Hribi Rajgir Hills, Indija
Hribi Rajgir Hills, Indija
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Rajgir Hills, majhno izolirano gorniško območje osrednje države Bihar na severovzhodu Indije. Hribi so znani po svoji lepoti in zgodovinsko in versko središče za hindujce, budiste in džains.

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Tvorba, sestavljena iz masivnih kremencev, se močno dviga iz južnobiharskih nižin. Hribi se razprostirajo na severovzhodu-jugozahodu za približno 40 milj (65 km) v dveh približno vzporednih grebenih, ki obdajata ozek grapi na severovzhodu, ki se postopoma odpira proti jugozahodu. Njihovi vrhovi spominjajo na gozdnate otoke v ravnini, v glavnem brez okoliških aluvialnih nižin. V enem trenutku se hribi dvignejo na 388 metrov nadmorske višine, toda na splošno le redko presežejo 300 metrov.

Južno od mesta Rajgir, dolina med vzporednima grebenoma, vsebuje mesto Rajagriha ("kraljevska rezidenca"), za katerega pravijo, da je bilo rezidenca legendarnega magarskega cesarja Jarasandhe iz hindujskega epa Mahabharata. Zunanje utrdbe lahko sledimo na grebenih gričev več kot 25 km (40 km); debele so 17,5 čevljev (približno 5 metrov), zgrajene iz masivnega neobdelanega kamna brez malte. Te porušene stene so na splošno datirane v 6. stoletje pred našim štetjem, čeprav velja, da je bilo območje pred tem več stoletij zasedeno. Ostanki Nove Rajagrihe, cenjene prestolnice kralja Bimbisara (približno 520–491 BC), ležijo severno od doline.

In addition to their significance to Hinduism, the Rajgir Hills contain important Buddhist and Jaina pilgrimage sites. They are especially associated with the life of the Buddha Gautama, who often taught there. Chhatagiri is the former Gridhrakuta, or Vulture’s Peak, which was one of his favourite retreats. One of the towers on Baibhar Hill (Vaibharagiri) has been identified as the Pippala stone house in which the Buddha lived. Sattapanni cave, which has been identified with a number of sites on Baibhar Hill and with the Sonbhandar cave at its foot, was the site of the first Buddhist synod (543 bce) to record the tenets of the faith. The Sonbhandar cave is now believed to have been excavated by the Jains in the 3rd or 4th century ce. In the valley’s centre, excavations at the Maniyar Math site have revealed a circular shrine associated with the worship of Mani-naga, a serpent deity of the Mahabharata. Several modern Jaina temples lie on the hills around the valley. There are also hot springs in the valleys, surrounded by Hindu shrines.