Bihar

Rajgir

Rajgir's tranquil hills and storied past beckon travellers seeking a deeper connection with India's rich spiritual heritage. This ancient city, once the capital of the Magadha Empire, is a sacred site for both Buddhists and Jains, drawing pilgrims and history enthusiasts alike. The region's association with Lord Buddha and Mahavira, the founder of Jainism, adds to its spiritual significance, making it a crucial pilgrimage site. As you wander through the city's historic ruins, you'll uncover the layers of a multifaceted destination that seamlessly blends history, spirituality, and natural beauty.

Vishwa Shanti Stupa

Sattapanniguha (Saptparni) Caves

Venuvan Japanese temple

Buddhist museum

Bimbisara Jail

Battle Ground of Jarasandh

Buddha Statue, Rajgir

🔍 Search in Rajgir 📷 Travelers' photos of Rajgir 🖨️ Printable guide

Why Rajgir is famous

•Vulture's Peak: Where the Buddha is held to have preached the LOTUS SUTRA, the Heart Sutra and the Prajnaparamita Sutras. One source says the hill resembles a perched eagle or vulture and recurs through the Pali scripts.

Notable people associated with Rajgir

Bimbisara / King Shrenik · King of magadha; gave venuvana; built his prison for the viewMaha Kassapa · Led the first buddhist councilMahavira · Fourteen years between rajgir and nalandaMunisuvrata · 20th tirthankara, Born hereNichidatsu Fujii · Founded the vishwa shanti stupa, 1969Jivaka · Physician who treated the buddha

AI-drafted from general knowledge — may contain mistakes.

History at a glance

Mahabharata era
Jarasandha rules Magadha from Rajgir. Sources name his Akhara, and Chariot Wheel Marks on the rocks nearby — thirty feet of deep grooves attributed by local legend to Krishna's arrival.
6th century BCE
Rajgir is the capital of Magadha under Bimbisara — King Shrenik in Jain sources. He gives the Buddha the Venuvana bamboo grove as a first gift, and is converted by him.
6th century BCE
Mahavira spends fourteen years between Rajgir and Nalanda, keeping chaturmas at a single place in Rajgir. Munisuvrata, the 20th Tirthankara, is held to have been born here.
Buddha's lifetime
The Buddha preaches on Griddhakuta — the Lotus, Heart and Prajnaparamita Sutras. The physician Jivaka treats him after he is injured by Devadatta.
After the parinirvana
The FIRST BUDDHIST COUNCIL meets in the Saptaparni cave under Maha Kassapa. The Buddha's teachings are set down.
Mauryan period
The main Son Bhandar cave is cut, and later holds a votive Jain stele.
1969
The Vishwa Shanti Stupa is completed on Ratnagiri hill — founded by NICHIDATSU FUJII, as a reaction to the atomic bombing of Japan, inspired by Gandhi. One of around 80 peace pagodas built worldwide by Nipponzan Myohoji, and described as the first and best known.
1993
New initiatives give the stupa its present form.
Recent
A glass bridge and a nature safari are developed inside a 500-acre park, and a Rajgir Zoo Safari opens with Asiatic lion and Bengal tiger. A new ropeway with 18 glass cabins is described as planned.