WHAT TO SEE:

AJATSHATRU’S FORT:
Ajatshatru was Ashok’s father and reigned during Buddha’s time, in the 6th century B.C. from his capital in Magadh. Ajatshatru built a fort and is also believed to have built a 6.5 sq. metre stupa, which has been named after him.

AMARAVANA OR JIVAKA MANGO GARDEN: Click here For Reservation
Site of the royal physician’s dispensary where the Buddha was once brought to have wounds dressed by Jivaka, the royal physician during the reign of Ajatshatru and Bimbisana.

VENUVANA:
Site of the monastery Venuvan Vihara built by the King Bimbisana for Buddha to reside. This was the King’s first offering to Buddha and also one of the first Buddhist monasteries.

GRIDDHAKUTA OR VULTURE’S PEAK:
This was the place where Buddha set in motion his second wheel of law and for three month every year during the rainy season preached here. The Buddha Sangha of Japan has constructed a massive modern Shanti stupa at the top of the hill in commemoration. At 7 km. bridle path leads up to the hill but it is much more fun to take the aerial chairlift.

PIPPALA CAVES, THEWATCH TOWER:
Above the hot springs on Vaibhara hill is a rectangular stone sculpted by the forces oh the nature which appears to have been used as a watch tower. Since it later became the retreat of pious hermits, it is also called Pippala Cave and Jarasandh ki Baithak after Jarasandh, an enemy of the Pandavas mentioned in the epic Mahabharata.

JAIN TEMPLE:
In the distance, a hard trek away on the hill crests around Rajgir there are 26 Jain temples of varying age.

EXCURSIONS:

NALANDA:
Nalanda, along with Taxila, were the two most famous center of learning in ancient India. The ruined of Nalanda lie 12 Km. from Rajgir but when it was established both Buddha and Mahavira visited the university which continued to florish till the 12th century AD. The Chinese traveler Huien Tsang spent many years here as a student and then as a teacher. Nagarjuna, the Mahayana Buddhist Philosopher, Dinnaga, the logician, and Dharmpala, a renowned Brahmin Scholar taught here. Over 2,000 teachers and 10,000 students studies here at one time. Ashoka built a Vihara, Harshvardhan gifted a 26 meter high copper statue of Buddha, and Kumaragupta endowed a college of fine art.

STANDRAD SIGHTSEEING TOURS:
The Buddha Preached at Rajgir and so did Mahavir, the great preceptor of the Jains. Rajgir’s hills are known for a large number of Buddhist and Jain monuments, including stupas and forts- a rare combination of Buddhism and Jainism. There are a number of hot springs and pools here and the water of the sulphur springs is believed to cure certain skin disease. In the nearby Pilpa Cave, Buddhist sages used to medicate.