Rajgir was the first capital of the ancient kingdom of Magadha, a state that would eventually evolve into the Mauryan Empire.[3] It finds mention in India's renowned literary epic, the Mahabharata, through its king Jarasandha. The town's date of origin is unknown, although ceramics dating to about 1000 BC have been found in the city. The 2,500-year-old cyclopean wall is also located in the region.
The ancient Nalanda university was located in the vicinity of Rajgir, and the contemporary Nalanda University named after it was founded in 2010 nearby. The town is also famed for its natural springs and towering hills that dominate the landscape.
Etymology
The name Rajgir, literally meaning "royal mountain", comes from the historic Rājagṛiha (SanskritRājagṛha, Pali: Rajagaha), meaning "house of the king" or "royal house".[4][5] It has also historically been known as Vasumati, Brhadrathapura, Grivraja/Girivraja and Kusagrapura.[4][6] Girivraja, a name given in the Rāmāyaṇa as well as in Pali texts (as Giribajja), is explained by Buddhaghosa as meaning "an enclosure of hills". "Vasumatī" is a name given in the Rāmāyaṇa because of the city's legendary founding by Vasu, the fourth son of Brahmā. The Mahābhārata, on the other hand, attributes the city's founding to Bṛhadratha, and accordingly it calls the city Bārhadrathapura. The name Kuśāgrapura is given in the Jinaprabhasūri and also (in Chinese) by Xuanzang; this name means "the place of superior reed grass".[7]:211
History
Jarasandha's Akhara
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.[8][9] Mahabharata recounts a wrestling match between Bhima (one of the Pandavas) and Jarasandha, the then king of Magadha. Jarasandha was invincible as his body could rejoin any dismembered limbs. According to the legend, Bhima 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 (the place where martial arts are practised).
Rajgir was the capital of Haryanka dynasty kings Bimbisara (558–491 BC) and Ajatashatru (492–460 BC). Ajatashatru kept his father Bimbisara in captivity here. The sources do not agree on which of the Buddha's royal contemporaries, Bimbisara and Ajatashatru, was responsible for its construction. It was the ancient capital city of the Magadha kings until the 5th century BC when Udayin (460–440 BC), son of Ajatashatru, moved the capital to Pataliputra (modern Patna).[4]Shishunaga (413-395 BC) founded Shishunaga dynasty in 413 BC with Rajgir as its initial capital before it was moved to Pataliputra.
Gautama Buddha spent a substantial amount of time here.
It was here that Gautama Buddha spent several months meditating, and preaching at Gridhra-kuta, ('Hill of the Vultures').It was also the relaxing place of him in Venuban which is a government owned tourist place now. He also delivered some of his famous sermons and initiated king Bimbisara of Magadha and others to Buddhism. It was here that Budhha delivered his famous Atanatiya Sutra. On one of the hills is the Saptaparni Cave where the First Buddhist Council was held under the leadership of Maha Kassapa.
Mahavira, the 24th Tirthankara 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 one of his Shravaks (follower) King Shrenik. Thus Rajgir is also of religious importance to Jains. The twentieth Jain Tirthankara, Munisuvrata is supposed to have been born here. An ancient temple (about 1200 years old) dedicated to Munisuvrat Bhagwan is also present here along with many other Jain temples. This temple is also a place for four Kalyanakas of Bhagwan Munisuvratnath.
It is also mentioned in Jain and Buddhist 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 ChineseBuddhist 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, Rajgir 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.
The old site of Rajgir was surrounded by an almost 50km-long cyclopean wall that followed the tops of the surrounding hills. It likely served a dual purpose as both defense against attackers and protection from potential flooding caused by monsoon rainwater flowing down from the hills. 16 towers were also built along the walls at irregular intervals to strengthen the defenses. The most notable of these was the Pippala stone house, whose remains have been identified on the eastern slope of the Vaibhara hill. Probably originally built to house guards, it later became known as a place where the Buddha often stayed. Later, when it was no longer used for defensive purposes, the Pippala house's 11 small cells were likely repurposed to serve as individual meditation rooms for Buddhist monks. Based on archaeological finds, the cyclopean walls of old Rajgir are dated to about the 6th century BCE, while "New" Rajgir was probably fortified around the 1st century BCE.[7]:214–6
Gupta and Pala periods
Rajgir appears to have declined in importance somewhat after the 1st or 2nd century CE. Xuanzang visited the site in the 7th century, but the only contemporary activity he mentioned was two old Buddhist monasteries that still had active monastic communities; other than that, he only wrote about Rajgir's ancient past. He attributed almost all the religious monuments he saw to Bimbisara or Ashoka and did not mention any contemporary patrons or building activity. This stands in stark contrast to his descriptions of Nalanda and Bodh Gaya, which both contain reference to events that took place either during his own lifetime or in the recent past. (For example, he referred to Nalanda's alleged vandalism by Shashanka and restoration under Purnavarmana, as well as patronage at Bodh Gaya by the Gupta rulers Kumaragupta I [aka Shakraditya], Budhagupta, and Narasimhagupta [aka Baladitya].)Yijing's account from later in the 7th century also refers only to Rajgir's ancient past. Kakoli Ray describes the impression of Rajgir from these accounts as a place "[living] in its own past, haloed by sacred memory and association but uncared for by [their] contemporaries."[10]:1281,4–5
Rajgir was hardly abandoned, though – in fact, the first clear evidence of Hindu activity dates from this period, during the 5th century. The Maniyar maṭha, variously identified as a Shiva temple or a Naga shrine, dates from this period, although it appears to have been built on the site of an older structure dating back to the early centuries BCE. Some ceramic and sculptural finds from the site are stylistically dated to later, with isolated sculptures dated as late as the 7th through 9th centuries, indicating that Hindu worship continued at the site throughout that period. Although Buddhist activity does seem to have dwindled significantly at Rajgir during this period, some Buddhist finds are attributed to as late as the 10th through 12th centuries. Some of these may have been made at Nalanda before being transported to Rajgir. Meanwhile, Rajgir never seems to have lost importance for Jains, who continued to actively patronise the site. A ruined Jain temple on the Vaibhara hill probably dates from the 5th century, while an image of Rishabhanatha donated by the acharya Vasantanandi is dated to the 8th or 9th century.[10]:1281–5
Rajgir also kept political significance during this period, as the capital of a vishaya in Magadha bhukti attested during the Gupta and Pala periods. An inscribed copper seal that once belonged to the Rajgir vishaya's guild of blacksmiths and carpenters, palaeographically dated to perhaps the 5th century, was found at Rajgir, indicating a certain level of commercial organisation at Rajgir during this period.[11]:965–7
Geography and climate
The modern town of Rajgir lies just to the north of the Rajgir Hills, an isolated pair of parallel ridges that rise sharply up from the flat surrounding plains. The ancient site of Rajgir was located in the narrow valley between the two sets of hills.[12] Historically, Rajgir was thought of as lying between five hills, but different texts give them different names (the Mahābhārata even gives two different lists of five names in the same chapter), making it difficult to identify the five hills with their modern counterparts. The modern names are Vaibhara, Vipula, Chaṭa, Shaila, Udaya, Sona, and Ratnagiri.[7]:212 Of these, Ratnagiri is the highest, at about 305m.[13]:16
Rajgir is known for its hot springs, which have held religious significance since ancient times. The best-known today is Brahmakuṇḍa, and there are several other springs in this area whose waters merge to form a stream. Another prominent spring is the Sūryakuṇḍa, which is part of a cluster of springs on the north side of the hills. Sūryakuṇḍa's water is stagnant and murky and a favored habitat by frogs. Another major water feature in the area is the Panchane River (from Pañcānanā, "having five mouths"), which flows to the east of Rajgir.[7]:221–2,224–5
Rajgir has a monsoon climate, with an annual rainfall of about 113cm. Rainfall peaks in July and August.[13]:16
Summer temperature: maximum 44°C (111.2°F), minimum 20°C (68°F)
Winter temperature: maximum 28°C (82.4°F), minimum 6°C (42.8°F)
The landscape of Rajgir or Pant WLS is uneven terrain enclosed by five hills; Ratnagiri, Vipulgiri, Vaibhagiri, Songiri and Udaygiri. It is situated in Nalanda Forest Division covering an area of 35.84km2 under the Nalanda district administration. This wildlife sanctuary, notified in 1978, represents a remnant patch of forests nestled in the Rajgir hills within the south Gangetic Plain.[14]
According to 2011 Indian Census, Rajgir had a total population of 41,587, of which 21,869 were males and 19,718 were females. The population within the age group of 0 to 6 years was 6,922. The total number of literates in Rajgir was 24,121, which constituted 58.0% of the population with male literacy of 65.4% and female literacy of 49.8%. The effective literacy rate of the 7+ population of Rajgir was 69.6%, of which the male literacy rate was 78.1% and the female literacy rate was 60.1%. The Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes population was 11,724 and 42 respectively. Rajgir had 7030 households in 2011.[2]
Religion
The town is also notable in Jainism and Buddhism.[16] It was the birthplace of the 20th Jain TirthankarMunisuvrata, and is closely associated with the Mahavira and Gautama Buddha.[17] Both Mahavira and Buddha taught their beliefs in Rajgir during the 6th and 5th century BC, and the Buddha was offered a forest monastery here by the king Bimbisara. As such, the city of Rajgir became one of the Buddha's most important preaching locations.
Another major attraction is the peace pagoda, Vishwa Shanti Stupa, built-in 1969, one of the 80 peace pagodas in the world, to spread the message of peace and non-violence. It is the oldest peace pagoda in India. The rope-way that leads to it is another attraction, which was gifted by Japanese spiritual leader Fuji Guruji in the 1960s.
Rajgir has hot water springs, locally known as Brahmakund, a sacred place for Hindus where water from seven different springs (Saptarshi) merge and is notable for its healing effects.[21][22]
There is a Japanese temple beside the Venu Vana, an artificial forest with historical associations to Buddha and the kings of the region. Other places of interest include the Rajgir Heritage Museum,[23] the Sariputta Stupa,[24]Ghora Katora Lake, and the Rajgir glass bridge.[25]
The Son Bhandar caves are situated in Rajgir. The caves are concerned with Jainism and are considered to belong to 3–4 century AD. After Cunningham's inspection, several scholars visited this place and some had opinions to concern with Buddhism. After some time all Buddhism connections were refused because of an inscription found on the southern wall of a cave. According to this inscription these caves were built by inspiration of a Jain Muni Vair for Jain ascetics. Sculptures of Teerthankaras were also carved in these caves. From an architectural aspect; these caves are analogous to Nagarjuni cave and Barabar Caves caves of Mauryan era. Therefore, it can be concluded that construction time should not differ much from the above-mentioned caves.
These caves should be related to Digambar sect of Jainism as Xuanzang wrote in his book about Vaibhar Hill of Rajgir that the place was occupied by DigambarJain monks for meditation purposes. After some centuries these caves were converted by Hindus as Vishnu sculpture was also found from the mound of a cave.[19]
Makhdum Kund, also recognised as Dargah-e-Makhdoomiya is a sacred site situated in Rajgir. Renowned for its thermal spring and the tomb of Makhdoom Syed Ghulam Ali, as well as the prayer space of Sharfuddin Yahya Maneri, it holds significance for pilgrims and visitors alike. The thermal spring, dating back approximately 800 years, attracts numerous visitors who utilise it for ablution (Wudu) and bathing purposes.[26] The Chief Minister of Bihar, Nitish Kumar also took bath here in his childhood.[27][28]
Road: Rajgir is connected by road to Patna – 110km, Nalanda – 12km, Gaya – 78km, Pawapuri – 19km, Bihar Sharif – 25km, etc. NH 120, transverses the city of Rajgir, connecting it with Bodhgaya, Gaya, Nalanda, Bihar Sharif and further to Patna. State Highway 71 also passes through Rajgir connecting it with Giriyak, Islampur and Jahanabad.
Bus: Regular buses are available from all the above said points to Rajgir.
Local Transport: Electric Rickshaw and Buses and Tongas are available.
Economy
Located in Patna division, this Nagar Panchayat type of municipal council mainly depends upon tourism and is supplemented by agriculture. A number of resorts and hotels are located in Rajgir to serve the tourists. In addition, Rajgir is located near the tourist spots like Nalanda, Pawapuri and Kundalpur.
Rajgir ranks top in Bihar, in reference to revenue collected by tourism.
An ordinance factory for defence forces is located in the city.[29]
RTC CRPF – Rajgir is also home to the Recruit Training centre of the Central Reserve Police Force for three states namely Bihar, Jharkhand and West Bengal.
Government of Bihar has acquired 100 acres of land to build an IT city near Nalanda university and also develop India's first multimedia hub which will provide advanced courses in different spheres of IT.[30]
Rajgir Film City is an integrated film studio complex. Spread over 20 acres, it is the second largest integrated film city in Bihar. It is being built by the Bihar government since 2017.[31][32]
Sports
Rajgir International Cricket Stadium is a proposed cricket stadium in the city. In 2013, it was announced by the Chief Minister of Bihar Nitish Kumar that an international cricket stadium will be constructed at Rajgir in Bihar's Nalanda district.[33][34]
Nalanda University
Nalanda University, a modern university that is based on the famous university and Buddhist monastery of ancient India, has been established with its campus in Rajgir. It began its first academic session on 1 September 2014.[35]
Events
Nitish Kumar, Kaushal Kishore, Prem Kumar, Shrawan Kumar and others at 55th anniversary of establishment of Vishwa Shanti Stupa.
Japanese monk Nichidatsu Fujii, the founder of Nipponzan Myohoji order of Buddhism established a white stupa atop Ratnagiri hills in Rajgir, which was inaugurated on 25 October 1969. This stupa is called Vishwa Shanti Stupa and from then onwards the anniversary of its establishment is celebrated every year. This event is attended by Budhhist monks and devotees from various south-east Asian countries and the ministers and officials of Government of Bihar.[36]
Nalanda was a renowned Buddhist mahavihara in ancient and medieval Magadha, eastern India. Widely considered to be among the greatest centres of learning in the ancient world, and often referred to as "the world's first residential university", it was located near the city of Rajagriha, roughly 90 kilometres (56 mi) southeast of Pataliputra. Operating for almost a thousand years from 427 CE until around 1400 CE, Nalanda played a vital role in promoting the patronage of arts and academics during the 5th and 6th century CE, a period that has since been described as the "Golden Age of India" by scholars.
Magadha was a region in ancient India, named after the ancient Indo-Aryan kingdom of Magadha, which was one of the sixteen Mahajanapadas during the Second Urbanization period, based in the eastern Ganges Plain. The region was ruled by several dynasties, which overshadowed and incorporated the other Mahajanapadas. Magadha played an important role in the development of Jainism and Buddhism.
Bimbisāra or Shrenika and Seniya in the Jain histories was the King of Magadha and belonged to the Haryanka dynasty. He was the son of Bhattiya. His expansion of the kingdom, especially his annexation of the kingdom of Anga to the east, is considered to have laid the foundations for the later expansion of the Mauryan Empire.
Ajatasattu or Ajatashatru in Buddhist tradition, or Kunika and Kuniya in the Jain histories, was one of the most important kings of the Haryanka dynasty of Magadha in East India. He was the son of King Bimbisara and was a contemporary of both Mahavira and Gautama Buddha. He forcefully took over the kingdom of Magadha from his father and imprisoned him. He fought a war against the Vajjika League, led by the Licchavis, and conquered the republic of Vaishali. The city of Pataliputra was formed by fortification of a village by Ajatashatru.
Gaya is a city, municipal corporation and the administrative headquarters of Gaya district and Magadh division of the Indian state of Bihar. Gaya is 116 kilometres (72 mi) south of Patna and is the state's second-largest city, with a population of 470,839. The city is surrounded on three sides by small, rocky hills, with the Phalgu River on its eastern side.
Bihar Sharif is the headquarters of Nalanda district and the fifth-largest sub-metropolitan area in the eastern Indian state of Bihar. Its name is a combination of two words: Bihar, derived from vihara, also the name of the state; and Sharif. The city is a hub of education and trade in southern Bihar, and the economy centers around agriculture supplemented by tourism, the education sector and household manufacturing. The ruins of the ancient Nalanda Mahavihara, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, are located near the city.
The Mahājanapadas were sixteen kingdoms and aristocratic republics that existed in ancient India from the sixth to fourth centuries BCE, during the second urbanisation period.
Patna, the capital of Bihar state, India, is one of the oldest continuously inhabited places in the world and the history of Patna spans at least three millennia. Patna has the distinction of being associated with the two most ancient religions of the world, namely, Buddhism and Jainism. The ancient city of Pataliputra was the capital of the Mauryan, Shunga, and Gupta Empires.
The Rajgir Hills, also known as "Rajgriha" hills, lie near the city of Rajgir in central regions of the Indian state of Bihar. It is surrounded by five hills named Ratnagiri, Vipulachal, Vaibharagiri, Songiri and Udaygiri. It is an important Buddhist, Hindu and Jain pilgrimage site.
The History of Bihar is one of the most varied in India. Bihar consists of three distinct regions, each has its own distinct history and culture. They are Magadha, Mithila and Bhojpur.Chirand, on the northern bank of the Ganga River, in Saran district, has an archaeological record dating from the Neolithic age. Regions of Bihar—such as Magadha, Mithila and Anga—are mentioned in religious texts and epics of ancient India. Mithila is believed to be the centre of Indian power in the Later Vedic period. Mithila first gained prominence after the establishment of the ancient Videha Kingdom. The kings of the Videha were called Janakas. A daughter of one of the Janaks of Mithila, Sita, is mentioned as consort of Lord Rama in the Hindu epic Ramayana. The kingdom later became incorporated into the Vajjika League which had its capital in the city of Vaishali, which is also in Mithila.
The Haryanka dynasty was the ruling dynasty of Magadha between 544 BC and 413 BC. Initially, the capital was Rajagriha. Later, it was shifted to Pataliputra, near present-day Patna in India during the reign of Udayin. Bimbisara is considered as the founder of the dynasty.
Fatuha also spelled Fatwah or Fatwa, is a Satellite town in proposed Patna Metropolitan Region, in the Patna district in the Indian state of Bihar. Fatuha lies 24 km east of Patna the capital of Bihar. Fatuha is an important industrial centre known for small industries and its handloom industries. The city's name is said to come from its status as a center of textile manufacturing.
In religion and spirituality, a pilgrimage is a long journey or search of great moral significance. Sometimes, it is a journey to a sacred place or to a shrine of importance to a person's beliefs and faith. Members of every major religion participate in pilgrimages. A person who makes such a journey is called a pilgrim.
The state of Bihar in eastern India, is one of the oldest inhabited places in the world with a history going back 3000 years. The rich culture and heritage of Bihar is evident from the innumerable ancient monuments that are dotted all over the state. Bihar is home to many tourist attractions and is visited by large numbers of tourists from all over the world. Around total 6 million tourists visit Bihar every year.
Hinduism is the most followed religion in Bihar, followed by nearly 82% of total population as per 2023 Bihar Caste based census. Islam is the second-most followed religion which is followed by nearly 17.7% of population. There is also a significant population of Buddhists and Christians in the state.
Udayin also known as Udayabhadra was a king of Magadha in ancient India. According to the Buddhist and Jain accounts, he was the son and successor of the Haryanka king Ajatashatru. Udayin laid the foundation of the city of Pataliputra at the confluence of two rivers, the Son and the Ganges. He shifted his capital from Rajagriha to Pataliputra due to the latter's central location in the empire.
Nalanda railway station, station code NLD, is a railway station and under Danapur railway division of East Central Railway. Nalanda is connected to metropolitan areas of India, by the Delhi–Kolkata main line via Mugalsarai–Patna route. Station is located in Nalanda city in Nalanda district in the Indian state of Bihar. Due to its location on the Bakhtiyarpur–Tilaiya main line many Patna and other cities via Express trains coming from Rajgir and Gaya Junction stop here.
The culture of Magadh is rich with its distinct language, folk songs and festivals. In ancient period it was known as Magadha mahajanpada. The present-day Magadh region split between the states of Bihar and Jharkhand in India. The major language of the region is Magahi.
Ancient Indian architecture ranges from the Indian Bronze Age to around 800 CE. By this endpoint Buddhism in India had greatly declined, and Hinduism was predominant, and religious and secular building styles had taken on forms, with great regional variation, which they largely retain even after some forceful changes brought about by the arrival of first Islam, and then Europeans.
Giriyak Stupa, also known as Jarasandha-ka-baithak, is an ancient cylindrical stupa located in the Nalanda district of Bihar, India.
Mani, B.R.; Gupta, Vinay (2014). "VII.11. Rajagriha". In Chakrabarti, Dilip K.; Lal, Makkhan (eds.). The Texts, Political History and Administration till c. 200 BC. Vol.3. Vivekananda International Foundation. Aryan Books International. ISBN9788173054822.{{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)
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