Rajgir
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Rajgir | |
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| Country |  India |
| State | Bihar |
| District(s) | Nalanda |
| Parliamentary constituency | Nalanda |
| Assembly constituency | Rajgir(SC)(177) |
| Population | 33,691 (2001[update]) |
| Sex ratio | 1000/889 ♂/♀ |
| Literacy • Male • Female |
51.88% • 61.49% • 41.06% |
| Time zone | IST (UTC+5:30) |
| Area • Elevation |
• 73 m (240 ft) |
Coordinates: 25°02′N 85°25′E / 25.03°N 85.42°E Rajgir is a city and a notified area in Nalanda district in the Indian state of Bihar. The city of Rajgir (ancient Rajagriha or Rājagṛha; Pali: Rājagaha) was the first capital of the kingdom of Magadha, a state that would eventually evolve into the Mauryan Empire. Its date of origin is unknown, although ceramics dating to about 1000 BC have been found in the city.
One may visit Rajgir from Patna. Rajgir is connected to Patna via Bakhtiarpur by rail and road. Bakhtiarpur lies midway between Patna and Mokameh. One has to take NH 30A to Bakhtiarpur and NH 31 towards south to reach Bihar Sharif. From Mokameh, one can directly take NH 31 to Bihar Sharif. From there, NH 82 will lead you to Rajgir. Rajgir is around 100 KM from both Patna and Mokameh. It is located in a verdant valley surrounded by rocky hills. Indian Railways run trains directly from Rajgir to Kolkata and New Delhi.
Contents |
[edit] History
| Pilgrimage to Buddha's Holy Sites |
 |
| The Four Main Sites |
|---|
| Lumbini · Bodh Gaya Sarnath · Kushinagar |
| Four Additional Sites |
| Sravasti · Rajgir Sankissa · Vaishali |
| Other Sites |
| Patna · Gaya Kosambi · Mathura Kapilavastu · Devadaha Kesariya · Pava Nalanda · Varanasi |
| Later Sites |
| Sanchi · Ratnagiri Ellora · Ajanta Bharhut |
Rajgir, which means 'house of the king', was the ancient capital city of the Magadha kings until the 5th century BC when Ajatashatru moved the capital to Pataliputra. In those days, it was called Rajgrih, which translates as 'the home of Royalty'.
The epic Mahabharata calls it Girivraja and recounts the story of its king, Jarasandha, and his battle with the Pandava brothers and their allies Krishna. Jarasandha who hailed from this place had been defeated by Krishna 17 times. The 18th time Krishna left the battlefield without fighting[1]. Because of this Krishna is also called 'ranacora' (one who has left the battlefield)[1]. Mahabharata recounts a wrestling match between Bhima, one of the pandavas, and Jarasandha, the then king of Rajgir. Jarasandha was invincible as his body could rejoin any dismembered limbs. According to the legend, Bhim split Jarasandha into two and threw the two halves facing opposite to each other so that they could not join. There is a famous Jarasandha's Akhara(place where you practice martial arts).
It is also mentioned in Buddhist and Jain scriptures, which give a series of place-names, but without geographical context. The attempt to locate these places is based largely on reference to them and to other locations in the works of Chinese Buddhist pilgrims, particularly Faxian and Xuanzang. It is on the basis of Xuanzang in particular that the site is divided into Old and New Rajgir. The former lies within a valley and is surrounded by low-lying hills. It is defined by an earthen embankment (the Inner Fortification), with which is associated the Outer Fortification, a complex of cyclopean walls that runs (with large breaks) along the crest of the hills. New Rajgir is defined by another, larger, embankment outside the northern entrance of the valley and next to the modern town.
It is sacred to the memory of the founders of both the religions: Buddhism and Jainism and associated with both the historical Buddha and Mahavira.
It was here that Gautama Buddha spent several months meditating, and preaching at Griddhkuta, ('Hill of the Vultures'). He also delivered some of his famous sermons and converted King Bimbisara of Magadha and countless others to his religion. On one of the hills is the Saptparni cave where the First Buddhist Council was held under the leadership of Maha Kassapa. Lord Mahavira spent fourteen years of his life at Rajgir and Nalanda, spending chaturmas (i.e. 4 months of the rainy season) at a single place in Rajgir (Rajgruhi) and the rest in the places in the vicinity. It was the capital of his favourite shishya (follower) king Shrenik. Thus Rajgir is a very important religious place for Jains also.
Rajgir is also famous for its association with Shishunaga Kings Bimbisara and Ajatashatru. Ajatashatru kept his father Bimbsara in captivitiy here. The sources do not agree which of the Buddha's royal contemporaries, Bimbisara and Ajatashatru, was responsible for its construction. Ajatashatru is also credited with moving the capital to Pataliputra (modern Patna).
[edit] Geography and Climate
The city was in a valley surrounded by five hills: Vaibhara, Ratna, Saila, Sona, Udaya, Chhatha, and Vipula.
Rajgir has also developed as a health and winter resort due to its warm water ponds. These baths are said to contain some medicinal properties that help in the cure of many skin diseases. The Saptparni cave is also the source of the Rajgir Hot Water Springs that have curative properties and are sacred to the Hindus, Buddhists and Jains. Today an aerial ropeway provides the link with a hilltop stupa "Peace Pagoda" built by the Japanese. The added attraction of Rajgir is the Ropeway that leads uphill to the Shanti Stupa and Monasteries built by the Japanese Devotees of the Buddha on top of the Ratnagiri hills.
Temperature: maximum 40 °C, minimum 20 °C. Winter: maximum 28 °C, minimum 6 °C
Rainfall: 1,860 mm (mid-June to mid-September)
Best season: October to March
[edit] Demographics
As of 2001 India census[2], Rajgir had a population of 33,691. Males constitute 53% of the population and females 47%. Rajgir has an average literacy rate of 52%, lower than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy is 61%, and female literacy is 41%. In Rajgir, 19% of the population is under 6 years of age.
[edit] Education
Rajgir also has the world famous sainik school which is a great institution.
[edit] Places to visit
[edit] Sites of ancient Buddhist monasteries
[edit] Gridhakuta (Vulture's Peak)
The hill is listed in Buddhist canonical texts as one of the places stayed in by the Buddha when at Rajgir; and several notable events, including an attempt on his life by his evil cousin Devadatta occurred there. The Mahayana tradition goes further; a number of its major texts, most famously the Lotus Sutra, were supposedly delivered as sermons there. As such, it is a major destinations for pilgrims in both ancient and modern times. Described both by Faxian and Xuanzang it was identified in the later nineteenth century as a hill lying to the east of Old Rajgir. It is now crowned by the Japanese-built Shanti Stupa and has a chairlift to the top.
[edit] Venuvana
Bimbisara gave a bamboo grove (Venuvana) to Lord Buddha, which was the first Buddhist monastery ever. It was given to Buddha so that he and his monks could take rest here, and give discourses to people.
Karand Tank, Maniyar Math, Swarnabhandar Cave, Pippala Cave, Viswa Shanti Stupa, the famous Hot Water Springs and ruins of an Old Fort, 40 km long and 12 ft (3.7 m) wide 2,500 year old cyclopean walls.
[edit] Jivakarama
Jivaka, the greatest physician of Buddha's time, was from Rajgir. He donated a monastery to Buddha, called the Jivakarama.
[edit] Tapodarama
The Tapodarama Monastery was located on the site of the hot springs. Now a Hindu temple is constructed there, called the Lakshmi Narayan Mandir. In ancient times, hot springs used to be the site of the Tapodarama, a Buddhist monastery at the time of Gautama Buddha. Also King Bimbisara used to take his bath there sometimes.
[edit] Saptaparni Cave
The cave of Saptparni is where the First Buddhist Council was held under the leadership of Maha Kassapa. Also Buddha sometimes stayed there, and it was used as an accommodation for visiting monks.
[edit] Hindu Sites
[edit] Jarasandha Ka Akhara
The great albeit evil warrior whose relentless attacks on Mathura prompted Lord Krishna to migrate the populace of Mathura to Dwarika, used to practice martial arts here every day.
[edit] Lakshmi Narayan Mandir
The pink-hued Hindu temple called the Lakshmi Narayan Mandir has within its grounds the ancient hot springs. The temple is (as the name indicates), dedicated to Lord Vishnu and his consort, Goddess Lakshmi. In more ancient times, hot springs used to be the site of the Tapodarama, a Buddhist monastery at the time of Gautama Buddha. Also King Bimbisara used to take his bath there sometimes.
Originally a dip in the pond was the only means of experiencing the hot springs, but now at a higher level the spring has been tapped and flows out through several ceramic pipes set into the wall in a hall, where people can sit under it and have the water run over them.
[edit] Other places
Other archaeological sites including:
- the Karnada Tank where Lord Buddha used to bathe
- the Maniyar Math that dates from the 1st century CE
- 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.
- Swarnabhandar Cave
- Viswa Shanti Stupa
- Ruins of an Old Fort
- 40 km long and 12 ft (3.7 m) wide 2500 year old cyclopean walls.
[edit] Ancient Chariot tracks
The Chariot Route and shell inscriptions are worth a visit for the strangeness of the phenomenon. The chariot tracks consist of two parallel furrows cut deep into the rock for about thirty feet, possibly by the large quantity of chariots that came to deliver goods to Rajgir.
The local belief is 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 un-deciphered characters current in central and eastern India from the 1st to the 5th centuries CE, are engraved in the rock around the chariot marks.
[edit] Bimbisara's Jail
In the middle of the valley is the ruin of a circular structure with turrets at each corner. Bimbisara was imprisoned by his son Ajatashatru, but could continue to see Gridhakuta and the Buddha through a window. The fact that the hill can be seen from the structure, and its military appearance, led to its present label after being discovered in 1914. It could also be (because of its shape and the turrets) a Buddhist monastery of the first millennium AD[citation needed].
[edit] Picture Gallery
 Buddhist monks meditating on Vulture's Peak |
 Pipphali Cava |
 Venuvana Monastery |
 Bamboo Grove in Venuvana |
[edit] References
- ^ See Bhagavata Purana, 10.70.30
- ^ "Census of India 2001: Data from the 2001 Census, including cities, villages and towns (Provisional)". Census Commission of India. Archived from the original on 2004-06-16. http://web.archive.org/web/20040616075334/http://www.censusindia.net/results/town.php?stad=A&state5=999. Retrieved on 2008-11-01.
[edit] External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Rajgir |
- Entry on Rajagaha in the Buddhist Dictionary of Pali Proper Names
- Description of Rajagriha by the Chinese pilgrim monk Faxian (399-414 AC)
- Description of Vulture Peak by the Chinese pilgrim monk Faxian (399-414 AC)
- Description of Venuvana Monastery and Pippala and Srataparna Caves by the Chinese pilgrim monk Faxian (399-414 AC)
- Suttas spoken by Gautama Buddha concerning Rajagaha: (more)
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