Pawapuri Tourism And Travel Guide

Pawapuri is located in Bihar’s Nalanda District about 101km from Patna which is the capital of Bihar and almost 20km from Rajgir. Pawapuri’s main claim to fame stems from the fact that Lord Mahavir was cremated here in this place in 500 BC. Lord Mahavira was the 24th Tirthankara and worshipped by Jains the world over. Tourism in Pawapuri is therefore focussed on Lord Mahavira and the other great Lord Buddha who also preached in these parts around the same time. A travel guide to Pawapuri and nearby parts is placed below for all those who intend to visit Pawapuri.

The roads to and from Pawapuri are quite all right and so are the roads that connect Pawapuri to the other cities in Bihar. However, just as in the rest of the country, all roads are being spruced up. It is therefore a good idea to check first before attempting to drive to Pawapuri. There is no convenient train to Pawapuri which does have a railway station though. There is no airport at Pawapuri.

By Road:

Rajgir is 25km while Nalanda is 22km from Pawapuri. Patna, the capital of Bihar is about 100km from Pawapuri. Therefore, if you plan to either fly to Patna or take a train to Patna, you can catch a taxi from Patna for Pawapuri.

By Rail:

Pawapuri Road is a rail station all right. However, it is not convenient to take a train to Pawapuri unless you are planning to come from Lucknow from where the rail connection to Pawapuri is pretty good. Catch a train to either Patna or to Rajgir which is just 19km from Pawapuri.

By Air:

As mentioned, Pawapuri does not have its own airport. Please take a flight to Patna which is only 100km from Pawapuri. You can quite easily get a taxi to Pawapuri. Alternately, catch a train to Rajgir from Patna and from Rajgir get a taxi for Pawapuri.

Pawapuri is typically a temperate place just as the rest of Bihar. The summers are hot and hotter while monsoons are pretty wet and sometimes violent as well. Winters tend to get fairly cold at night while the days are very pleasant. It is best to visit Pawapuri during the winter season. 

Summer (April-June): 

Summers tend to get quite hot in Pawapuri with the mercury touching 50°C in May. Throughout summer one will get dusty and hot days while the nights will be barely pleasant. Towards the end of summer one may get dust storms too and these sometimes bring down the temperature a bit.

Monsoon (June-September):

The monsoon season in Pawapuri may turn out to be violent sometimes. This of course depends upon the wind direction. Pawapuri gets to be quite wet with about 186cm of rain each year on an average. The environment cools down with the showers but roads may get clogged sometimes.

Winter (October-March):

Pawapuri enjoys its winter. This is the best season to visit the place. During winter the day temperature hovers around 28.6°C while nights tend to be cold and one may get temperatures as low as 6°C or even lower. Pack warm clothes when heading for Pawapuri during winter.

Visit Pawapuri Jal Mandir:

Visit Pawapuri Jal Mandir, the place where Lord Mahavira attained Moksha in 528 BC. Here you can find peace amidst a beautiful pond full of red lotuses.

Take a Cable Car to Vishwa Shanti Stupa:

You must see the venerated Vishwa Shanti Stupa, 13.7km from Pawapuri. Take the cable car to the top of the hill and see the Stupa in dazzling white marble.

Meditate at Griddhakoot Hill:

Buddha used to visit Griddhakoot Hill in his lifetime. Spend some time at this blessed place and remember this place is next only to the Bodhi Tree and the Deer Park.

See our Heritage at Nalanda Archaeological Museum:

Our heritage consists of Nalanda University which flourished in the 5th Century till the 12th Century. Now it is in ruins. See the antiques of Nalanda at the Archaeological Museum just 10.8km away from Pawapuri.

Awe Inspiring Ruins of Nalanda:

Nalanda University is among the first universities in the world. Today it lies in ruins. There was a Buddhist Monastery here once. At one time people came from China and Tibet, Korea and Central Asia to study here. The subjects included Vedas and medicine.  

Remember Hiuen Tsang at Memorial Hall:

Hiuen Tsang was a famous traveller from China who came to India and stayed here for 12 years in 633 AD. During this period he studied Buddhism and other subjects at Nalanda. This memorial was built to honour him. Built in 1984 the memorial was renovated and handed over in 2007.

Enjoy the Ambience of Venuvana Vihara:

Located 16km from Pawapuri, Venu Vana Kalandakanivapa was built during Bimbisara’s time around 500 BC. It was a Monastery and greenhouse at one time. There is a pond too. This place is rich with ancient history. It was built in Buddha’s honour.

Remember a Famous King at Bimbisara Jail:

A famous king Bimbisar who lived between 558 and 491 BC, was imprisoned here by his very own son Ajatshatru. Bimbisar died here in prison and it was he who was once the propagator of the Maurya Empire.

There are not too many restaurants for fine dining in Pawapuri. Abhilasha Restaurant may be tried however. The food is reported to be good. The restaurant is on the Pawapuri Jal Mandir Road and therefore if you are staying in Pawapuri you will not have to travel very far. Food is available late in the night as well. There is a Hotel Pawapuri too that is reported to be “cosy” and you can also visit the Boon Lite Café. 

Pawapuri is a small town which is flourishing due to the reflected light from its bigger brothers such as Rajgir and Nalanda. One may not find too many big shops here although it is quite possible you may see a mall! The best thing to do here is to visit the street side shops and buy some souvenirs for home such as those based on Buddha and Mahavir.