangular room, and a circular, semi-hemispherical room. The cave has an arch-like shape facade that imitates contemporary timber architecture. On the doorway, a row of elephants proceeds towards stupa emblems, along the curved architrave. This is the characteristic ...

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