Rajgir Tour & Travel Guide

A City with Two Thousand Six Hundred Years of History

Rajgir also known as Rajagriha, is a mid-sized city in Bihar in India. The name Rajgir, meaning the abode of Kings, is rightly named so, owing to its long standing history of 2600 years which involved eras of kingships, religious evolvements, education & culture. Set amidst green valley and surrounded by rocky hills, Rajgir in present day is a spiritual town filled with Hindu, Jain & Buddhist pilgrims. Along with spiritual abodes it is the exotic natural serenity attributed by dense forests, mysterious caves and springs, which make Rajgir a popular tourist destination. Rajgir has a number of religious shrine majorly Buddhism or Jainism ones. It is the place where Lord Buddha and Lord Mahavir had spent time here converting this place to a huge spiritually and religiously important destination. The city has two parts, one being the old fortified city in the valley surrounded by Chhatha, Ratna, Saila, Sona, Udaya, Vaibhara and Vipula hills and the other is the new city said to have been established by Ajatshatru, son of Bimbisara and a concomitant of Lord Buddha. The town is just 15 km from the ruins of Nalanda University and various other places of tourist interest here include temples, ruins of bygone eras and excavated sites. The calmness in the aura here, is refreshing and worth experiencing.

Once can find this city’s name mentioned first in Hindu epic Mahabharata, as the capital of Magadh, ruled by King Jarasandha

Though there is not much recorded data concerning the exact origin time/ year of this city but scholars estimate it to be no less than 2600 years. Rajgir is mentioned in old Buddhist & Jain scriptures and in the travelogues of China based Buddhist travelers Huen Tsang and Fa Hian. They visited India during the Mauryan reign and Gupta dynasty. Rajgir played host to Lord Buddha and Mahavira – for 14years and is closely connected to Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism. Thus has a number of archeological sites & excavations of the era.

This place is dotted with stupas, monasteries, temples, caves and many excated sites, which have been attracting pilgrims and tourist from far & near. The must see places in Rajgir include Japanese stupa Atop Gridhakuta, Gridhakuta Vulture's Peak, Viswa Shanti Stupa, Venuvana Bamboo grove, Tapodharma/Lakshmi Narayan Mandir that also has a rich in sulfur hot water springs with curative effects; Saptaparni Caves; Bimbisara's jail; Chariot Tracks - believed to have been made by Lord Krishna's Chariot; Maniar Matth Dating 1 century CE, the monastery of a cult which worshipped snakes; Makhdum Kund shrine of a Muslim Sufi Saint Makhdum Shah; Cyclopean walls that are 2500 years old; and the well managed Rajgir Heritage Museum