Vishwa Shanti Stupa & Griddhakuta Hill
At a distance of 8 km from Rajgir Railway Station, Vishwa Shanti Stupa, also known as Japanese Stupa is a peace pagoda located in Rajgir, Bihar. Constructed atop the Ratnagiri Hill or Griddhakuta, it is one of the seven Peace Pagodas or Shanti Stupas in India and among the most visited tourist places in Rajgir. Situated atop Ratnagiri Hill with an altitude of 400 m, Vishwa Shanti Stupa is the world's highest peace pagoda and is considered as the symbol of peace and harmony. It is conceptualized by renowned Buddhist monk Nipponzan Myohoji and built by Japanese monk Fujii Guruji in the year 1969. Built completely with marble, the stupa comprises four golden statues of Lord Buddha with each representing his life periods of birth, enlightenment, preaching, and death. Also, a temple is situated near this Stupa called the 'Nipponzan Myohoji'. Besides, one can visit the famous Griddhakuta mountain from here where Lord Buddha used to sit and preach. It was at the Gridhakuta, the hill of the vultures, where Buddha made Mauryan king Bimbisara convert to Buddhism. Besides, one can also visit Ashoka Stupa located nearby. To reach the stupa one has to come through the 'Ropeways'. The ropeway can take only one person at a time. Maintained by the Bihar State Tourism Development Corporation (BSTDC), this 2,200-foot long ropeway was presented by Fujii Guruji as the symbol of Indo-Japanese friendship. A ride on the ropeway provides amazing views of the town and the Shanti Stupa itself. The other way to reach this 'stupa' is a serpentine staircase.
