Excursion

Vishal Fort
This one kilometer long fort is said to have housed the parliament of those times. This fort is named after King Vishal. The fort was a part of the oldest democracy in the world. The construction of this fort is worth giving a look. Apart from the fort, the museum of Vaishali is worth visiting.

This museum has some of the excavated artifacts from Vaishali. Then there are the Stupas, Abhishek Pushkarni and the Dargah of Miran ji are some of the tourist places in Vaishali. The stupas found in Vaishali had stone caskets which contained the ashes of Budha. About the Abhishek Pushkarni is said that a king anoint with the water of this tank before his coronation.

Rohtasgarh Fort
39 kms from Sasaram are the remains of Sher Shah Suri's Rohtasgarh fort, It now occupies a part of the plateau about 4 miles east to west and 5 miles north to south, 28 miles in circumference.

It is considered one of the largest and strongest hill forts in India. this fort served as a safe shelter for treasures and families of Sher Shah Suri, Shah Jahan, maan singh, Mir Qasim (and others during the revolt of 185). Records suggest that there are 84 passages to the hill with 14 main gates entry. However Sher Shah Closed ten of them.

Munger Fort
The most famous and important of the monuments at Munger is the fort, build on a rocky eminence projecting into the river Ganga which protects it from west and partly from the north, the other sides being defended by a deep moat. the fort encloses an area of about 222 acres and has a circuit of 4 kms. It was build during the time of the early, Mohammedan kings of India.

Top    

Monuments
Situated near the capital, Patna, the Maner Fort is famous for its Bari and Choti Dargah, built in the memory of the Sufi Saint 'Hazrat Makhdoom Yahya Maneri' of the 13th century. Being a famous Buddhist pilgrimage center, one of theprime attractions of the town of Vaishali is the two Buddha Stupa's. The first Stupa enshrines one-eighth of the sacred ashes of Lord Buddha. The second Stupa was excavated in 1958 and it has also got the ashes of Lord Buddha. Come and witness history at the Martyr's Memorial in Patna, built in the memory of seven freedom fighters that laid down their lives in the 'Quit India' movement of 1942. Another must see is Agam Kuan, located inside the Kumrahar Complex. This monument is an ancient relic of the Ashokan Empire. Other monuments worth a visit in Bihar are Deo near Aurangabad, Golghar & Khuda Baksh Library in Patna, Coronation Tank at Vaishali and the Ancient University of Vikramshila.

Buddha Stupa I
Sacred ashes were found enshrined in a casket here. The exterior of this stupa, which is now in a dilapidated condition, has a plain surface. One eighth of the sacred ashes of the lord Buddha were enshrined here in a stone casket.

Buddha Stupa II
Excavated in 1958, it too, contains sacred ashes. Excavations at this site in 1958 led to the discovery of another casket containing the ashes of the Lord Buddha.

Deo
Situated on the National Highway No. 2 and 150 kms from Patna near Aurangabad, Deo is the most ancient of all sites where the legendary king Alia of Pravaga (Allahabad) was cured of leprosy.

Here Stands a beautifully ornamented sun Temple housing an image of the deity in its sanctum. The tower bears fiery symbols of surya besides figures of the other deities. The temple, unlike traditional sun Temples, faces the West.

Vikramshila
Located 252 kms from Patna, in the district of Bhagalpur, is the site of an ancient University, Vikramshila. The university was founded by king Dharmpala, in late 8th century AD. After flourishing for years, it was plundered by invaders around 1200 AD.

Vikramshila University belongs to the Pala period and thus can be assigned to the period between 10th and 12th centuries A.D. The site covers a very extensive area dotted with carved pillars, votive stupas and mounds with ruins.

Famous for studies in Tantra, it also bore the imprint of teachings in Buddhism. Close by are the Rajmahal Hills and Pathar Ghat, famous for their Jurassic Age rocks and natural fossils. This place is ideal for Eco-Tourism development.

Top    

Museums
Constructed near the site of Sher Shah's Fort in Patna, Jalan Museum also known as 'Quila House', houses a rich collection of jade, Chinese procelain, paintings and silver filigree work of the Mughal era. Also visit the Patna Museum, which contains metal and stone sculptures of the 'Maurya' and 'Gupta' periods, terracotta figurines and archeological finds from the sites in Bihar. Do not forget to visit the Nalanda Archeological Museum situated opposite the entrance to the ruins of the Nalanda University and houses. It has got a small but beautiful collection of Buddhist and Hindu bronze and a number of undamaged statues of Lord Buddha that were found in the area of Nalanda and Rajgir.

Patna Museum
The Patna Museum is within walking distance from the Indira Gandhi Planetorium. The museum though faded and run down, has a splendid collection of sculptures. Among its most famous pieces is a polished sandstone female attendant or yakshi, holding a flying-whisk, found at Didarganj and dating from the 3rd century.

Some Jain images from the Kushana period, and a collection of Buddhist Bodhisattvas from the Gandhara region in the northwest Pakistan, belong to the 2nd and 3rd centuries A.D. Natural history exhibits feature several stuffed animals, including a few freaks and a gigantic fossilized tree thought to be 200 million years old. The museum also houses Chinese art, and the second floor is devoted to some superb Tibetan ‘thangkas’ i.e., scroll paintings are stored, which desperately need to be restored.

The museum contains a First World War cannon, metal and stone sculpture of Maurya and Gupta periods.

Nalanda Museum
Ninety kilometres south of Patna lies Nalanda, the historic Buddhist site, wherein is located the Nalanda Archaeological Museum. The museum, established in 1915, exhibits archaeological discoveries like sculptures, terracotta, bronzes as well as architectural friezes, panels, pillars and other fragments.

Nalanda Museum houses antiquities found at Nalanda and at Rajgir, including Buddhist and Hindu bronzes and a number of undamaged statues of the Buddha.

The museum has a magnificent collection of Pala and Mauryan statues, bronzes and manuscripts. The displayed antiquities portray the spiritual and meditative principles of Buddhism, especially as it must have existed at Nalanda.

Top    

Water Falls
Situated 75-kms from Ranchi, Hirni Falls is a fascinating waterfall with beautiful surroundings. Also visit the Hundru Falls, located 45-kms from the city of Ranchi. Here the Subatnarekha river falls from a height of 3,20ft. The pools at the base of the falls are a favourite picnic and bathing spots. Also known as 'Gautamdhara', the Johna Falls is situated at a distance of 40-kms from Ranchi on Ranchi-Purila road. The scenery around it is very picturesque making it an ideal picnic spot. A must visit are the Sita & Dassamgarh Falls, where river Kanchi falls from a height of 1,44ft. and is situated at a distance of 34-kms from Ranchi.

Top    

Temples
While paying a visit to one of the famous Buddhist pilgrimage centre in the world, Bodh Gaya, do not forget to visit the Bodhi Temples. The nearby attraction of the temple is the Bodhi Tree, under which Lord Buddha attained his enlightenment and Bodhi Sarovar. The Mahabodhi Temple stands east to the Bodhi Tree. Come and witness the superb architectural effect of this temple. The temple has a 48-sq-feet wide basement that rises in the form of a slender Pyramid, till it reaches the neck of the temple, which is cylindrical in shape.

Bodhi Temple
25 centuries ago, a light was kindled here when Prince Sidhartha attained supreme enlightenment renouncing a kingdom and the luxuries of royal existence. in 531 B.C. It was here that Sakya prince first saw "light" under the Bodhi tree. The prince became "Buddha", the enlightened one.

The tree that stands today, is said to have grown from the original Bodhi Tree. Bodh Gaya , is the greatest pilgrim centre for Buddhists of the world. Number of Monasteries constructed by Burmese, Tibetan, Chinese, Japanese, Thai and Bhutanese in their native architectural styles provide great attraction to tourists.

The place is located 12 Kms from Gaya Railway Station, an important junction on Grand Chord line of Eastern Railways. With the nearest Airport at Patna the holy place is approx. 106 Kms by Road from Patna, the capital of Bihar.

Top