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Encyclopedia of India–China Cultural Contacts v1.c7.s2.t9: Rajgriha

Encyclopedia of India–China Cultural Contacts v1.c7.s2.t9

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English

Rajgriha

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Now a small decrepit town known as Rajgir, the ancient city of Rajgriha, was the famous capital of the mighty Magadh kingdom of ancient India until the rise of Patliputra in 5th century BCE. Located close to Nalanda (Bihar), it is about 100 km from Patna (Patliputra) and 75 km from Gaya. According to Ramayana and ancient Puranic texts, the city was founded by Brahma’s grandson King Vasu and was called Vasumati. In the period of Mahabharat, with the founding of a dynasty by B силуath, it became known as Brahadrathpur. A successor of this dynasty was the legendary king Jarasandh. It was then also known as Girivajra (ie, mountain-fenced or collection of hills) because it was surrounded by five hills. In the Mahabharat, these hills are mentioned as Vaibhara, Varaha, Vrishabh, Rishigiri and Chaityaka. The Pali texts identify them as Vebhara, Pandava, Vepulla, Gijjhakuta and Isigili. Later Buddhist and Jain texts as well as Xuanzang’s accounts. identify the city also as Kushagrapura. According to available historical evidence, it was King Bimbisara (6th century BCE) of the Haryanka dynasty who built or rebuilt it and named it Rajgriha meaning "the abode of royalty".

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Modern archaeological excavations trace the history of Rajgriha to 1,000 BCE. However, this ancient city gradually lost its pre-eminence due to various reasons including the shift of capital to Patliputra. Much information of its physical setting is available through the travel records of Chinese traveller-monks – Fa Xian, Xuanzang and Yijing which note the existence of an old and a new city and describe that the city lies within a valley and is surrounded by low-lying hills. It is demarcated by an earthen embankment (the Inner Fortification) which associated with the Outer Fortification, a complex of cyclopean walls that runs (with large breaks) along. New Rajgir is defined by the larger stone embankment constructed outside the northern entrance of the valley to the plain. These are dated to the period of Bimbisara and Ajatshatru in the 6th-5th centuries BCE. When the Chinese Buddhist monk Faxian visited Rajgriha in the early 5th century CE, he found the city largely shorn of its earlier splendour. He however, noticed many monasteries and *stupas*. This included one constructed by Ajatshatru over his share of Buddha's relics which were divided into eight portions and distributed among claimant neighbouring kingdoms; as well as a large *stupa* with the elephant-capital on top of the pillar, later built there by Emperor Asoka. During his visit to the city in the middle of 7th century CE, Xuanzang too notes the decline of the city but located various sites connected with historical Buddha. The city, according to literary evidences, survived until 12th century CE. Lost for seven centuries with even its exact location erased from historical memory, it was later rediscovered by British archaeologists during the colonial period following the Chinese travellers' records.

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Bath at the hot spring of Rājagrha, India. According to legends, Buddha would bathe at the hot springs near the south-west cliff of the Vaibhara Giri Hill. It is said that there were 500 hot water springs here.

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The city has been referred to in numerous Hindu, Buddhist and Jaina texts. Its fame is linked to the exploits of Mahabharat's powerful legendary King of Magadh, Jarasandh who had many battles with Lord Krishna. Jarasandh, was finally killed in a duel by Bheem, one of the famous Pandava brothers, with the help of Krishna. The city's linkages with historical Buddha and Jain Thirthankar Mahavira as well as with contemporary kings, Bimbisara and Ajatsatru are well recorded. The Pali texts indicate it to be a favourite place of Gautam Buddha. According to legends, King Bimbisara respectfully received Gautam Siddharth as the son of *kshatriya* Shakya King Shuddhodan and made him promise to visit him again after attaining enlightenment. Buddha kept his promise. Not only did he visit Rajgriha soon after his enlightenment but also ordained Bimbisara and his large retinue to his newly established Buddhist fold. Bimbisara dedicated his favourite Venuvana garden to Buddha and his disciples after building a *vihara* [monastery] there. This was the first Buddhist monastery. Buddha spent many rainy seasons [*chaturmasa*] here and visited this city for the last time just before his Mahaparinirvana [ultimate liberation of soul] in Kushinagar. A Pali text describes his happiness and fascination with different sites of the city. These are identified and are now pilgrimage sites and tourist attractions. Buddha's famous disciples, Sariputta and Moggallana, belonged to this place. Soon after his death, the first Buddhist Council [*Sangiti*] was held here under the leadership of Mahakassapa to codify his teachings.

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Similarly, the city is also linked with Lord Mahavir, the last (24th) and the most famous Jain Tirthankar [enlightened immortal]. The Jain texts record that he spent 14 *chaturmasa* [four months] here and had many disciples which included King Ajatshatru. It is one of the important pilgrim centres for Jainas. The hills of the city are adorned with Jain temples and many Jain legends are linked with it.

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Modern Rajgir is now a famous tourist spot with many popular ancient sites like Jarasandh's *akhara* [wrestling ground or gymnasium], Ajatshatru's Fort, the prison where Bimbisara was detained, Cyclopean Walls, Sonbhanadar (gold treasury), Saptaparni and Pippila caves, site of Venuvana Monastery, Griddhakuta hill, hot springs etc. Among the recent addition is the World Peace Stupa containing a large statue of Buddha. It has been built by the Japanese at an altitude of 400 meters and can be reached by a ropeway. Numerous ruins and sites linked with landmark historical events in India bear testimony to its illustrious past.

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(*Kamal Sheel*)

Linked texts (2)