Rajgir Weekend Tour | Short Trip To Rajgir

OVERVIEW- Rajgir, meaning the abode of Gods, is a town in Nalanda district about 93 km southeast of Patna. While the exact date of Rajgir's foundation is not known, the city is believed to be about 3000 years old. Rajgir is divided into two parts: one which is fortified and surrounded by seven hills and the other, which is believed to have been founded by King Bimbisara's son, Ajatshatru. The town has been an important part of major religions like Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism. Relics connected with the Jain and Buddhist religions have been unearthed during archaeological excavations. Both Lord Buddha and Lord Mahavir have said to spent time here giving it huge spiritual and religious importance. Gautam Buddha is said to have spent many months in meditation on Gridhakut which means Hill of Vultures. Mahavira spent about 14 years of his life in Rajgir and its nearby regions.

PATNA- Patna once called Patliputra the capital of Bihar is among the world's oldest capital cities with unbroken history of many centuries as imperial metropolis. A very fertile arched stretch of land along the bank of the Ganga, the history and heritage of modern day Patna go back well over two millennia. Today Patna is an important business centre of eastern India. More significantly, it is a gateway to the Buddhist and Jain pilgrim centers of Vaishali, Nalanda, Rajgir, Bodhgaya and Pawapuri.

RAJGIR- Rajgir is town where the air that surrounds its beautiful sceneries carries hints of spirituality and vibrant hues of history with links with both Buddhism and Jainism. Set in a green valley and surrounded by rocky hills, Rajgir is a spiritual town with natural serenity amongst the dense forests, mysterious caves and springs. Both Lord Buddha and Lord Mahavir have said to spent time here giving Rajgir a huge spiritual and religious importance.

Tour Destination: Patna - Rajgir - Patna

Travel Duration: 02 Nights/03 Days

DAY 1: PATNA - RAJGIR

Welcome at Patna Airport. Drive to Rajgir. Transfer to the hotel. Spend the rest of the day at leisure or you can go for a leisure walk around the place.

Overnight at Hotel

DAY 2: RAJGIR

After breakfast visit the beautiful city of Rajgir

SONBHANDAR CAVES- There are two caves that have been carved out of a single rock with one chamber believed to be the guard room. There is a doorway in the back of the cave which is believed to lead straight to King Bimbisar's treasury. There are inscription in Sankhilpi or shell script which are believed to have the instructions on how to open the door but the inscriptions are yet to be deciphered.

THE CYCLOPEON 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.

GRIDDHAKUTA OR VULTURE'S PEAK- This was the place where the Lord Buddha set in motion his second wheel of Law and for three months every year during the rainy season, preached many inspiring sermons to his disciples. The Buddha Sangha of Japan have constructed a massive modern stupa, the Shanti Stupa (Peace Pagoda), at the top of the hill in commemoration.

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 450C.

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.

DAY 3: RAJGIR - PATNA

Day free for leisure and later depart at Patna airport/station to catch your flight/train towards onward destination.

Distance & Time (Approx)