Mandar Hill:
Mandar Hills (50 km), steeped in legend and laced with landscape of extraordinary splendour exposes the 800 feet high granite hill. Mandar is associated with amritmanthana which suggests that the hill was used by the gods to churn the ocean to procure amrit. The serpent, Basukinaga offered to serve as the rope and has left behind an impression of the coil on the granite hill. It is believed that panchjanya, the conch shell used in Mahabharat War was discovered here in the Sank kund. The puranas refer to various sacred places on the hill which is also believed to be the abode of Vishnu under the title of Madhusudana or the destroyer of a demon called Madhu who was killed by Vishnu and then covered by the Mandar hill. Kalidasa’s kumarasamahava refers to foot marks of Vishnu on the slopes of Mandar.The hill is replete with relics of bygone ages. Besides inscriptions and statues there are numerous rock cut sculptures depicting various Brahmanical images. The hill is equally revered by the Jains who believe that their 12th Tirthankara attained nirvana here on the summit of the hill.
Ruins of Vikramshila:
The royal university of Vikramsila, 38 km from Bhagalpur ranks next to Nalanda and owes its origin to Dharmapala (770-810 A.D.), the devout Pala king who loved to call himself Paramasaugata (chief worshipper of the Buddha)and was a great patron of Mahayana Buddhism.Dharmapala was impressed by two things which prompted him to establish Vikramsila university. Firstly, the rocky hillock anchored around the confluence of Kosi and Ganga at Vateshwarasthan was not only a scenic attraction but a popular tantric site as evident from the presence of a Kali temple (instead of Parvati’s) in front of Shiva temple, besides various other caves and rock cut sculptures dating back to the 6\7th century A.D. Secondly, the place was associated with pilgrimage due to Uttarbahini which drew large crowds during Varsavardhana.Unlike Nalanda, sources of information on Vikramsila is confined to Tibetan texts and they make us believe that Dharmapala in his earlier birth was an accomplished acharya, Kampilya, who had attained siddhi or perfection in Mahayana mudra mysticism here and was determined to build a monastery one day.
Shri Champapur Digamber Jain Siddha Kshetra:
Shri Champapur Digamber Jain Siddha Kshetra is an Siddha Kshetra (Place of Salvation). It is quite an ancient and historic Teerth Kshetra. Shri Champapur Digamber Jain Siddha Kshetra is located at village Nathnagar, District Bhagalpur Bihar. By road it is 3.5 km away from Bhagalpur, 270 Km. Patna. Champapur is the only ‘Panch Kalyanaka Kshetra’ in the world which is related to Panch Kalyanaka: – “(i) Garbha, (ii) Janma, (iii) Tapa, (iv) Gyan and (v) Moksha” of 12th Tirthankara Bhagwan Vasupujya (The first ascetic saint).
Tilka Manjhi:
Tilka Majhi was the first Paharia leader who took up the arms against the British in the 1780s. The British surrounded the Tilapore forest from which he operated but he and his men held them at bay for several weeks. When he was finally caught in 1784, he was tied to the tail of a horse and dragged all the way to the collector’s residence at Bhagalpur, Bihar. There, his lacerated body was hung from a Banyan tree. A statue to the heroic leader was erected at the spot after Indian independence ,which is nearby residence of S.P. Bhagalpur and named after him “TILKA MANJHI CHOWK”.Also the Bhagalpur University named after him “TILKA MANJHI BHAGALPUR UNIVERSITY”.
Maharshi Mehi Aashram, Kuppaghat:
Lord Sadguru Maharshi Mehi Paramhansji Maharaj was a Sant in the link of Sants like Kabir and Nanak. He had attained perfection and was a God-realized Soul. His spirit-force was ever absorbed in the Logos and He was endowed with all the marks of a Sant.
