Originally Nalanda trip was never on card. It was my wife's birthday on April 13 and a long weekend so i was planning a trip to Shillong, but perhaps it never meant. Due to some irrelevant issues, the trip got cancel and in just 1-2 days we made a plan to travel Patna and around. Fact that a close friend Prashant & Pallavi lived in Patna, help in zeroing this place.
We checked tickets and it were waiting, yet we took it. Day before the trip, tickets cleared.
First Hurdle: Our train "Kumbha Express" suppose to come to Asansol at 03:30 pm but it rescheduled to 09:00 PM. Since it was my wife's birthday so it didn't matter much rather it gave us an opportunity to celebrate her birthday. After cake cutting, we went to station. We packed our dinner from a Rail Plaza situated at Asansol Railway Station.
On the way to Patna: After getting the train , we had our dinner. Our seats were middle and upper, so we did little gossip. Since the rescheduled time for Patna was 02:30 am so we couldn't sleep properly. Prashant & Pallavi were also waiting for us very desperately that they too didn't sleep. When we reached Patna, Pallavi & Prashant arranged a cake for my wife and we have her birthday celebration at 03:30 am.
Day 1: Patna to Rajgir: Next day though we left Patna after breakfast yet clock touched 12 pm. Patna to Rajgir is a drive of around 120 km so we decided to have a break at around 50 km. There was a Dhaba named Manoranjan Dhaba, we get fesh there and had our tea and snacks. We left for Rajgir around 01:40 pm. when we were hardly 4-5 k m shy of Nalanda a signboard attract my mind. It was showing of Kundalpur; a famous Jain pilgrimage. Though Kundalpur was not part of our original plan yet we decided to go here first.
Kundalpur: Kundalpur was very well maintained. It was very peaceful and very serine. It was very thin on crowd. We spend 1-2 hr there and left for Nalanda at around 04:00 pm.
Nalanda: At 04:15 pm we reached to Ruin s of Nalanda university. It was very beautifully preserved. We get to know a lot. Since i already read about it so i liked it. Watching those ruins were actually very awesome experience for me. I was feeling as if i am living history. Maintenance was also very good. It was a must visit in a life time place.
By the time, we done with Nalanda and reached Rajgir it was already 06 pm so we decided not to travel anything in Rajgir that day. We went to JNV Rajgir to visit a family. They have arranged for our stay at Guest House there. At 11 pm, we reached guest house to stay for night. We didnt find guest house as per standard and there was frequent some power cut as well. During one of the power cut both kids started crying and situation became so bad that we have to leave that guest house at 11:30 and find a near by Hotel Ratnagiri to spend our night. It was budget hotel with just one facility of AC.
Day 2: Local Rajgir Sightseeing: Next day we wake up early and left hotel. We took our breakfast at Hotel Nalanda Regency. Breakfast was good. Hotel has decent services and ambiance was very well. Dining at this hoitel was one of the high point of our hotel. After the breakfast we went to visit local sightseeing of Rajgir. we went to Pandu Pokhar. It has lots of things to do but perhaps due to summer it was deserted. Since we were travelling by car and it was getting difficult to know directions to different place hence we hired a Tonga and told him to take us to different places. he took us to Venu van, Bimbisar Jail, Hot Springs and many other places. It was decent ride. Best part of this day as well as trip was to go to Vishwa Shanti Stupa. One has to go by Rope way to reach Stupa, which makes this journey awesome. It was thrilling experience and a must do activity.
Pawapuri: After complting Rajgir we move to Pawapuri which was en route to Patna. It is a famous jain temple. 24th Jain Tirthankar lord Mahavir died here hence it is a big Jain pilgrim. It was quite beautiful and majestic. Situated in the middle of a pond, it was very serine. You can sit on the marble floor and easily spend 1-2 hours.
After completing Pawapuri, we moved to Patna. Reached Patna by night.
Day 3: Kumhrar and Shopping: This was last day of our trip. Since we were very much tired hence day started rather slowly. Me and Prashant decided to go Kumharar, which is famous Mauryan site. Though google map made it little difficult to reach here but it was very good site. Though much of the material has been shifted to National Museum,Delhi but whatever remains was very good.
After Kumharar, ladies went for shopping. Next day in morning we catch our train to Asasnsol thus this journey finished.
We checked tickets and it were waiting, yet we took it. Day before the trip, tickets cleared.
First Hurdle: Our train "Kumbha Express" suppose to come to Asansol at 03:30 pm but it rescheduled to 09:00 PM. Since it was my wife's birthday so it didn't matter much rather it gave us an opportunity to celebrate her birthday. After cake cutting, we went to station. We packed our dinner from a Rail Plaza situated at Asansol Railway Station.
On the way to Patna: After getting the train , we had our dinner. Our seats were middle and upper, so we did little gossip. Since the rescheduled time for Patna was 02:30 am so we couldn't sleep properly. Prashant & Pallavi were also waiting for us very desperately that they too didn't sleep. When we reached Patna, Pallavi & Prashant arranged a cake for my wife and we have her birthday celebration at 03:30 am.
Kundalpur: Kundalpur was very well maintained. It was very peaceful and very serine. It was very thin on crowd. We spend 1-2 hr there and left for Nalanda at around 04:00 pm.
Nalanda: At 04:15 pm we reached to Ruin s of Nalanda university. It was very beautifully preserved. We get to know a lot. Since i already read about it so i liked it. Watching those ruins were actually very awesome experience for me. I was feeling as if i am living history. Maintenance was also very good. It was a must visit in a life time place.
By the time, we done with Nalanda and reached Rajgir it was already 06 pm so we decided not to travel anything in Rajgir that day. We went to JNV Rajgir to visit a family. They have arranged for our stay at Guest House there. At 11 pm, we reached guest house to stay for night. We didnt find guest house as per standard and there was frequent some power cut as well. During one of the power cut both kids started crying and situation became so bad that we have to leave that guest house at 11:30 and find a near by Hotel Ratnagiri to spend our night. It was budget hotel with just one facility of AC.
Pawapuri: After complting Rajgir we move to Pawapuri which was en route to Patna. It is a famous jain temple. 24th Jain Tirthankar lord Mahavir died here hence it is a big Jain pilgrim. It was quite beautiful and majestic. Situated in the middle of a pond, it was very serine. You can sit on the marble floor and easily spend 1-2 hours.
After completing Pawapuri, we moved to Patna. Reached Patna by night.
Day 3: Kumhrar and Shopping: This was last day of our trip. Since we were very much tired hence day started rather slowly. Me and Prashant decided to go Kumharar, which is famous Mauryan site. Though google map made it little difficult to reach here but it was very good site. Though much of the material has been shifted to National Museum,Delhi but whatever remains was very good.
After Kumharar, ladies went for shopping. Next day in morning we catch our train to Asasnsol thus this journey finished.
