NDTV had unveiled 7 wonders of Bihar in 2009 based on the user polls. Here's the list of these wonders:
7. Maluti
The small village of Maluti is located in Jharkhand’s Dumka District. It was elected the seventh wonder of Bihar by Indians. Maluti is well known for its 72 ancient temples that were built during the rule of the Baj Basanta dynasty. These temples display scenes from Hindu mythology like Ramayana and Mahabharata. Sadly, this wonder is also associated with a sad ritual, the sacrifice of 100 goats every year. The place is thus not much of an attraction for those with kind hearts.
6. Khuda Baksh Oriental Public Library
One of India’s national libraries, the Khuda Baksh Oriental Public Library was opened to the public on October 29, 1891. The library was the brainchild of Khan Bahadur Khuda Bakhsh, an eminent personality of the time. 4,000 manuscripts were originally contributed by him to the library. 1,400 of these manuscripts were inherited by him from his father. Today, the library is famous for its rare collection of Arabic and Persian manuscripts as well as paintings from the Mughal and Rajpur eras.
5. Kesariya Stupa
The fifth wonder from Bihar is a Buddhist stupa that is located in Kesariya in Bihar’s Champaran district. The stupa was discovered during an expedition by a team from the Archeological Survey of India led by KK Muhammed. Studies revealed that the stupa was built sometime between 200 and 750 AD during the reign of the Gupta Dynasty in India. Several legends are associated with this stupa. Prior to the excavation, locals believed that an ancient temple dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva was buried at the site. The Kesariya Stupa has a circumference of 1,400 ft and a height of 104 ft. Despite its historical significance, the Kesariya Stupa site is yet to be developed. Vegetation covers a large part of the stupa even today.
4. Barabar Caves
India’s oldest extant rock-cut caves, the Barabar Caves, is the fourth wonder from Bihar. The caves, located in the Jehanabad district of Bihar, possibly date from the Mauryan Empire (322–185 BCE) and some bear Ashokan inscriptions. There are two sets of these caves on the twin hills of Barabar and Nagarjuni. These caves were possibly the residences of ascetics from the Ajivika sect. The site also hosts several rock-cut sculptures. Most of the caves at the site have two chambers that have been carved into granite rock. The internal surfaces of the chambers are highly polished and produce interesting echo effects.
3. Sher Shah’s Mausoleum
The mausoleum of Emperor Sher Shah Suri is regarded as the third wonder of Bihar. It is located in the town of Sasaram. Sher Shah is remembered as the ruler who defeated the Mughal Empire to establish the Suri Empire. On May 13, 1545, Sher Shah died in an accidental explosion the Kalinjr fort. His tomb was built during his lifetime between 1540 and 1545 and his body was entombed there after his death. The mausoleum is built of red sandstone and has a height of 122 ft. It stands in the midst of a lake. The entire structure of the mausoleum and its surroundings bear some resemblance to the Taj Mahal. Hence, it is often referred to as the second Taj Mahal of India.
2. Mahabodhi Temple
The Mahabodhi temple, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, ranks second of the Seven Wonders of Bihar. This ancient temple is located in Bodh Gaya and is one of Buddhism’s biggest pilgrimage sites. It is claimed that Lord Buddha attained enlightenment while meditating at this site. The descendant of the sacred Bodhi Tree under which Buddha attained enlightenment is also located here. The temple was possibly built at the site since the times of Ashoka or even earlier. It was restored and renovated several times in the past centuries. A museum beside the temple preserved numerous artifacts collected from the temple site.
1. Nalanda University
One of the world’s oldest universities, the Nalanda University, was an ancient education center of India. It is located near Bihar’s town of Bihar Sharif and was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2016. The university served as the site of Vedic learning from the 5th century CE to 1200 CE. It flourished during the rule of the Gupta Empire. At its peak, the Nalanda attracted scholars and students from all corners of India as well as from kingdoms abroad like Central Asia, China, Korea, and Tibet. Our knowledge of this ancient university is mainly derived from the accounts of East Asian pilgrim monks who marveled at the superior level of education offered at this university. The university taught the Vedas, Sanskrit grammar, medicine, philosophy, and the teachings of Buddhism.
7. Maluti
The small village of Maluti is located in Jharkhand’s Dumka District. It was elected the seventh wonder of Bihar by Indians. Maluti is well known for its 72 ancient temples that were built during the rule of the Baj Basanta dynasty. These temples display scenes from Hindu mythology like Ramayana and Mahabharata. Sadly, this wonder is also associated with a sad ritual, the sacrifice of 100 goats every year. The place is thus not much of an attraction for those with kind hearts.
6. Khuda Baksh Oriental Public Library
5. Kesariya Stupa
The fifth wonder from Bihar is a Buddhist stupa that is located in Kesariya in Bihar’s Champaran district. The stupa was discovered during an expedition by a team from the Archeological Survey of India led by KK Muhammed. Studies revealed that the stupa was built sometime between 200 and 750 AD during the reign of the Gupta Dynasty in India. Several legends are associated with this stupa. Prior to the excavation, locals believed that an ancient temple dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva was buried at the site. The Kesariya Stupa has a circumference of 1,400 ft and a height of 104 ft. Despite its historical significance, the Kesariya Stupa site is yet to be developed. Vegetation covers a large part of the stupa even today.
4. Barabar Caves
India’s oldest extant rock-cut caves, the Barabar Caves, is the fourth wonder from Bihar. The caves, located in the Jehanabad district of Bihar, possibly date from the Mauryan Empire (322–185 BCE) and some bear Ashokan inscriptions. There are two sets of these caves on the twin hills of Barabar and Nagarjuni. These caves were possibly the residences of ascetics from the Ajivika sect. The site also hosts several rock-cut sculptures. Most of the caves at the site have two chambers that have been carved into granite rock. The internal surfaces of the chambers are highly polished and produce interesting echo effects.
3. Sher Shah’s Mausoleum
The mausoleum of Emperor Sher Shah Suri is regarded as the third wonder of Bihar. It is located in the town of Sasaram. Sher Shah is remembered as the ruler who defeated the Mughal Empire to establish the Suri Empire. On May 13, 1545, Sher Shah died in an accidental explosion the Kalinjr fort. His tomb was built during his lifetime between 1540 and 1545 and his body was entombed there after his death. The mausoleum is built of red sandstone and has a height of 122 ft. It stands in the midst of a lake. The entire structure of the mausoleum and its surroundings bear some resemblance to the Taj Mahal. Hence, it is often referred to as the second Taj Mahal of India.
2. Mahabodhi Temple
1. Nalanda University
One of the world’s oldest universities, the Nalanda University, was an ancient education center of India. It is located near Bihar’s town of Bihar Sharif and was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2016. The university served as the site of Vedic learning from the 5th century CE to 1200 CE. It flourished during the rule of the Gupta Empire. At its peak, the Nalanda attracted scholars and students from all corners of India as well as from kingdoms abroad like Central Asia, China, Korea, and Tibet. Our knowledge of this ancient university is mainly derived from the accounts of East Asian pilgrim monks who marveled at the superior level of education offered at this university. The university taught the Vedas, Sanskrit grammar, medicine, philosophy, and the teachings of Buddhism.
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