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Amaravana or Jivaka's Mango Garden
Site of the Royal Physician's Dispensary where the Lord Buddha was once brought
to have wound dressed by Jivaka, the royal physician during the reign of Ajatashatru
and Bimbisara.
Venuvana
Site of the monastery Venuvana Vihar built by king Bimbisara for Lord Buddha
to reside. This was the king's first offering to Lord Buddha.
Ajatashatru's Fort
Built by Ajatashatru ( 6th century B.C.), the king of Magadha during the Buddha's
time. The 6.5sq . metre Ajatashatru's Stupa is also belived to have been built
by him.
Bimbisara's Jail
King Bimbisara was imprisoned here by his impatient son and heir, Ajatashatru.
The captive king chose this site for his incarceration. For, from this spot,
he could see Lord Buddha climbing up to his mountain retreat atop the Griddhakuta
Hill. There is a clear view of the Japanese Pagoda. The stupa of peace was built
on the top of the hill.
Swarna Bhardar
Two rather strange cave chambers were hollowed out of a single massive
rock. One of the chambers is believed to have been the guard room
the rear wall has two traight vertical lines and one horizontal
line cut into the rock; this 'doorway is supposed to lead to king
Bimbisara treasury. Inscriptions in the Sankhalipi or shell script,
etched into the wall and so far undeciphered, are belived to give
the clue to open the doorway. The treasure, according to folklore,
is still intact.
The second chamber bears a few traces of seated and standing guards etched into
the outer wall.
The Cyclopean Wall
Once 40 km long, it encircled ancient Rajgir. Built of massive undressed stone
carefully fitted together, the wall is one of the few important Pre-Mauryan stone
structures ever to have been found. Traces of the wall still subsist, particularly
at the exit of Rajgir to Gaya.
Griddhakuta or Vulture's Peak
This was the place where the Lord Buddha set in motion his second wheel of Low
and for three months every year during the rainy season, preached many inspiring
sermons to his disciples. The Buddha Sanga of Japan have constructed a massive
modern stupa, the Shanti Stupa (Peace Pagoda), at the top of the hill in commemoration.
A bridle path leads up to the hill but it is much more fun to take the Aerial
Chairlift which operates every day except Thursday. One way ride takes 7!/2 minutes
and the view is splendid over the hills of Rajgir.
Jain Temples
On hill crests around Rajgir, far in the distances one can see about 26 Jain
temples. They are difficult to approach for the untrained, but make exciting
trekking for those in form.
Hot Springs
At the foot of the Vaibhava Hill. A staircase leads up to the various
temples. Separate bathing places have been organised for men and
women and the water comes through spouts from Saptdhara, the seven
streams, believed to find their source behind the "Saptaparni
Caves", up in the hills. The hottest of the springs is the
Brahmakund with a temperature of 45°C.
Pippala Cave
Above the hot springs on the Vaibhava Hill, is a rectangular stone sculpted by
the forces of nature which appears to have been used as a watch tower. Since
it later became the resort of pious hermits, it is also called Pippala Cave and
popularly known as "Jarasandh Ki Baithak" after the name of the King
Jarasandh, a contemporary of Lord Krishna described in the epic Mahabharata.
Other Places of Interest
Other archaeological sites including the Karnada Tank where Lord Buddha used
to bathe, the Maniyar Math that dates from the 1st century AD, the Maraka Kukshi
where the still unborn Ajatashatru was cursed as a patricide, the Rannbhumi where
Bhima and Jarasandh fought one of the Mahabharat battles.
The Chariot Route and shell inscriptions are worth a visit for the strangeness
of the phenomenon, two parallel furrows cut deep into the rock for about thirty
feet giving credence to the local belief that they were "burnt" into
the rock by the speed and power of Lord Krishna's chariot when he entered the
city of Rajgir during the epic Mahabharata times.
Several shell inscriptions, the undeciphered characters current in central and
eastern India from the 1st to 5th centuries AD, are engraved in the rock around
the chariot marks. Virayatan - a Jain temple and museum.
