Unexplored Bihar

Mahatama Gandhi Setu , Patna Mahatma Gandhi Setu  (bridge) also called Gandhi Setu or Ganga Setu in Patna is the Asia's 2nd longest river bridge and also longest cantilever bridge of Asia.  Length of Ganga Setu in Patna is 5.75km and was inaugurated in 1982 by Indira Gandhi with the cost Rs 87.22 crore. It is also one of the tourist’s spots in Patna, Bihar. Mahatma Gandhi Setu connects Patna in the south to Hajipur in the north of Bihar. The bridge was approved by the Central Government in 1969 and built by Gammon India Limited over a period of ten years, from 1972 to 1982 with total expenditure of Rs 87.22 crore at that time.  It was built to connect North Bihar with the rest of Bihar and part of national highway 19 (NH19). . Before this bridge was constructed, Rajendra Setu, opened in 1959, was the only link to North Bihar. The Indian postal department issued a commemorative postage stamp on Landmark Bridges of India: Mahatma Gandhi Setu of denominatio...

Agam Kuan , Ashoka’s Hell    Agam Kuan  which means ”unfanthomable well” is an ancient well and an archaeological site situated in Patna,Bihar,India. The Agam Kuan is set within an archaeological site identified by the Archaeological Survey of India which also contains the adjacent Shitala Devi temple where the folk deity Shitala Devi is venerated. It is said to date back to the period of Mauryan emperor, Ashoka (304–232 BCE). The well was known to be part of “Ashoka’s Hell “. It’s a legend that Ashoka threw 99 of his brothers in this well after killing them for the throne of Magadh. The well is believed to be 105 feet deep, Circular in shape, the well is lined with brick in the upper 13 metres (43 ft) and contains wooden rings in the remaining 19 metres (62 ft). The surface structure, which now covers the well and forms its most distinctive feature, has eight arched windows. A hand written plate stuck in the wall of the well reads "The well of Emperor Asoka"...

Shitala Mata Temple, Agamkuan Mandir,Patna Shitla Mata Temple is situated in Archaeological site of  Agam Kuan in Patna near Gulzarbagh adjacent to “Ashoka’s Well”. This temple is also known as Agamkuan Mandir .The temple houses the idol of Shitla Devi ,an incarnation of Goddess Durga, and pindas of the “saptamatrikas” representing the seven mother goddess, it is also known as shaktipeeth of Durga. “Shitala” literally means cool, so people worship Shitala Mata for mental peace and prosperity. It’s a belief that Shitla Devi has the power to cure smallpox and chicken pox and wish fulfilment. The temple is very old though exact date cannot be ascertained. Many marriages are held here during the auspicious months. It is one of the most visited temples in Patna.The water from the well is used to perform all the rituals at this temple. The well , called Agam Kuan, was  built by King Ashoka in 240 BC and as per the local belief, it has 9 smaller wells inside ...

Patliputra Karuna Stupa, Buddha Smriti Park , Patna The Buddha Smriti park is situated in the heart of Patna, Bihar . The central attraction of Buddha Smriti park is the Stupa, known as Patliputra Karuna Stupa  which is 200 feet high and is  situated in the middle of the park. The Stupa contains the relics of Buddha, one amongst the eight original relic excavated from Vaishali, secured in a glass enclosure, where a tiny golden statue of the sitting Buddha is kept along with the pot containing the relic . The relics brought from different countries are put in separate caskets inside the glass case. The holy relics was brought by His Holiness Dalai Lama and the monks from Thailand, Myanmar, Japan, South Korea and Sri Lanka. The dome rises high in the sky and provide a magnificent view of the park. Circular paths around the stupa for parikrama have been provided at three different levels that lead to the highest level of the building. The central hall...

Maner Sharif , Patna, Bihar : Maner is a town situated 25 Km from Patna on bank of Ganga. Maner was the western gate of Patliputra (Patna) in the Mauryan rule. It is believed the town is named after the Sufi saint Hazrat Makhdoom Yahiya Maner , whose tomb is known as Bari Dargah . The Tomb of Makhdum Shah Daulat, locally called as Chhoti Dargah , is situated in Maner. This mausoleum is the finest Mugal monument in Bihar and is remarkable for its architectural elegance and rich decorative carvings. It was built in 1616 A.D. by Ibrahim Khan Fath Jang, Governor of Bihar under the Emperor Jahangir, over the grave of his religious preacher Makhdum Shah Daulat who according to the Persian inscription over the southern enterence, died in 1608 A.D. . The mosque to the west was completed in 1619 A.D. and the gateway on the north in 1623 A.D. Architecturally it is the finest specimen of its time in Bihar. In the centre it houses the grave of Saint Makhdum Shah Daulat and of Ibrah...