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 is standing on a Dharma Shila placed over the body of Gayasura.

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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 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 → Lord Shiva abides in Gaya as Mounishwara and Pitamaheshwara in Uttara-manasa, as Dharmeshwara in Dharmaranya and as Matangeshwara in Matanga Vapi.

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6.

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

• Mithila → Devi abides in Mithila as Mithila Shakti Peetha. This is identified with Uchaith Devi Bhagavati, Begusarai Devi Jayamangala as well as Saharsa Devi Ugratara.

• Gaya → Devi abides in Gaya as Mangala Gauri.

• Patna → Devi abides in Patna as Devi Patneshwari.

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7.

Surya Tradition of Bihar:
(Vayu Purana)

• Gaya → Surya deva abides in Gaya as Uttar-Arka in Uttara-manasa and Dakshin-Arka in Dakshina-manasa.

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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)