BIHAR.

1 :

KUNDALPUR TIRTH.

A famous jain tirth which has got idol of Bhagwan Gautamaswami.

2 :

RIJUBALUKA TIRTH.

This teerth of Lord Mahaveer is located near Barkar village on the bank of a river about 12 kilometers from Girdih railway station and 18 kilometer from Madhuban North Bihar. The place is famous as Lord Mahaveer did his rigorous tapsya for 12 years and finally attained Kewala Gyana at this place.

3 :

VAISHALI TIRTH.

LOCATION :

35 Kms away from Muzaffarnagar.

This temple of Lord Mahaveer is located at Vaishali village about 35 kilometeres away from by-road from Muzaffarpur to Hazipur railway stations in Bihar. According to Digambara sect Lord Mahaveer was born at this place.

On the basis of research made by archeologists and the material found in excavation by them, Kundgram which was once the subrub of Vaishali is the birth place of Bhagwan Mahaveer. There were 7,000 golden, 14,000 silver and 21,000 copper pots during the period of Republic of Lichhvia in the historical city of Vaishali.

Due to cruel demolishment of Vaishali by the Muslim ruler Gayasuddin, the temples of Jain religion were also destroyed. Vaishali Research Institute and Mahaveer Memorial came into existence, and the development of this region was possible in the year 1945.

There is a Ashoka Pillar raised by Maurya Emperor Ashoka at a distance of 3 Kms from Jain Research Institute. One museum is at a distance a 5 Km on the bank of Vaman Pokhar where Jain temple is situated.

4 :

KAKANDI TIRTH.

This is the temple of the 9th Teerthankar, Lord Suvidhinath Ji, located at village Kakandi, about 19 kilometers from Kiyul railway station. Shri Suvidhinath ji had his four kalyanak here, Chyavan (pre-birth), birth, diksha and kewalgyana.

5 :

PATLIPUTRA TIRTH.

This temple belongs to Sri Vishal Nath Swami, who is one of the twenty Viharman gods. It is located right in the heart of the Patna town, the capital of Bihar state. It is believed that Seth Sudarshana a staunch Jain was hanged here by the order of king but on uttering Navakara mantra, the sooli on which he was hanged, got transformed into a throne.

6 :

GUNAYAJI TIRTH.

This teerth of Shri Gunaya Ji is located about 3 kilometers from Navada village railway station on the main highway from Patna to Ranchi and is 20 away from Pavapuri. Gautamswami obtained his Kewala Gyana at this place. The main temple is also surrounded by a circular canal like Jalmandir at Pavapuri.

7 :

KSHITRIYAKUND TEERTH.

This place is located at Lachhwad, a village, about 30 kilometers from Lakhi Saray railway station in North Bihar on Eastern Railway. The temple is for ancient and mythological important, having the main statue of Lord Mahaveer in Padhyasnasatha form. It is claimed that Lord was born at this place, he took his diksha here and went through three Jain Kalyenak. He spent 30 years of his precious life at this place.

8 :

PATNA JAIN TEMPLE.

LOCATION :

102 Kms away from Rajgiri.

2500 Year old, the capital of Bihar State Patna is a historical city and was famous as Kusumpur, Pushppur and other names in the ancient times. There are five temples and a Chaityalayas at present. Several Jain idols are Placed in three museums of of this city- viz. State Museum, Jalan Museum and Kanodia Museum.

In Gulzarbag-Suburb of Patna city, 3 feet high idol of Bhagwan Neminath was established in Samvat 1840. The temple is situated in a garden, where a Statue of Seth Sudarshan of Patliputra is placed. On one side of the garden, foot symbols of Muni Sudarshan Swami are Placed on a high Place which is called Sudarshan Tekri. There are four pools around the Tekri. On the bank of one of the pool, known as 'Kamal Dah' a monument footmarks of Muni Isthool Bhadra are Placed in a Chamber. It is believed he sought salvation along with 500 Munis from this place. Patna is also the birth place of Guru Govindsingh, 10th Guru of Sikhism.

9 :

MITHILA JAIN TEMPLE.

LOCATION :

38 Kms away from Janakpur in Darbhanga district near INDO-NEPAL border.

The exact location of this place is not known. However there is a village Mallinagar on Darbhanga- Pusa highway and as such probably it might be the birth place of Tirthankar Mallinath.It was the Capital of Maharaja Janak of Ramayan era and the marriage of his daughter Sita with Rama was held here in Mithila. Archaeological research of this area, as well as around Janakpuri and Mithila is necessary.

10 :

KULUHAPAHAD JAIN TEMPLE.

LOCATION :

67 Kms away from Gaya near Daltaganj.

Kuluha mountain is 1595 feet high from the foothill. Its 3 Kms route is hilly. A padma Saovar is within the four walls of a fort over the hill. It is said, during the period of Shankeracharya, the Jain Monuments and idols were thrown away. The archaeologists had found the broken parts of Jain Chaityalya in this Sarovar. In a temple near the pool, an idol of Bhagwan Parshwanath of 2-3rd century is Placed. At a little distance ten idols of different tirthankars are carved in a cave. A little ahead Guha temple is there, and a circular rock which is known as Akash Lochan over which eight ancient footmarks are placed. On the bank of the sarovar, Koleshwari Devi temple is situated, and it is said this temple was a Jain temple whose shape was changed later on. In a Small natural Cave, Idol of Bhagwan Parshwanath having 9 snake- hoods of 12th century is worth seeing.

11 :

GUNAVA JAIN TEMPLE.

LOCATION :

2 Kms awayfrom Navada Railway Station.

From Patna it is 90 Kms . This is the Kevalgyan Bhumi of the Chief Gandhar of Bhagwan Mahaveer,Indrabhuti Gautam. The Temple at this place is on the roadside where the main Idol of Bhagwan Kunthunath is placed. One temple of Gautam Gandhar is in the middle of a lake where we can reach by crossing measuring about 60 feet. Dharamshala is near the bridge along the road.

12 :

GAYA JAIN TEMPLE.

LOCATION :

96 Kms away from Patna city.

It is the main place of Pilgrimage of Hindus and important religious center of Buddha religion. The Baudhi Vriksha - tree of Knowledge is here under which Gautam Buddha sought knowledge of divinity. Tibbet, China, Japan, Naulakha Thai monasteries are specific are specific worth seeing places in Bodha Gaya.

Jain temple is near Clock Tower. This temple is very neat and clean on the first floor where idols of different Tirthankras are placed. The idol of Bhagwan Chandraprabhu is specifically miraculous. Residential facility in a Jain Bhawan near the temple.

13 :

AARA JAIN TEMPLE.

LOCATION :

61 Kms away from Patna city.

Aara city is famous for ancient and attractive temples. At present there are 14 temple and 13 Chaityalayas, out of which some are worth seeing. From the above temples, one is at a distance of two Kms at Masadh and two temples at the distance of three Kms at Dhanupur.

In Dharamkung, there is one Jain Mahilashram and near it on an artificial hill. a huge idol of Bhagwan Bahubali is placed. In Diddhanta Bhawan, Unique collection of scriptures can be seen. It is said, this is the place where atrocities on a Munisangh were held which they endured peacefully and gave an example of bravery. Jain Dharamshala existing.

14 :

MANDAR GIRI JAIN TEMPLE.

LOCATION :

49 Kms away from Bhhagalpur city.Nearest village Boosi 3 Kms and railway station is Mandarhill.

The ancient and historic city of Champapuri, whose expansion was considered to be 40 Kausa more than a miles Mandargiri Hill, therefore, according to Jain belief Bhagwan Vasupoojya attained Moksha in the beautiful garden of Mandir Hill. Some people are of the opinion that Bhagwan vashupoojya only took Deekhsa and Moksha Kalyanaka here. It is also heard and known that one of the Gandhar (chief disciple) of Vasupoojya Shreemandar too attained Nirvana (salvation) from here.

The 700 feet high hill is about 1 km and step have been constructed by cutting rocks. There exists papa-Harni Sarovar (Pool) at the foothill. There are two temples on the hill. In the Garbhgriha of the temple the ancient foot symbols of Bhagwan Vasupoojya are placed. On the way uphill there are some Hindu temples and idols carved over rocks. According to Hindu concept this is very legendry Mandrachal while using Shesha Naag as rope and Mandrachal as the skimming rod the gods and demigods skimmed the sea (Sagar Manthan) and obtained 14 jewels.

The office of this Kshetra is at Boosi Gram where in a Jain temple the greenish idol of Bhagwan Vasupoojya in Padmasan posture is placed. Two pairs of foot symbols are also there.

15 :

CHAMPAPURI JAIN TEMPLE.

LOCATION :

It is suburb of Bhagalpur city in Bihar.

This is a Nirvan Khhestra of Tirthankars Vasupujya. In the main temple, coral colour idol of chief deity Vasupujaya is placed. It is said Singhvi Shridutta had constructed a temple here in 541 B.C.

There exist two tower shaped Man-pillars 50 Feet high Situated at the eastern and southern parts of the main temple. It is believed such pillars were existing in all the four directions but two were ruined because of earthquake. It is said that below the pillar of eastern side there is a 288 Kms long tunnel which leads to Shri Sammedshikharji- Chandraprabhu Tonk. Some are of the view that this tunnel leads to Mandargiri hill. Now the said tunnel is closed.

In front of the main temple, there is another temple where 4' high idol of Bhagawan Vasupooja along with several idols are placed. Near Champa Nala two Swetamber temples also exist.

16 :

RAJGIRI TEMPLE.

LOCATION :

86 Kms fromPatna, 35 Kms from Rajgiri and 11 Kms south east of Bihar Shareef, BIHAR.

RAILWAY STATION :

PATNA, BIHAR

Rajgriha has its own importance from the puranic point of view. it has been the place of activities of lord mahavir and lord buddha. lord mahavir performed twelve 'chaturmas' here and sprayed his spiritual ambrosia on this district. of the nearly seven lakh hermits and nuns devoted to lord mahavir, nearly one-fourth belonged to rajgriha district. from this viewpoint it can be said that lord mahavir had a boundless influence on rajgriha district.

lord buddha had a special relation with rajgriha. in fact the inhabitants of rajgriha accorded full respect to religion and spiritualism. they saw in lord mahavir and lord buddha the fragrance of divinity and enlightenment due to which both these great personages had absolute dominance over here. it is due to this very reason that in the mountain ranges and caves situated around rajgriha, jain sages and buddhist monks both used to remain in 'sadhana' (spiritual practices) here. after the 'nirvana' of lord buddha the first religious conference of the buddhist monks took place but in rajgriha. what we call 'saptaparni' cave today is actually the venue of the first conference/synod of the buddhist monks. the kings such as raja shrenik and raja ajatshatru (kunik) etc. who have been mentioned in jain scriptures with great veneration, were as a matter of fact, the rulers of this very district. raja shrenik is considered to be one of the principal disciples of lord mahavir. shrenik savoured the nectar of enlightenment emitted by the omniscience of the lord, and even though he was an emperor, he led a life of austerity and equanimity. although shrenik died an unnatural death, he had gathered so much virtue and means of attaining salvation that he carved a niche for himself, as per jain tradition, amongst the would be 24 tirthankars. what we know as padmanabh swami, is actually the name of the future reincarnation of raja shrenik.

Rajgriha has been the birthplace of exemplary personalities like metarya, dhanna, shalibhadra, meghkumar, abhay kumar, jambooswami, poornia etc.besides being a place for spiritual practices, rajgriha has also been maintaining its importance in view of trade, prosperity and tourism. today, at rajgriha only ruins have remained in the name of city, but being an equally important place of worship for the jains, the buddhists and the hindus, travellers keep thronging this place. the famous jain pilgrimage situated on the hills, besides the renowned buddhist stupa, also has a hot-water spring called 'brahm kund'. 'virayatan' has also been constructed here for education, service and art.

This pilgrimage has been constructed on five hills. at a little distance away from the jain dharmshala built at the first foot-hill is the vipulgiri hills. after ascending about 2 km. we come across the vipulgiri 'toonk'. on the hills are situated the temples of the sects - shwetambar and digambar.

On descending down nearly 2 kms. from vipulachal hill and then again ascending 2 kms. we come to the ratnagiri hill. on this ratnagiri hill are also situated shwetambar and digambar temples. there is a huge temple of lord buddha on the gridhakoot hill just in front of the ratnagiri hill. nearly 4 kms. away from the ratnagiri hill is the udaigiri hill. the ascent of this hill is very complicated.swarnagiri is the fourth hill here. it is also known as shramangiri. this hill is five kms. away from the 'dharmshala' (charitable boarding house). the ascent distance is nearly 3 kms. there are two caves on the southern part of this hill. 'jina' images have been carved on the walls in the caves. vaibhargiri hill is situated 2 kms. away from here. there is the shalibhadra temple also besides the 'jina' temple. on the left of this temple is an ancient dilapidated temple. there are many ancient and artistic idols in it.

Besides the mountain pilgrimage, there are several magnificent ancient and modern 'jinalayas'. the journey to this pilgrimage may be helpful in the journey to the inner self.