Jain Circuit In Bihar

            Jainism, a prominent religion of India flourished in Bihar. This is a sacred destination as the birth place of the 12^th Tirthankara Vasupujya and 24^th  Tirthankara Mahavira. Mahavira spent most of his time around this region and attained Mahaparinirvana at Pawapuri which has become the most holy site for any jain devotee. Champapur is also a very revered place as it is the birth place of the 12^th Tirthankara Vasupujya Swami.

Kamaldah, Patna :

In the area called kamaldah (Gulzarbagh, Patna) is a high mound of brick ruins on which two Jain temples stand. There is mausoleum of Jan saint Sthoolhdbhadra and the temple of Sudarshan Swami.

Kund Gram, Muzaffarpur :

As per Jain scriptures, Lord Mahavira, the 24^th Tirthankar, was boom at Kundagrama and his residence was at Vaniyagrama. Both the places were either part of or near Vaishali. The modern village of Bania is at the site of ancient Vaniagrama and Kund Gram is identified with the modern village of Vasokund, about 2 km northeast of the gadh mound.

Kundalpur, Nalanda :

A beautiful Jaisalmer stone temple is situated close to the ruins of ancient Nalanda University at Kundalpur. This houses statues of Lord Mahavira, Adinath Swami and Gautam Gandharva. This place is believed be the birthplace of Gautam Gandharva, the first disciple of Lord Mahavira. An ancient Jain temple is also here.

Jalmandir, Pawapuri :

Also known as Apapapuri, the sinless town, is a very sacred Jain pilgrimage centre. As per Jain Mythology and belief, Lord Mahavira, the greatest propounder of Jainism, attained Nirvana at Pawapuri. Hundreds of thousands of his disciples and devotees took away the ashes after his cremation here. The rush was so great that even the soils of the area were taken away and it became a tank. Later on, a beautiful temple known as Jalmandir with white marble was constructed in the center of the tank to commemorate the Lords Nirvana.

Other Important Places :-

Samosaran :

This beautiful temple honours the place where Lord Mahavira sat to teach his disciples. The temple is constructed with white marble, rising by low steps into several concentric terraces with a beehive shaped shrine on the top containing the footprints of Lord Mahavira.

Maniyar Math :

This monument is situated on the way to the Son Bhandar Caves, almost in the center of the ancient inner city enclosure. Legend is that Srenika or Bimbisara had 32 wives to whom he daily gava new ornaments and threw the old ones into a well, which is still there. At this place there is a modern small Jain temple.

Sone Bhandar :

There are two rock-cut caves, adjacent to each other, excavated on the southern face of the Baibhara hill, facing the western of the southern face of the Vaibhara hill, facing the western portion of the valley, Of these, the western one is locally called as Son-Bhandar (Gold Treasury), As per local belief, the piece of rock within this space is an ancient wedge blocking the passage to the treasury of gold in the body of the hill. It consists of a rock-cut chamber and its front part has fallen. Inside the southern wall of the cave there are six small figures of Jain. Tirthankarsa carved in relief and representing Padmaprabha, Parshvantha and Mahavira.

Gonava Jee, Nawada :

Gonava village is situated at around one kilometer north of Nawada on Patna-Ranchi road. This is a pilgrimage site for the Jains of both sections. The Digambar Jain temple is just by the side of main road while the Shwetambar Jain temple is behind it. The temple is famous and known as a place of Nirvana of Lord Mahavira’s first disciple, Gautam Gandharva.

Lachhuar, Jamui :

Situated at about 8 km west of Simaria and 7 km south of Sikandra, this pilgrimage site has a large number of Jain temples and dharmashala built in 1874 by Rai Dhanpat Singh Bahadur of Murshidabad, for the benefit of Jain pilgrims, who visit some places in the adjacent hills. The nearest are about 5 kms of Lachhuar and are marked Muth Boodhroop and Muth Purusnath. In the two small shrines situated in the valley between two parallel ranges of hills, there are small statues of Mahavira dating back to Samvat 1505, where as the other statues are older than this. Some Jains hold Lachhuar to be the birthplace of Mahavir Swami.

Bisram, Bhojpur :

This place in the town called Arrah houses 45 Jain temples, Lord Mahavira, the 24^th  Jain Tirthankara, took rest here for some time during his wanderings and hence this place is called Bisram (rest). Jains frome every part of the country visit Bisram throughout the year where a Jain temple with an idol of Lord Mahavira exists.

Masadh, Bhojpur :

This village is located at around 9 km southwest of Arrah town. An ancient Jain temple dedicated to Parshwanath with elghit images dating back to 1396 A.D as per archeological records is situated here. The temple was completed in the year 1819 A.D.

Mandar Hill, Banka :

Situated around 48 km south of the Bhagalpur town, the Mandar hill is about 700 ft high that consist of a huge mass of granite overgrowm bear the summit with low jungle. The Skand purana associates mandar or Sumeru with the old story of Amrita-Manthana or churing of the ocean. The story goes that the Gods and the Demons (Devas and Asuras) with a view to secure amrita (the divine liwuor), consuming of which is believed to confer immortality, used this Mandara or Sumeru Mountain as the immortality, used this mandara or Sumeru Mountain as the churing stick or rod. The great mythical association, the hill has assumed considerabe religious significave and is a lplese of pilgrimage. Two Jain temples are situated on the summit of the hill wher the jain pilgrnims worship Lord Vasupugyanatha.

Champanagar, Bhagalpur :

A western suburb of the Bhagalpur town, Champangar is mentioned as one of the places, where the last Tirthankara Mahavira stayed for three rainy seasons in the course of his religious wanderings. According to Jain tradition, it is believed that Jain Tirthankara Vasupujya was borun at Champangar or Champapuri. There are two Jain temples of considerable size, both entirely built at the expense of the family of Jagat Seth, a devotee. At the nearby hamlet f Kabirpur there is another Jain temple with the footprints or padukas (footwear ) of the 24 Jain Tirthankaras with an inscription dated V.S 1964 or 1637 A.D.

Kundghat :

It is around 6 km from Lachhaur, where the temple of Kundeshwari Devi is situated and which is considered sacred by the Jains.