Ashoka Pillar - Saranath

The Ashoka Pillar or the Ashoka Stupa is the series of columns either in stone or in iron erected by the Mauryan king Ashoka during his reign in the 3rd century BC. Many of these pillars are almost 40 to 50 ft in height and upto 50 tons each. The pillars are found in Delhi (originally located at Meerut and Topra which was bought by Firuz Shah Tughlug in the year 1356), Allahabad (Which was at Kaushambi), Lauriya - Areraj, Lauriya - Nandangarh, Rampurva, Sankissa, Sanchi and Sarnath. There are pillars found with inscriptions in Lumbini and Nigalisagar. The pillar at Vaishali have one lion capital and the one at Rampurva have one bull capital. 

The pillars were found to be carved out of either spotted red and white sand stone found in the region of Mathura, and the other is fine grained hard sand stonewith small black spots quarried in Chunnar near Varanasi.  

All the pillars are uniform in style and have four parts. The shafts are plain and smooth and circular. The shaft tapers towards the top and are made of single piece of stone. The captials on top have the shape and appearance of a gently arched bell formed of lotus petals. The base are either square or circular in shape. The animals are either sitting or standing on the round chiseled single piece with abaci.

The most famous Ashoka Pillar is the pillar at Saranath which was eventually made the national emblem of India.

World Peace Pagoda - Vaishali, Bihar

Vaishali, is a small village in Bihar surrounded by mango trees, banana plantations and paddy fields. Though currently it is a small village, history and excavations say that Vishali had once been a great cradle of culture and tradition.

In the year 1990, the Japanase Buddists started constructing this Pagoda according to the last wish of the Fujii Guruji who dedicated his life to build World Peace Pagodas all over the world. This Pagoda was completed in the year 1996.

The Pagoda is 118 feet with with 125 feet tall stupa and a diameter of 65 feet. After the completion of the construction of this Pagoda, Vishali have become one of the major tourist attraction of Bihar and also forms the Buddist Tourist circle. The Pagoda was inagurated on October 23rd 1996. The top portion of the stupa is inscribed with Lord Buddha's statues which are made of fiber and glass and polished with gold.

Shanti Pagoda at Vishali have the inscriptions 'Namu Myoho Renge Kyo' which means that I devote myself to the Wonderful Law of the Lotus-Flower Sutra.


How to reach Vaishali?
Vaishali is well connected by road with Patna which is 56 kms away. It is also connected by road with Hazipur - 35kms and Muzzafurpur - 36kms. The nearest airport is also at Patna. Hajipur and Muzzafurpur railway stations are the nearest railway stations which are 35 and 40 kms respectively.


One can also visit the famous Sonepur Cattle fair if they plan to visit Vaishali in the months of October and November.


There are lots of small villages around Vaishali where there are artisans who make sikki work, home made toys, home made mats out of grass, Lac bangles etc.