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Pawapuri
The place Pawapuri is situated about 4.5 Kms north of Giriak and is famous amongst
the Jains as the place where, they say, the last of their Tirthankaras died
in the 6th Century B.C.
Jalmandir
Pawapuri which is also known as Apapapuri, the sinless town, is a very sacred
jain pilgrimage. According to belief, it was here that lord Mahavira, the greatest
propounder of Jainism, attained Nirvana (salvation). Hundreds of thousands of
his disciples and devotees took away the ashes after his cremation here. The
rush was so great that even the soil of the area were taken away and it became
a tank. Later on, a beautiful temple of white marble was constructed in the centre
of the tank to commemorate the Lord's Nirvana. This temple is now known as the
'Jalmandir'.
Samosaran
The another Jain Shrine, called Samosaran, i.e. the place where Lord Mahavira
is said to have sat to teach his disciples, is a circular work of white marble,
rising by low steps into several concentric terraces with a bee-hive shaped shrine
on the top containing the foot-prints of Lord Mahavira.
The Jain Temples (Rajgir)
Few Jain temples are also situated on the hilltop at Rajgir where Jains used
to worship their deity.
Kundalpur
Close to the ruins of ancient Nalanda University a new beautiful Jaisalmer stone
temple stands at Kundalpur which houses statues of Lord Mahavira, Adinath Swami
and Gautam Gandharva. This place is believed to be the birth place of Gautam
Gandharva, the first disciple of Lord Mahavira.
There is also an ancient Jain temple here which is believed to be centuries old.
Other Attractions At Nalanda
Rajgir
A famous health resort and place dotted with archaeological monuments.
Maniar Math
The monument occupies a prominent position inside the valley of Rajgir situated
about 20 Kms south-west of Bihar Sharif, headquarters of the Nalanda district.
Situated almost in the centre of the enclosure of the 'inner city1 on the way
to the Son-Bhandar caves, there is a cylindrical well-like structure of archaeological
importance, known as the Maniar Math. This well is covered by a small temple
of the Jains. This temple, though a Jain one, is dedicated not to a Jain Tirthankara,
as in usual, but to Naga Salibhadra, who, it is said amongst the Jains, buried
his treasure, inside the well. Jains offer their worship at this place to the
presiding deity.
Veerayatan
This is a modern building which houses beautiful artworks depicting the life
and preachings of Lord Mahavira.
Naulakha Temple
A sacred place of worship for the Jains.
The Son Bhandar Caves
There are two rock-cut caves adjacent to each other, excavated on the southern
face of the Vaibhara hill, facing the western portion of the valley.
Inside the cave is placed a Jain Chaumukha with the figures of the first four
Tirthankaras carved on the four faces. The adjacent cave is in more ruinous state.
It consists of a rock-cut chamber, part of its front having fallen. Inside on
the southern wall of the cave are six small figures of Jain Tirthankaras carved
in relief. Further the Vaibhara hill on the side of which they were excavated
contains, on its top, a number of ancient as well as modern Jain monuments.
