Rajgir once the capital of the mighty Magadha empire known in ancient times as Rajagriha mean¬ing home of Royalty. Rajgirha was once the kingdom of Jarasandha, the man born for two mothers, and who could only be destroyed by being wrenched apart, after that Bhim one of the pandava brothers, accomplished. Episodes from the Mahabharata surface again in the two parallel deep ruts gouged in the rock popularly called chariot route, which are supposed to have been made when lord Krishna drove away in his powerful Chador.
Coming to more historical times when Buddha was preaching his law we find a new dynasty with Bimbisara as the king (543-491 B.C) ruling over Magadha. He was one of the four powerful Kings holdings away over north India, the other three being Prasenjit of Kosala, Udayana of Vatsa and Pradyota of Avanti. Bimibisara, though deficient impedigrees was at least equal to the other in prowers and extent of kingdom.
Bimbisara was a great admirer of Buddha and his creed. In his old age he said to have been
imprisoned and killed by his son Ajatasatru in (491-459 B.C) who, however, later on submitted to Buddha and became a convert to his creed.
Rajagraha was an important centre of Buddhism and Buddha himself passed many years of his ministration at this place. It was the scene of many sermons and important events of his life. He lived in different localities of the city. After the death of Buddha, Ajantasatru brought his share of the corporal relics of the master to Rajagriha and enshrined them inside a stupa.
Mahavira, the last of the.jain Tirthankaras, passed fourteen rainly seasons at Rajagriha and its suburb of Nalanda. He had many rich sup¬porters of Rajagriha and he was also regarded as the birth place of Munisuratq, the twentieth Tirthankara. At the time of Buddha the jains too had some settlements in the city. Ajatasatru's successor udayin (459433 B.C) transferred his capital from Rajagriha to Pataliputra From this time the political importance of Rajagriha gradually decreased, that it once again became the capital of Magadha under sisunaga (411-393 B.C). The subsequential kings however, again reverted to Pataliputra. But the fact that Ashoka erected at Rajagriha a stupa and pillar with an elephant-capital shows that the place was not altogether in significant in the third century B.C.
Rajgriha is sacred to the memory of the town founders of both Buddhism and Jainism. The first
Buddaist council, immediately after the Mahapariniravana of lord Buddha was convened here at the sapta parni, the hill of the vultures that lord Buddha converted the Mauryan king Bimbisara to Buddhism. Lord Mahavir spent 14 years here in study and meditation and drew to him his first , disciples. Rajgir is very important pilgrim centre for the Hindus, Buddhishs and Jains. This is also known as Panchapahari where the shrine on the five hills are visited by a large number of devotes.
The Rajagir hot water springs that have curative properties and are sacred to the Hindus. The hot water springs and Aerial rope-way Chairlift are special attractions here.
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