Bihar - Pilgrimages and Temples

Religious Traditions of Bihar:

- Shakti Peetha → Mithila (Mithila Shakti Peetha)

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1.

Vishnu Tradition of Bihar:
(Vayu Purana)

• Gaya → Lord Vishnu abides in Gaya as Adi-Gadadhara who stood on a Dharma Shila placed over the body of Gayasura (Vishnupad). Lord Vishnu also washed his Gada (Mace) after killing demon Heti in Gaya (Gadalola). Lord Vishnu abides as Janardhana on the Bhashmakuta Hill in Gaya.

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2.

Sita Tradition of Bihar:
(Valmiki Ramayana)
(Krittivasa Ramayana)

• Mithila → Devi Sita incarnated from Bhoomi (Earth) in Mithila (Bihar side of Mithila). Devi Sita married Sri Rama in Mithila during the swayamvara ceremony (Nepal side of Mithila).

• Gaya → Devi Sita performed Pinda Dana to king Dasharatha with sand in Gaya on the bank of river Phalgu.

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3.

Rama Tradition of Bihar:
(Valmiki Ramayana)
(Vayu Purana)

• Tataka Vanam → Sri Rama visited Tataka Vanam with sage Vishwamitra and slayed demoness Tataka.
- Sri Rama received divine weapons from sage Vishwamitra in Tataka Vanam.

• Siddhashrama → Sri Rama visited Siddhashrama with sage Vishwamitra and heard about the Vamana Avatara of Lord Vishnu in that place.
- Sri Rama protected the yagna of sage Vishwamitra in Siddhashrama.

• Girivraja → Sri Rama camped on the bank of river Shona with sage Vishwamitra at Girivraja (modern Rajgir) and heard the story of the lineage of sage Vishwamitra.

• Mithila → Sri Rama delivered Devi Ahalya from the curse of sage Gautama on the Upavana of Mithila (Bihar side of Mithila). Sri Rama broke the bow of Lord Shiva during the swayamvara ceremony and married Devi Sita in Mithila (Nepal side of Mithila).

• Gaya → Sri Rama performed the shraddha of his father in Vindhyachala. The place is known as Rama Gaya.

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4.

Vamana Tradition of Bihar:
(Valmiki Ramayana)

• Siddhashrama → Lord Vishnu assumed the form of Vamana Avatara in Siddhashrama (identified with Buxar).

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5.

Shiva Tradition of Bihar:
(Vayu Purana)

• Gaya → Gaya has many famous Shiva Lingas. Gaya has the Prapita-Maheshwara Shiva Linga near the Vishnupad Temple. Gaya has the Mounishwara and Pita-Maheshwara Shiva Lingas in Uttara-Manasa. Gaya has the Mangaleshwara Shiva Linga on the Bhashmakuta Hill near the Mangal Gauri Temple. Gaya has the Vateshwara Mahadeva Shiva Linga near Akshay Vat. Gaya has the Vriddha Prapitamaheshwara Shiva Linga near the north of Akshay Vat. Gaya has the Phalgishwara Shiva Linga near the Gayatri Ghat. Gaya has the Matangeshwara Shiva Linga at Matanga-Vapi. Gaya has the Dharmeshwara Shiva Linga at Dharmaranya.

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6.

Devi Tradition of Bihar:
(Peetha Nirnaya Tantra)
(Vayu Purana)

• Mithila → Devi abides in Mithila as Mithila Shakti Peetha (identified with Uchaith Bhagavati, Begusarai Jayamangala and Saharsa Ugratara).

• Gaya → Gaya has many famous Devi Temples and is an Ashta Dasha Shakti Peetha. Gaya has the Temple of Devi Mangala Gauri in the Bhashmakuta Hill which is an Ashta Dasha Shakti Peetha. Gaya has the Temple of Devi Mundaprishtha near the Vishnupad Temple. Gaya has the Temple of Devi Sankata near the Vishnupad Temple. Gaya has the Temple of Devi Gayatri at Gayatri Ghat (River Phalgu) near the Vishnupad Temple. Gaya has the Temple of Devi Shitala at Uttara-manasa. Gaya has the Temple of Devi Savitri at the base of the Brahmayoni Hill. Gaya has the Temple of Devi Saraswati at the confluence of Phalgu and Saraswati rivers. Gaya has the Temple of Devi Matangi near Matanga Vapi.

• Patna → Devi abides in Patna as Devi Patneshwari.

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7.

Surya Tradition of Bihar:
(Vayu Purana)

• Gaya → Sri Surya deva abides in Uttara-manasa of Gaya as Uttar-Arka. Sri Surya deva abides in Dakshina-manasa of Gaya as Dakshin-Arka (Surya Kund).

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8.

Sages and Bihar:
(Valmiki Ramayana)

• Shatananda (Mithila) → Sage Shatananda had his hermitage in Mithila, being the kulaguru of king Janaka whose capital was Mithila.

• Gautama (Mithila) → Sage Gautama had his hermitage on the Upavana of Mithila where he stayed with Devi Ahalya.

• Vishwamitra (Mithila) → Sage Vishwamitra visited Mithila with Sri Rama during the swayamvara ceremony of Devi Sita.

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9.

Saints and Bihar:

• Gautama Buddha (563 - 483 BCE?) (Gaya) → Sri Gautama Buddha attained enlightenment in Bodh-Gaya under the Bodhi Tree.

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10.

Sacred Geography of Bihar:

Mountains:
☗ Brahmayoni Hill → Gaya
☗ Pretashila Hill → Gaya
☗ Ramashila Hill → Gaya
☗ Gridhrakuta Hill → Gaya

Rivers:
▬ Ganga flows → Patna
▬ Phalgu flows → Gaya

Lakes:
◼ Vaitarini Sarovar → Gaya
◼ Brahma Kund → Gaya

Forests:
☸ Tataka Forest (Puranic) → Tataka Vanam
☸ Siddhashrama forested region (Puranic) → Siddhashrama

Trees:
☘ Akshay Vat → Gaya
☘ Bodhi Tree → Bodh-Gaya

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11. Other Information of Bihar:

- Languages: Hindi, Maithili, Bhojpuri, Magadhi
- State Tree: Peepal (Ficus religiosa)
- State Flower: Kachnar (Bauhinia variegata)
- State Fruit: Aamra (Mango) (Mangifera indica)
- State Animal: Gaur (Indian Bison) (Bos gaurus)
- State Bird: House Sparrow (Passer domesticus)