Module 3: Buddhist and Jain pilgrimage

📖 Chapter 2 of 7 🧩 Module 3 of 7 ⏱️ ~2 min read 💡 20 MCQs

Topic Part 1 of 2

Concept

Subtopic 3.1: Bodh Gaya, Nalanda, Rajgir, Pawapuri and Vaishali

Bodh Gaya in Gaya district receives the most pilgrims. Siddhartha attained enlightenment under the Bodhi tree. The complex holds the Vajrasana, the Animeshlochan Stupa, the Ratnachankrama and Ratnagar Chaitya, and monasteries of Tibet, Japan, Myanmar, Thailand, Sri Lanka and China. The Harishchandra Temple is at Rohtasgarh, not here.
Nalanda was identified by Sir Alexander Cunningham. Admission was by examination before the Dvarapanditas. Bakhtiyar Khalji sacked it in the late twelfth century.
Rajgir, ancient Rajagriha, has the Vishwa Shanti Stupa on Ratnagiri, built with Nichidatsu Fujii, and a ropeway built with Japanese assistance. Gridhakuta is where the Buddha taught and initiated Bimbisara. Also here are Venuvana, Maniyar Math, Jivaka's monastery, the Sonbhandar and Saptaparni caves, Jarasandha ka Akhara, the hot springs and Makhdum Sahib's chamber. The tomb of Malik Baya is in Bihar Sharif, not Rajgir.
Pawapuri in Nalanda district is where Mahavira attained nirvana. The Jal Mandir stands in the lotus pond on the cremation spot. Gunawa Ji in Nawada is a Jain tirtha. Vaishali, capital of the Licchavis and Mahavira's birthplace at Kundagram, has Raja Vishal ka Garh, Abhishek Pushkarini, the Ashoka lion pillar at Kolhua, Kamal Talab, Chaumukhi Mahadev, Miraji ki Dargah, Kamalvan, Harikota Temple and Bawan Pokhar Temple. Nadh Nagar is not a Vaishali site.

⭐ Key Points

Bodh Gaya draws the most pilgrims. The Harishchandra Temple is at Rohtasgarh, not Bodh Gaya.
Cunningham identified Nalanda. Bakhtiyar Khalji destroyed it.
The Rajgir ropeway and the Vishwa Shanti Stupa involved Japan. Pawapuri and Vaishali are the main Jain centres.
The Ashoka lion pillar is at Kolhua in Vaishali. Malik Baya's tomb is in Bihar Sharif.

📌 One-line Q&A

Question: Which city receives the most pilgrims? Answer: Bodh Gaya.
Question: Where is the Jal Mandir? Answer: Pawapuri, a Jain shrine.

Topic

Questions

MCQs

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Question 17: Which city in Bihar receives the highest number of pilgrims?

Bodh Gaya in Gaya district draws the highest volume of domestic and international pilgrims.

Question 18: Which is the main pilgrimage centre of Jain followers in Bihar?

Pawapuri is the place of Mahavira's nirvana and Vaishali (Kundagram) is his birthplace. Both are major Jain centres.

Question 26: Which of the following sites is not located in Rajgir?

The tomb of Malik Baya is on Pir Pahari in Bihar Sharif. The peace stupa, Maniyar Math and Venuvana are in Rajgir.

Question 27: The Jal Mandir, built in the middle of a lotus pond in Pawapuri, is related to:

The Jal Mandir is a Jain shrine on the cremation spot of Lord Mahavira. Pawapuri is in Nalanda district.

Question 29: Who first identified the ruins of Nalanda University?

Sir Alexander Cunningham identified and documented the ruins of ancient Nalanda.

Question 30: Which statements regarding ancient Nalanda University are true?

Admission was through examinations by the Dvarapanditas. Scholars came from across Asia, and Bakhtiyar Khalji sacked it in the late twelfth century.

Question 31: Which among the following is not included in the monuments of Bodh Gaya?

The Harishchandra Temple is at Rohtasgarh, not at Bodh Gaya. The Vajrasana, Animeshlochan Stupa and Ratnachankrama are at Bodh Gaya.

Question 32: Where is the Vishwa Shanti Stupa located?

It is a marble stupa on Ratnagiri Hill in Rajgir, built with the collaboration of the Japanese monk Nichidatsu Fujii.

Question 34: Which among the following is not a tourist spot located in Vaishali?

Raja Vishal ka Garh, Abhishek Pushkarini and Kamal Talab are in Vaishali. Nadh Nagar is not.

Question 38: Where is the Mahabodhi Temple located?

The Mahabodhi Temple is at Bodh Gaya, where Siddhartha attained enlightenment under the Bodhi tree.

Question 40: What is worth seeing for tourists in Rajgir?

Jarasandha ka Akhara, Gridhakuta and the chamber of Makhdum Sahib are all in Rajgir.

Question 41: Which ruler of Magadha was initiated into Buddhism by the Buddha at Gridhakuta Hill in Rajgir?

At Gridhakuta the Buddha initiated Emperor Bimbisara and delivered major Mahayana sutras.

Question 42: With the cooperation of which country's government was the ropeway in Rajgir constructed?

The aerial ropeway from the foothills to the Shanti Stupa was built with assistance from Japan.

Question 49: Where is the Ashoka Lion Pillar located?

Ashoka erected the lion pillar at Kolhua in Vaishali to mark the Buddha's discourses and last sermon.

Question 88: Where is the Ashokan Lat (Lion Pillar) located?

The Ashokan Lat is at Vaishali.

Question 89: Bodh Gaya is a famous religious place of which religion?

Bodh Gaya is the primary global pilgrimage centre of Buddhism.

Question 90: Where is Jarasandha ka Akhara situated?

Jarasandha ka Akhara is in Rajgir.

Question 91: Where is the Vishwa Shanti Stupa located?

The Vishwa Shanti Stupa stands on the hills of Rajgir.

Question 105: In which district of Bihar are Miraji ki Dargah, Kamalvan, Harikota Temple and Bawan Pokhar Temple situated?

These monuments are in Vaishali district. Vaishali was the Licchavi capital and Kundagram was Mahavira's birthplace.

Question 106: In which district of Bihar is Gunawa Ji, a sacred place of the Jains, situated?

Gunawa Ji is an important Jain tirtha in Nawada district.

Question 1 of 20

One-liners

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Which city receives the most pilgrims?

Bodh Gaya.

Where is the Jal Mandir?

Pawapuri, a Jain shrine.

Question 1 of 2