Rajgir locates the complex of temples and monasteries. Being located in a valley, Rajgir is a very scenic place. Rajgir was the capital of the Magadh Mahajanpad(State) when Patliputra was not formed. Inthose days it was called rajgrih. Rajgiror Rajgrih means the home of Royalty. Buddhanot only spent many years in rajgir but also delivered sermons here and proselytized emperor Bimbisar at the Grddhakoota hill. The Jivekarmavan monastery was the favorite residence for Buddha. Even Bimbisar gave Venuvan Vihar to Buddha for his residence.The teachings of Buddha was penned down at Rajgir and it was also the venue for the first Buddhist Council . Today Rajgir has come up as one of the most important pilgrimage for the Buddhist.
Nalanda is famous as the ancient seat of learning. The ruins of the world’s most ancient university lies here. The Buddha visited Nalanda several times during his lifetime. HieumTsang stayed here in the 7th century AD and left detailed description of the excellence of education system and purity of monastic life practiced here. He also gave a vivid account of both the ambiance and architecture of this unique university of ancient times. In this first residential international university of the world 2,000 teachers and 10,000 monks students from all over the Buddhist world lived and studied. The Gupta kings patronized these monasteries, built in old kushan architectural style, in a row of cells around a courtyard .To be visited are Nalanda museum or Nava Nalanda Mahavihar in addition to the great ruins.
Lord Mahavira, the final Tirthankar and founder of Jainism, breathed his last at this place and was cremated here around 500 B.C. A marble temple, the “Jalmandir”, built in the middle of the tank, and is now a major pilgrimage spot for jains. Another jain temple called Samosharan is also located here.
Bodh Gaya is one of the most important and sacred Buddhist pilgrimage center in the world it was here under a banyan tree, the Bodhi Tree, Gautama attained supreme knowledge to become Buddha, the Enlightened. Several centuries after Buddha’s passing away, the Maurya Emperor Ashoka(234-198 BC) contributed tremendously towards the revival, consolidation and spreadof the original religion. It is the monasteries, Ashoka built for the Buddhist monks and the pillars known as Ashokan Pillars erected to commemorate innumerable historical sites associated with the Buddha,s life. There is a magnificent Mahabodhi temple and the tree from the original sapling still stands in the temple premises.