Rajgir : The City Of Bihar

About the Rajgir City

👉Rajgir is also known as “The city of Kings”.

👉It is a historical town in the  District of Nalanda , this town is situated in the central regions of Indian state of Bihar. This city is close to the Rajgir Hills and this valley is surrounded by seven hills namely Vaibhavagiri, Ratnagiri, Saila, Songiri, Udayagiri, Chhatha and Vipulachal.

👉It was the first capital of the ancient kingdom of Magadha, and it is develop into the Mauryan Empire.

👉Rajgir is a major pilgrimage site ( or visit place) for Buddhism and Jainism.

👉This city is the center of Political, cultural, and religious activities during the Mauryan Empire and Gupta Empire. And also known for its natural beauty and heritage.

👉In this city, finds many places to visit like Vishwa Shanti Stupa, Jain Temples, Buddhist sites, Venu Vana Gardan, Glass Bridge, Rajgir Zoo Safari, Jarasandh ka Akhada, Brahma Kunda and  including many other places.

History of Rajgir

◾ Rajgir has a rich history from the prehistoric period. Rajgir was made the capital of the historic Magadha Kingdom by Bimbisara who was the king of Haryanka Dynasty. This remained the capital of the Magadha Empire till the 5th century BC, after that Bimbisara’s son Ajatshatru moved the capital of his kingdom to Pataliputra (now, Patna).

◾ It was known by various names such as Vashumati, Girivraja, Barhdrathpura, Kusagrapura and Rajgriha.

• Vashumati : According to the great Hindu epic Ramayana, King Vasu, a son of Lord Brahma, founded this town and named it Vashumati.

• Barhdrathpura : According to the Mahabharata, Jarasandha (the king of Magadha and the son of Brihadratha , Vedic king) was killed by Bhima in battle. He ruled over this city and its capital was at Barhdrathpura . 

• Girivraja, Kusagrapura and Rajgriha : These names were found in the Buddhist and Jain texts. Present name of Rajgir derived from Rajgriha.

◾ It was mention in the Mahabharata, as the kingdom of Jarasandha who was the enemy of Krishna and his yadav clan. Exact date of Rajgir’s formation is not known, the town is believed to be about 3000 years old.

Rajgir as a Religious Place

During the 6th century BC, it was the center of great religious activity. The 20th Jain Tirthankar, Munisuvrata was born at this place and is also related to the Mahavira and Gautama Buddha. The Buddha made several visits to this town and stayed here a long time to spread his doctrine. According to the Jain texts, Mahavira passed 14 rainy seasons in Rajgir and Nalanda. During the 5th and 6th century BC, Mahavira and Gautam Buddha  were taught their beliefs in Rajgir.  By the King Bimbisara, Buddha was offered a forest monastery here. Here are many religious  places to visit in Rajgir such as:

• Jain Temples 

• Buddhist Sites

• Rajgir Hot Springs

• Vishwa Shanti Stupa

Festivals of Rajgir

• Rajgir Mahotsav: This Mahotsav is also known as Rajgir Dance Festival. It is a beautiful representation of our history, religion ,art and culture. It is a festival of dance and music. This was celebrated since 1986 and is an annual three days event at Rajgir. This cultural event is organized every year by the Government of Bihar to attract domestic or international tourists and promote the rich cultural heritage of India as well as Bihar. This festival also includes book fairs, food festivals, competitions etc. to engage and entertain the visitors.
  

• Malmas Mela : It is also called Adhik Maas or Purushottam Maas. In the Indian Hindu calculation, after three years in the Sun year(365 days and about 6 hours) and the Lunar year (354 days), there is a difference of about 11 days between the two years, which equals about 1 month every three years. This one additional month has been named Adhikamas or Malmas.

 Places to visit in Rajgir

Rajgir is one of the famous tourist places in India, due to its amazing nature and historical beauty. This town has a forest monastery, which makes it one of the most important locations. It has also found a 2500 year old Cyclopean Wall, this wall connects the five hills of Rajgir. This city was built for the protection of the city. It is maintained under the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI). It has got the status of national heritage. This city has natural springs, towering hills and amazing landscapes, some of them are given below:

•  Gridhakuta Hill: This hill is also called Vulture’s Peak.  Mahatma Buddha often used to come here and preach. One of the most ancient sites where the Buddha preached his Lotus Sermon, it was the Buddha’s favorite meditation site.
  

•  Vishwa Shanti Stupa : This is also called Peace Pagoda( Built completely with white color marble). It is situated at the highest point of Ratnagiri hill. It has four golden statues of Lord Buddha and each statue represents his life periods of birth, enlightenment, preaching and death.
  

• Bimbisara’s Jail : After becoming a king of the Haryanka dynasty of Magadha, Ajatshatru put his father Bimbisara in this jail (this jail built inside the Ajatshatru Fort).
  

• Jain Temples : It has many jain temples, which are attracting the visitor and it is an important place for Jainism.
  

• Glass Bridge:  it is situated in the Nature Safari Park. Visitors can enjoy different types of activities like zip lining, nature park safaris and picnics. The bridge offers adventure sports such as air cycling.