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BUDDHIST DESTINATION |
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BUDDHIST SITES |
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| VAISHALI |
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Vaishali today is a small village surrounded by banana and mango groves as well as rice fields. But excavations in the area have brought to light an impressive historical past. The epic Ramayana tells the story of the heroic King Vishal who ruled here. Historians maintain that one of the world's first democratic republics with an elected assembly of representatives flourished here in the 6th century B.C. in the time of the Vajjis and the Lichchavis. And while Pataliputra, capital of the Mauryas and the Guptas, held political sway over the Gangetic plain, Vaishali was the center for trade and industry.
Lord Buddha visited Vaishali frequently and at Kolhua, close by, preached his last sermon. To commemorate the event, Emperor Ashoka, in the third century B.C. erected one of his famous lion pillars here. A hundred years after the Mahaparinirvana of the Buddha - Vaishali hosted the second great Buddhist council. |
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| Vaishali Attractions |
Ashokan Pillar :
The magnificent ashokan pillar with a lion adorning its top is a definite crowd-puller. This 18.3 m high pillar is made of a single piece of red sandstone and is a major attraction to the tourists.
Fort Vishal :
Fort Vishal is a one kilometer long fort and is known to be the part of the oldest democracy of the world which had housed the parliament of those times.
Museum :
The museum houses a rich collection of antiquities discovered from various sites in Vaishali.
Bawan Pokhar Temple :
This is an old temple built in the Pala period. It is situated in the bank of a tank known as Bawan Pokhar and houses beautiful images of several Hindu gods. |
| How to Reach |
Air - Air - The nearest airport is Patna which is 56 km from the city.
Rail - Hazipur is the nearest Rly. Station.
Road - Regular bus services connect the city with Patna and other cities of Bihar.
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