VAISHALI

VAISHALI

The seat of the first republic of the world, Vaishali is one of the favourite places of the Buddha. A Stupa in the memory of Amrapali, the famous courtesan who became the Buddha’s disciple, is situated in Vaishali. As the legend goes, after the Buddha accepted Amrapali’s invitation to dine with her, she became His earnest follower and donated her mango grove for the Buddhist monks. There is also an Ashoka Stupa at Chakramdas Village and the Kolhua Stupa built in the memory of the Buddha’s close disciple Anand.

Main Tourist Spots: Lichhavi Stupa, Amrapali Stupa, Vishwa Shanti Stupa, Ashoka Pillar, Kolhua Stupa, Chakramdas Stupa, Vaishali Archaeological Museum. Sonepur Mela, organised annually during October-November, 35 Km from Vaishali, is also one of the tourist attractions.

Where to Stay: Tourist Bungalow, Ambapali Vihar, Vaishali-844128 (Phones : 0622-285425); Vaishali Residency, Vishwa Shanti Stupa Road, Vaishali-144128 (Phones : 06224-229428)

How to Reach: By Air : The nearest Airport is Patna (70 kms.); By Rail : Nearest Railway Station is Hajipur (35 kms.); By Road : Vaishali is well connected by road to Patna (56 kms.), Muzaffarpur (36 kms.) and Hajipur (35 kms.)

Best Time to Visit: October to March.