Patna Excursion : Places nearby Patna - Bihar

Places to visit nearby destination - Patna

Bodhgaya

Located in the state of Bihar, Bodhgaya along with Sarnath and Kushinagar are the most sacred places for the Buddhists around the country. It is here in Bodhgaya that Buddha is supposed to have attained enlightenment under the Bodhi Tree. The tree from the original sapling still stands in the temple premises

The magnificent Mahabodhi temple stands adjacent to this bodhi tree. The temple stands on the site of the ancient temple erected by Ashoka in the 3rd century BC. The inscriptions here describe the visits of pilgrims from Sri Lanka, Myanmar and China between 7th and 10th century AD.

Gaya

Located in the Central Bihar at a distance of around 112 km south of Patna, Gaya is one of the holiest Hindu cities. The main tourist attraction here is the Vishnupad (Vishnu footprints) Temple, built by Rani Ahilya Bai of Indore in the 18th century.

Nalanda

Situated at around 90 km off Patna, Nalanda was one of the greatest centres of Buddhist learning in ancient times. Today, it is a small village, but the archaeological excavations have unearthed a great part of most important centre of Buddhist learning in the world. Important attractions are the ruins of the Nalanda University, the Hiuen Tsang Memorial Hall, the Surya Mandir, the Nalanda museum, and the Nav Nalanda Vihar.

Rajgir

At a distance of 102 km off Patna, Rajgir is a well-known pilgrimage of Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism alike. Before Patna, Rajgir or Rajgriha (as it was known earlier) was the capital of Magadh. The major centres of interest are the Swarna Gufa, Griddhakuta Parvat, hot springs, and Vishwa Shanti Stupa.

Sasaram

Known for the extraordinarily beautiful mausoleum of Sher Shah, Sasaram is located around 148 km from Patna. The mausoleum is located in a beautiful lake and looks like a floating structure.

Sonpur

Venue to the largest cattle fair in Asia, Sonpur is located just 25 km from Patna. The trip from Patna is easy and if you are visiting the city in the month of November, don’t miss the fair. People from all over the country flock here to sell their livestock. A visit to the temple of Hariharnath after bathing on the confluence of Ganga and Gandak here is considered auspicious.

Vaishali

A place holy to Buddhists as well as Jains, Vaishali is located around 55 km from Patna. The place derives its name from King Visala of Ramayana. The place has the distinction of being the capital of one of the first republics in the world run by the Lichchavis. This is the same place where Lord Buddha preached his last sermon and announced his approaching Nirvana. Lord Mahavira, the 24th Jain Tirthankara, was born here in Kundligrama (Vaishali) in 599 B.C. The main attraction is the newly built Vishwa Shanti Stupa, the Ashokan pillars, and a host of other structures related to Buddhism and Jainism.