Are you willing to visit Bihar India to enjoy your vacation with family and friend then here are the top 10 historical places in Bihar where you must visit in life once. These places are famous worldwide for their beauty. Hope you would like to read some historical information before the visit there. So read here the top historical and natural place of Bihar. Note - The information is taken from Wikipedia
1. Gaya - Vishnupad Mandir, Mangla Gauri Temple, Surya Kund, Devi Temple - Gaya is a holy city beside the Falgu River, in the northeast Indian state of Bihar. It’s known for 18th-century Vishnupad Mandir, a riverside temple with an octagonal shrine. Close by, ancient Mangla Gauri Temple is set on a hilltop. To the north, Hindu devotees bath in a Brahma Kund pond before honoring their deceased ancestors atop Pretshila Hill. To the south lies the Hindu pilgrimage center of Bodh Gaya.
2. Nalanda - Oldest University in India, Large Buddhist monastery, the ancient kingdom of Magadha - The highly formalized methods of Vedic learning helped inspire the establishment of large teaching institutions such as Taxila, Nalanda, and Vikramashila which are often characterized as India's early universities. Nalanda flourished under the patronage of the Gupta Empire in the 5th and 6th centuries and later under Harsha, the emperor of Kannauj. The liberal cultural traditions inherited from the Gupta age resulted in a period of growth and prosperity until the ninth century. The subsequent centuries were a time of gradual decline, a period during which the tantric developments of Buddhism became most pronounced in eastern India under the Pala Empire - wiki
3. Patna - Golghar, Patna Museum, Gurdwara Handi Sahib, Agam Kuan, Hanuman Mandir-
Situated on the southern bank of Ganga, Patna is the largest city of Bihar. Better known as Patliputra in ancient India, the city is also believed to be one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. Patna is a pilgrimage for Sikh devotees as it is reckoned to be the birthplace of last Sikh Guru, Guru Gobind Singh. The city flourished in the period of Haryanka, Nanda, Mauryan, Shunga, Gupta, and Pala earned fame all across India. Today’s Patna is a developing city, which is endeavoring to match up to the modernization; malls, high-end hotels, and theatres have cropped in the city. However, Patna has to speed up a bit to become part of other cosmopolitans. Altogether, Patna is a decent destination, with most of the modern facilities available. for more- tourmyindia.com
4. Rajgir- Vishwa Shanti Stupa - Constituents of Rajgir Regional Planning area are CD blocks of Rajgir, Silao, Giriak, and Katrisarai Rajgir (originally known as Girivraj) is a city and a notified area in Nalanda district in the Indian state of Bihar. The city of Rajgir (ancient Rājagṛha; Pali: Rājagaha was the first capital of the kingdom of Magadha, a state that would eventually evolve into the Mauryan Empire. Its date of origin is unknown, although ceramics dating to about 1000 BC have been found in the city. This area is also notable in Jainism and Buddhism as one of the favorite places for Lord Mahavira and Gautama Buddha and the well known "Atanatiya" conference was held at Vulture's Peak mountain.
Rajgir is connected to Patna via Bakhtiarpur by rail and road. Bakhtiarpur lies midway between Patna and Mokameh. Road access is by NH 30A to Bakhtiarpur and NH 31 towards the south to reach Bihar Sharif. From Mokameh NH 31 to Bihar Sharif. From there, NH 82 will leads to Rajgir. Rajgir is around 100 KM from both Patna and Mokameh. It is located in a green valley surrounded by rocky hills, Rajgir hills. A daily Indian Railways train Shramjeevi Express connects Rajgir with the Indian capital New Delhi. Read more Wiki
5. Kakolat Falls - Kakolat waterfall, situated on the Kakolat hill, located on the border of Bihar and Jharkhand, just 33 km from Nawada. This is one of the most visited and renowned Bihar getaway, where tourists come from all over the state and adjoining areas to witness the sheer beauty of Mother Nature cascading marvelously. The Kakolat waterfall of Bihar cascades down from a height of between 150 and 160 feet and forms a natural reservoir at the base of the waterfall. Good fall in Bihar
Legends are also associated with the Kakolat waterfall such as a Treta Yug king was cursed to take the shape of a python and live at the falls here, by a Hindu spiritualist. The place was then visited by the Pandavas during their exile and it was during that time that the python king got rid of the curse, and he proclaimed that any person who bathed in the waterfall would never be reborn as a snake. for more wiki
6. Vaishali - Vaishali or Vesali was a city in present-day Bihar, India, and is now an archaeological site. It is a part of the Tirhut Division
It was the capital city of the Vajjian Confederacy of Mithila (Vrijji Mahajanapada), considered one of the first examples of a republic around the 6th century BCE. It was here in 599 BCE the 24th Jain Tirthankara, Bhagwan Mahavira was born and brought up in Kundalagrama in Vaiśālī republic, which makes it a pious and auspicious pilgrimage to Jains. Also, Gautama Buddha preached his last sermon before his death in c. 483 BCE, then in 383 BCE the Second Buddhist council was convened here by King Kalasoka, making it an important place in both Jain and Buddhist religions. It contains one of the best-preserved of the Pillars of Ashoka, topped by a single Asiatic lion
At the time of the Buddha, Vaiśālī, which he visited on many occasions, was a very large city, rich and prosperous, crowded with people, and with abundant food. There were 7,707 pleasure grounds and an equal number of lotus ponds. Its courtesan, Amrapali, was famous for her beauty and helped in large measure in making the city prosperous. The city had three walls, each one gāvuta away from the other, and at three places in the walls were gates with watchtowers. Outside the town, leading uninterruptedly up to the Himalaya was the Mahavana,[6] a large, natural forest. Nearby were other forests, such as Gosingalasāla. For more - Wiki
7. The Jal Mandir, Pawapuri - The Jal Mandir meaning Water Temple, also known as Apapuri, in Pawapuri, meaning a town without sins, in the Indian state of Bihar, is a highly revered temple dedicated to Lord Mahavira, the 24th Thirthankara (religious preacher of Jainism) and founder of Jain religion, which marks the place of his cremation. Mahavira attained Nirvana (salvation) in Pawapuri in 528 BC. The temple has been built within a tank filled with red-colored lotus flowers. It is said that the temple was built by King Nandivardhan, Mahavira's elder brother It is one of the five main temples in Pawpuri, where the "Charan Paduka" or foot impression of Mahavira is deified. For More Wiki -
8. Tomb of Sher Shah Suri, Sasaram - The tomb of Sher Shah Suri is in the Sasaram town of Bihar state, India. The tomb was built in memory of Emperor Sher Shah Suri, a Pathan from Bihar who defeated the Mughal Empire and founded the Suri Empire in northern India. He died in an accidental gunpowder explosion in the fort of Kalinjar on the 10th day of Rabi' al-Awwal, A.H. 952 or 13 May 1545 AD
His tomb is an example of Indo-Islamic architecture, it was designed by the architect Mir Muhammad Aliwal Khan and built between 1540 and 1545, this red sandstone mausoleum (122 ft high), which stands in the middle of an artificial lake, which is nearly square, is known as the second Taj Mahal of India. The tomb stands at the center of the lake on a square stone plinth with domed kiosks, chhatris at each of its corners, further, there are stone banks and stepped moorings on all sides of the plinth, which is connected to the mainland through a wide stone bridge. The main tomb is built on the octagonal plan, topped by a dome, 22-metre in span and surrounded ornamental domed kiosks which were once covered in colored glazed tile work.
The tomb was built during the lifetime of Sher Shah as well as the reign of his son Islam Shah. An inscription dates its completion to August 16, 1545, three months after the death of Sher Shah Wiki-
9. Janki Temple, Sitamarhi - The Sita-Kund is a Hindu pilgrimage site in Sitamarhi district, in the Indian state of Bihar, which has an ancient Hindu temple. It is situated 5 km west of Sitamarhi town and a popular visitor attraction.
Punaura Dham Mandir is one of the holiest Hindu temples dedicated to Goddess Sita, located in Sitamarhi, Bihar, India. Millions of pilgrims visit the temple every year and most visited the religious shrine in North India. I
Punaura Dham is about 5 km west of Sitamarhi. Saint Pundrik's Ashram was situated here. The Sita-Kund place is the honor of being the birthplace of the Hindu Goddess - Wiki
10 - Baidyanath, Deoghar - Now in Jharkhand - Baidyanath Jyotirlinga temple, also known as Baba Baidyanath Dham and Baidyanath Dham is one of the twelve Jyotirlingas, the most sacred abodes of Shiva. It is located in Deoghar in the Santhal Parganas division of the state of Jharkhand, India. It is a temple complex consisting of the main temple of Baba Baidyanath, where the Jyotirlinga is installed, and 21 other temples.
According to Hindu beliefs, the demon king Ravana worshipped Shiva at the current site of the temple to get the boons that he later used to wreak havoc in the world. Ravana offered his ten heads one after another to Shiva as a sacrifice. Pleased with this, Shiva descended to cure Ravana who was injured. As he acted as a doctor, he is referred to as Vaidhya ("doctor"). From this aspect of Shiva, the temple derives its name.
Baidyanath original Baijunath or Baijnath 1596 by Puran Mal Laxmi Narayan Mandir by Vamdev appox. 1630 to 1640 Savitri (Tara) Mandir by Kshemakaran 1692 Parvati Mandir by Ratnapani approx.1701 to 1710 Kali Mandir by Jaynarayan 1712 Ganesh Mandir by Tikaram 1762 Surya Mandir by Ram Datta approx. 1782 to 1793 Annapurna Mandir in 1782, Surya Mandir , Saraswati Mandir, Ram Chandra Mandir, Bagula Devi Mandir, by Ram Datta approx. 1782 to 1793 Anand Bhairav Mandir Started by Anand Datta and completed by Sravanadand 1810 to 1823
Now Hope you like to visit the above place once in life. You might also like to read - Top Historical and Holiday Destinations in India for Foreign Tourist
6. Vaishali - Vaishali or Vesali was a city in present-day Bihar, India, and is now an archaeological site. It is a part of the Tirhut Division
It was the capital city of the Vajjian Confederacy of Mithila (Vrijji Mahajanapada), considered one of the first examples of a republic around the 6th century BCE. It was here in 599 BCE the 24th Jain Tirthankara, Bhagwan Mahavira was born and brought up in Kundalagrama in Vaiśālī republic, which makes it a pious and auspicious pilgrimage to Jains. Also, Gautama Buddha preached his last sermon before his death in c. 483 BCE, then in 383 BCE the Second Buddhist council was convened here by King Kalasoka, making it an important place in both Jain and Buddhist religions. It contains one of the best-preserved of the Pillars of Ashoka, topped by a single Asiatic lion
At the time of the Buddha, Vaiśālī, which he visited on many occasions, was a very large city, rich and prosperous, crowded with people, and with abundant food. There were 7,707 pleasure grounds and an equal number of lotus ponds. Its courtesan, Amrapali, was famous for her beauty and helped in large measure in making the city prosperous. The city had three walls, each one gāvuta away from the other, and at three places in the walls were gates with watchtowers. Outside the town, leading uninterruptedly up to the Himalaya was the Mahavana,[6] a large, natural forest. Nearby were other forests, such as Gosingalasāla. For more - Wiki
7. The Jal Mandir, Pawapuri - The Jal Mandir meaning Water Temple, also known as Apapuri, in Pawapuri, meaning a town without sins, in the Indian state of Bihar, is a highly revered temple dedicated to Lord Mahavira, the 24th Thirthankara (religious preacher of Jainism) and founder of Jain religion, which marks the place of his cremation. Mahavira attained Nirvana (salvation) in Pawapuri in 528 BC. The temple has been built within a tank filled with red-colored lotus flowers. It is said that the temple was built by King Nandivardhan, Mahavira's elder brother It is one of the five main temples in Pawpuri, where the "Charan Paduka" or foot impression of Mahavira is deified. For More Wiki -
8. Tomb of Sher Shah Suri, Sasaram - The tomb of Sher Shah Suri is in the Sasaram town of Bihar state, India. The tomb was built in memory of Emperor Sher Shah Suri, a Pathan from Bihar who defeated the Mughal Empire and founded the Suri Empire in northern India. He died in an accidental gunpowder explosion in the fort of Kalinjar on the 10th day of Rabi' al-Awwal, A.H. 952 or 13 May 1545 AD
His tomb is an example of Indo-Islamic architecture, it was designed by the architect Mir Muhammad Aliwal Khan and built between 1540 and 1545, this red sandstone mausoleum (122 ft high), which stands in the middle of an artificial lake, which is nearly square, is known as the second Taj Mahal of India. The tomb stands at the center of the lake on a square stone plinth with domed kiosks, chhatris at each of its corners, further, there are stone banks and stepped moorings on all sides of the plinth, which is connected to the mainland through a wide stone bridge. The main tomb is built on the octagonal plan, topped by a dome, 22-metre in span and surrounded ornamental domed kiosks which were once covered in colored glazed tile work.
The tomb was built during the lifetime of Sher Shah as well as the reign of his son Islam Shah. An inscription dates its completion to August 16, 1545, three months after the death of Sher Shah Wiki-
9. Janki Temple, Sitamarhi - The Sita-Kund is a Hindu pilgrimage site in Sitamarhi district, in the Indian state of Bihar, which has an ancient Hindu temple. It is situated 5 km west of Sitamarhi town and a popular visitor attraction.
Punaura Dham Mandir is one of the holiest Hindu temples dedicated to Goddess Sita, located in Sitamarhi, Bihar, India. Millions of pilgrims visit the temple every year and most visited the religious shrine in North India. I
Punaura Dham is about 5 km west of Sitamarhi. Saint Pundrik's Ashram was situated here. The Sita-Kund place is the honor of being the birthplace of the Hindu Goddess - Wiki
10 - Baidyanath, Deoghar - Now in Jharkhand - Baidyanath Jyotirlinga temple, also known as Baba Baidyanath Dham and Baidyanath Dham is one of the twelve Jyotirlingas, the most sacred abodes of Shiva. It is located in Deoghar in the Santhal Parganas division of the state of Jharkhand, India. It is a temple complex consisting of the main temple of Baba Baidyanath, where the Jyotirlinga is installed, and 21 other temples.
According to Hindu beliefs, the demon king Ravana worshipped Shiva at the current site of the temple to get the boons that he later used to wreak havoc in the world. Ravana offered his ten heads one after another to Shiva as a sacrifice. Pleased with this, Shiva descended to cure Ravana who was injured. As he acted as a doctor, he is referred to as Vaidhya ("doctor"). From this aspect of Shiva, the temple derives its name.
Baidyanath original Baijunath or Baijnath 1596 by Puran Mal Laxmi Narayan Mandir by Vamdev appox. 1630 to 1640 Savitri (Tara) Mandir by Kshemakaran 1692 Parvati Mandir by Ratnapani approx.1701 to 1710 Kali Mandir by Jaynarayan 1712 Ganesh Mandir by Tikaram 1762 Surya Mandir by Ram Datta approx. 1782 to 1793 Annapurna Mandir in 1782, Surya Mandir , Saraswati Mandir, Ram Chandra Mandir, Bagula Devi Mandir, by Ram Datta approx. 1782 to 1793 Anand Bhairav Mandir Started by Anand Datta and completed by Sravanadand 1810 to 1823
Now Hope you like to visit the above place once in life. You might also like to read - Top Historical and Holiday Destinations in India for Foreign Tourist