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Bihar & Jharkhand

Bihar is the birthplace of Buddhism – indeed its very name derives from vihara, the Sanskrit word for Buddhist monastery. Thousands of pilgrims from around the world throng its many places of religious significance. Most extraordinary among these spots is Bodhgaya, the site of Buddha's enlightenment, where getting caught up in the spiritual atmosphere is a major draw for travelers. In tribal Jharkhand, holy Parasnath Hill is a revered Jain pilgrimage site, and joining devotees on the hike to the top is a surreal highlight. That apart, the forests of Betla (Palamau) National Park promise a date with elephants and leopards, and maybe even the odd tiger.

Truth be told, this whole region is off the beaten track. Outside Bodhgaya, foreign tourists are almost nonexistent, so if you're looking to sidestep mainstream travel, and especially if you have an interest in Buddhism, this rustic pocket of India could be an unexpected highlight.

Top attractions

These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout Bihar & Jharkhand.

  • See

    Mahabodhi Temple

    The magnificent Unesco World Heritage-listed Mahabodhi Temple, marking the hallowed ground where Buddha attained enlightenment and formulated his philosophy, forms the spiritual heart of Bodhgaya. Topped by a 50m pyramidal spire, the inner sanctum of the ornate structure houses a 10th-century, 2m-high gilded image of a seated Buddha. Amazingly, four of the original sculpted stone railings surrounding the temple, dating from the Sunga period (184–72 BC), have survived amid the replicas. Cellphones are not allowed within the temple complex.

  • See

    Bodhi Tree

    Undoubtedly, the most sacred fig tree ever to grace the Earth was the Bodhi Tree at Bodhgaya, under which Prince Siddhartha, the founder of Buddhism, achieved enlightenment. Buddha was said to have stared unblinkingly at the tree in an awed gesture of gratitude and wonder after his enlightenment. Today, pilgrims and tourists alike flock here to pray and meditate at the most important of Buddhism’s four holiest sites.

  • See

    Patna Museum

    Housed in a majestic colonial-era building, this museum contains a splendid collection of Mauryan and Gupta stone sculptures, some beautiful bronze Buddhist statuary, and a gallery of early-19th-century landscape paintings by Thomas and William Daniell. Don't miss the fine collection of thangkas (Tibetan cloth paintings) brought to India by the Bengali Tibetologist and traveller Rahul Sankrityayan in the early 20th century.

  • See

    Kolhua Complex

    Set in a landscaped park, Kolhua comprises a large, hemispherical brick stupa guarded by a lion squatting atop a 2300-year-old Ashoka pillar. The pillar is plain and contains none of the Ashokan edicts usually carved onto these pillars. Nearby are the ruins of monastic buildings, where Buddha spent several monsoons. According to legend, Buddha was given a bowl of honey here by monkeys, who also dug out a rainwater tank for his water supply.

  • See

    Nalanda Ruins

    Allow an hour or two for wandering the extensive ruins at Nalanda – they’re peaceful and well maintained with a parklike atmosphere of clipped lawns and shrubs. The red-brick ruins consist of 11 monasteries and six temples. Most impressive is the Great Stupa, with steps, terraces, monks’ cells and a few intact Gupta-era stupas. It is thought that a huge statue of Buddha once stood atop the building.

  • See

    Buddha Smriti Park

    This peaceful 9-hectare park, inaugurated by the Dalai Lama in 2010, is notable for its massive sandblasted charcoal stupa (₹50), which houses a unique, bulletproof relic chamber, and sapling plantings from both the Bodhi Tree in Bodhgaya and Anuradhapura in Sri Lanka. The strikingly modern Buddhist museum is worthwhile, and there is also a library (₹50) and a meditation centre (free).

  • See

    Vulture Hill

    Buddha is thought to have preached the Lotus sutra on this rock outcrop. There are some faint remains of a 1500-year-old stupa, some prayer flags and a small shrine where Buddhist pilgrims come to pray. Get here by walking down from the Vishwa Shanti Stupa and detouring for a 10-minute walk uphill along a processional way built by King Bimbisara 2500 years ago.

  • See

    Great Buddha Statue

    This 80ft-high Japanese-style statue of the Buddha seated in a lotus posture towers above a pleasant garden at the end of Temple St. The impressive monument was unveiled by the Dalai Lama in 1989 and is surrounded by 10 smaller sculptures of Buddha’s disciples. The statue is partially hollow and is said to contain some 20,000 bronze Buddhas.

  • See

    Bihar Museum

    This impressive museum, one of the largest in south Asia, has three history galleries, plus displays on contemporary art and ethnic groups of Bihar. It has poached some of the finer pieces of the Patna Museum, including the famous Mauryan-era Didarganj Yakshi statue, dating from the 3rd century BC. There's also a children's gallery.