Unexplored Bihar

Koshi Mahasatu :-   Kosi Mahasatu , a 1.8 km bridge that will be a lifeline to millions was opened over the flood-prone Kosi in Bihar    78 years after an earthquake in 1934 destroyed an earlier one. Today, with the completion of the Kosi Maha Setu over the river Kosi rapid development is taking place in the villages.  The bridge has been providing the crucial linkage to the East- West corridor. Today, Kosi river is a ‘Pride of Bihar’. Kosi Mahasetu Bypass Rd is located in    Supaul District of    Bihar State .

Shilanath Temple, Silhauri, Bihar :-   Shilanath temple is a Shiv temple located in Silhauri near Marhowra in Saran district. This is an important place as per the child Episode of Shiv Puran and Ram charitra Manas. The” Mohbhan “of Narad depicts the place to be here.   On every Shiv ratary , mela is organized here during which the devotes of Baba Shilanath come to pay their obeisances. Silhauri is a sacred place located in Saran. Shivratri is celebrated here with a lot of pomp and a huge mela is organised during the festival. Visitors are taken to a completely new high in this festival. One can learn the traditions of the people here and also shop for momentos while here.

Prahlad Sthumb  ,Satlgarh , Dharahara, Banmankhi, Purnea :-   About 2 kms from Banmankhi, exists a modern temple dedicated to the Narasimha  avatar of Vishnu. The temple has the idol of Narasimha Vishnu in the Sanctum Sanctorum surrounded by different enclosures containing other prominent deities of the Hindu religion. This was the place related to Hiranyakashyap’s attempted slaghter of his son Prahlad for devotion to the worship of lord Vishnu.  There is an underground pillar known as "Prahlāda khamba". It is said to be the pillar from which Narasiṁha, the half-man half-lion avatara, manifested to kill Hiranyakashap. Adjacent to the pillar is a large temple devoted to Lord Narasiṁha. Allegedly, attempts to excavate or move the "Prahlada khamba" have failed.Dharahara, a village extreme west of the district Purnea approx. 30 km, situated about 12 miles to the south of Raniganj and a few miles north of Dhamdaha . At the northwest corner is Mon...

Ruins of Patliputra , Khumrar , Patna . Bihar :- Ancient literatures refer Patliputra by various names like Pataligram, Patalipur, Kusumpur, Pushpapur or Kusumdhvaj . In 6 th century B.C. it was a small village where Buddha ,sometime before death, had noticed a fort being constructed under the orders of King Ajatshatru of Rajgrih for defence of magadh Kingdom against the Lichchavi Republic of Vaishali. Impressed by its strategic location Kingh Udayin , son and successor of Ajatshatru, shifted the capital of Magadh Kingdom from Rajgrih to Patliputra in the middle of 5 th century B.C. Since then for about thousand years Patliputra remained the capital of Great Indian Empires of Shaishunag, Nanda, Maurya , Sunga and Gupta dynasties . The Place has also been an important centre of activity in the fields of learning,commerce,art and religion. Sthulbhadra the eminent Jain ascetic had convened a council here during the period of Chandragupta Maurya. During Ashoka’s reign the thi...

Someshwar Nath Temple , Areraj :- At Areraj, 30 km south of Motihari is  Someshwar Nath temple of Lord Shiva. Old shivling of the temple is Panch Mukhi.The platform of   garve grih of the temple is   7’ above the ground level. Mandaleshwar Mahadeo temple at Mundeshwari Devi temple in Kaimur is the oldest temple in Bihar and Someshwarnath Mahadeo temple at Areraj occupies the second place. Shivlingam of Someshwarnath temple is flat and it denotes that it belongs to Kushan era. This temple is ancient where devotees come with traditional prasad of 'rote'. 'Shiv Puran' refers that King Som constructed this 55 feet high temple.Some historian believe that Some nomenclature came from Chandragupta Maurya whose birth place Pipra (old Piplikanan) is very near to Areraj. He established  the Shivling  for his worship so the name Someshwar. Another mythological story is that lord Moon or Chandra himself established this ling ,on command of Agastya rishi to get ri...

Ajgaivinath Temple , Sultanganj :- Sultanganj is a place of antiquity. It is traditionally associated with the sage Jahnu, whose ashram was a centre of learning and culture. Jahnu Muni's ashram was located on the rock jutting out of the bed of the Ganga River. Now the site has the Shiva temple of Ajgaivinath, also known as Gaibinath Mahadeo. The story is that the river Ganga on her way to the ocean interrupted the Muni in his meditation by the rush of her currents. The sage swallowed the river in a gulp. Bhagiratha intervened and the Muni again let her out by making an incision in his thigh. That is why the river Ganga is also called Jahnavi.   Like many of the ancient temples, the origin of Ajgaivinath temple is also shrouded in mystery. According to one legend, Lord Shiva was given his bow here, known as Ajgav, and so the place came to be known as Ajgaivinath. The ancient name of the place was Jahangira, which was derived from the name of Jahnu Muni. Jahangira is a dist...

Mandar Hills , Banka , Bihar : -   Mandar Parvat (Mandar hill) is a small mountain situated in Banka district of Bihar. This awesome isolated, singular boulder hill appears as a gigantic monolith rising at a height of 700 ft. is aptly connected with a popular mythical tale of immortality in Hindu Puranas. Two very thick and remarkably parallel lines run round the hill. It is    approximately 45 km south of Bhagalpur city. The mountain is famous as Mandar Hill. Mandar Hill is a great place of pilgrimage although it is not so well known now. On top of the hill there are two temples side by side belonging to Hinduism and Jainism followers. The mountain has many references in Hindu mythology known as Mandarachal Parvat. The mythological tale of Hindus describes this hill as Sumeru Parvat, the churning pole of Amrit Manthan (Nectar of Immortality) with the winding ‘Naag’ (the Great Snake). The patterns that are visible on the rock is believed to have created by the mythic...

VISHNUPAD TEMPLE , GAYA, Bihar :- The Vishnupad Mandir  is the ancient temple in Gaya, India. It is a Hindu temple, dedicated to Lord Vishnu.This temple is located along the Falgu River, marked by a footprint of Lord Vishnu known as Dharmasila, incised into a block of basalt. The Shakdweepeey Brahmins have been the traditional priests at Vishnupad Mandir in Gaya as Gayawar Pandas and in the adjoining districts like Hazaribagh. The construction date of temple is unknown and it is believed that Rama along with Sita had visited this place. The present day structure was rebuilt by Devi Ahilya Bai Holkar, the ruler of Indore, in 1787, on the banks of the Falgu river. This is believed that the temple was built with the footprints of Lord Vishnu in the centre. In Hinduism, this footprint marks the act of Lord Vishnu subduing Gayasur by placing his foot on his chest. Inside the Vishnupad Mandir, the 40 cm long footprint of Lord Vishnu is imprinted in solid rock...