Day 105 - Vaishali

Vaishali District in the state of Bihar, once the capital city of the Vajjian Confederacy, is one of the ancient cities and first republics of India as per records. The name of the city is also mentioned in the Mahabharata as well as in Buddhist and Jain epics. The name ‘Vaishali’ was derived from King Vishal of the Mahabharata age. Vaishali is also known as the land of the Buddha and the birthplace of Mahavir Jain (the founder of Jainism in India). The city is recognized as the place where Gautama Buddha gave his last preaching before his demise in 483 BC. Later, King Kalasoka convened a second council for making it as a hub for both Jain and Buddhist religions.Vaishali is surrounded by the Ganga in the south and the Gandak in the west. Muzaffarpur lies to its north and Samastipur in the east. Patna, the capital of Bihar, is linked with the famous Mahatma Gandhi Setu, to this city.  The district is spread over an area of 2036 km in the semi tropical Gangetic plain.Vaishali is renowned as a Buddhist pilgrimage spot. The ancient monuments and architectural work reveals the cultural importance of this city. The excavation work in this city has provided evidence of the Buddha’s life, when he visited this place several times to preach his doctrines.


How to reach here:

By Air: The closest airport is located in the nearby city of Patna.

By Rail: Trains cannot be taken directly to the town of Vaishali, as it does not have a major railway station. The railway station in Muzaffarpur is located near Vaishali.


Best time to visit: October to March.


Languages spoken: Hindi.


Must eat: Khubi ka Lai, Motichoor ka Ladoo ,Dahi vada.


Places you must visit:

The Bawan Pokhar Temple is an old temple of Vaishali. It is situated on the northern banks of Bawan Pokhar. It was built during the Pala period and comprises some significant images of several Hindu Gods.





Kutagarshala Vihara is situated at 3 km from the main town of Vaishali in Bihar. It was built by Licchavis for Sakhamuni and is also referred to as Buddha Stupa II. The premises of this vihara include remains of an ancient monastery along with an open courtyard and a verandah. There is also a story attached to this place where a monkey took the bowl of Lord’s alms and climbed a tree to fill it with honey. Then it offered that bowl to Lord Buddha which he accepted. Out of joy the monkey leaped from tree to tree and fell on the stump of one of the trees that existed in the same place where currently this vihara exists.

Abhishek Pushkarini, known also as the Coronation Tank. The Coronation Tank contains water that was believed to be sacred in the old days. All of Vaishali's elected representatives were anointed using the water from the tank before their swearing in during Licchavi rule.  

The Archaeological Museum of Vaishali was established in 1971 with the motive of preserving the antiquities found in Vaishali during excavations held  here. This museum has four galleries out of which the first gallery displays the terracotta items like human figurines, Naigamesha, plaque of Buddha, moulded bricks tiles, images of Bodhisattva and much more. The second gallery comprises of terracotta figures of animals like elephant, monkey, birds and others. along with figures of wheels, beads, rattles, dabbers and cast coins.Other items displayed in its third gallery include antler, bone, arrowheads and bangles as well as iron and copper implements like knife, nail and bell. Its fourth gallery comprises exhibits of earthen ware like bowls, miniature vessels, vase, lid bell, sprinkler, spout, lamp and inkpot.

Apart from the pillar of peace and the Ashoka Pillar, there are two more popular Buddha Stupas in the town of Vaishali. The first Buddha Stupa contains one eighth of the sacred ashes of Lord Buddha in a stone casket. However, its exteriors have a plain surface and are in a dilapidated condition. The second Buddha Stupa was discovered in the excavation held in the year 1958. This stupa also houses a casket containing ashes of Buddha.

The Raja Vishal’s Garh is an old fort of Vaishali, which is said to be an old parliament house. This fort is surrounded by a vast mound with a circumference as big as 1 km. Its height is 2 m and width is 43 m. It is said that around seven thousand representatives from the federal assembly used to gather here for holding meetings to discuss political matters.