Places u must visit

Amaravana or Jivaka's Mango Garden - Site of the Royal Physician's dispensary where the Lord Buddha was once brought to have wound dressed by Jivaka, the royal physician during the reign of Ajatashatru and Bimbisara.

Venuvana - Site of the monastery Venuvana Vihar built by king Bimbisara for Lord Buddha to reside. This was the King's first offering to Lord Buddha.

Ajatashatru's Fort - It was built by Ajatashatru (6th century B.C.), the king of Magadha. The 6.5 sq. metre Ajatashatru's Stupa is also believed to have been built by him.

Bimbisara's Jail - King Bimbisara was imprisoned here by his impatient son and heir, Ajatashatru. The captive king chose this site for his incarceration. For, from this spot, he could see Lord Buddha climbing up to his moutain retreat atop the Griddhakuta Hill. There is a clear view of the Japanese Pagoda. The stupa of peace was built on the top of the hill.

Swarna Bhandar - Two rather strange cave chambers were hollowed out of a single massive rock. One of the chambers is believed to have been the guard room, the rear wall has two straight vertical lines and one horizontal line cut into the rock; this 'doorway' is supposed to lead to king Bimbisara treasury. Inscriptions in the Sankhalipi or shell script, etched into the wall and so far undeciphered, are believed to give the clue to open the doorway. The treasure, according to folklore, is still intact. The second chamber bears a few traces of seated and standing guards etched into the outer wall.

The Cyclopean 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. Traces of the wall still subsist, particularly at the exit of Rajgir to Gaya.

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. A bridle path leads up to the hill but it is much more fun to take the Aerial Chairlift which operates every day except Thursday. One way ride takes 7.5 minutes and the view is splendid over the hills of Rajgir.

Jain Temples - On hillcrests 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 450 C.

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 watchtower. 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