THE HOLY SITE: Pawapuri, the place where Lord Mahavira, the founder of Jainism, attained his enlightenment is located 38 kms from Rajgir and 90 kms from Patna.
Also known as Apapuri, it is believed that all sins for a devout Jain end here. Lord Mahavira who was the last Tirthankar breathed his last here around 500 B.C and was cremated on the bank of a large lake, overflowing with beautiful lotuses.
Legend has it that after the cremation of Mahavira, in order to meet the demand for his ashes; a large amount of soil was removed from around the funeral pyre, creating the water-tank. The beautiful marble Jalmandir was later built in the middle of the tank. Jal Mandir, the white marble temple in the middle of this lake, blooming with beautiful lotus flowers affords a breathtakingly enchanting sight.
A large number of Jain pilgrims throng here. Samosharan, another Jain temple, is also located here. There are five other temples in the vicinity.

HOW TO GET THERE

Air: Patna, 90 kilometers away is the nearest airport. Patna is linked by air to Delhi, Calcutta, Mumbai, Ahmedabad and Lucknow.

Rail: The nearest railheads are Rajgir and Gaya. It also has rail connections with Delhi, Mumbai, Varanasi, Calcutta and many other major cities.

Road: A taxi or bus can be taken from Patna, Rajgir, Gaya or other major cities of Bihar to visit Pawapuri.