Archaeological Museum at Vaishali

Archaeological Museum at Vaishali-Bihar
About:
Vaishali has a rich cultural past .It is the birthplace of Mahabir Jain. Archaeological Museum of Vaishali is located near Kharauna tank. The Government of India set up the museum in 1971. The museum contains various types of terracotta, seals and sealing, beads of semi-precious stones, punch marked and cast coins, pins and styli of bone, antimony rods of copper, balls of stone, terracotta and ceramic specimens, which were either excavated or collected from the nearby places. There are four galleries in the museum.  

The first gallery displays the terracotta objects like human figurines, Naigamesha, mother and child, Durga, plaque of Buddha, another plaque showing image of Bodhisattva and a female figure. In addition to this stone Chhatravali, moulded bricks and brick tiles are also on display.The important exhibits in the second gallery are terracotta figurines of ram, elephant, horse, bull, dog, monkey, birds, snake hood, seals and sealings, wheel, rattle, dabber, beads, toilet pan of terracotta, copper punch marked and cast coins, etc.

Potsherds of NBP and PGW, objects like antler, bone, bangle, arrowheads, iron and copper implements like knife, nail, bell, etc. are displayed in the third gallery.The fourth gallery contains exhibits like earthen ware such as bowl, dish, miniature vessel, vase, lamp, inkpot, lid bell, sprinkler and spout etc.

The first gallery contains molded bricks and brick tiles terracotta elements of human figure, Naigamesha, mother and child, Durga, images of Bodhisattva, a female figure etc. Terracotta of ram, elephant, horse, bull, dog, monkey, birds, snake hood, seals and sealing, wheel, rattle, dabber, beads are preserved in the second gallery. The third gallery houses objects like bone, antler, arrowheads, bangle, iron and copper implements like knife, nail, bell, etc. The fourth has a huge collection of pottery objects including bowl, dish, miniature vessel, vase, lamp, inkpot, lid bell, sprinkler and spout etc. The museum
Location info:
Address:Archaeological Museum ,Vaishali,Bihar,India
District:Vaishali
Nearest City:Vaishali
Best time to visit: October to March
Climate/Weather:
The climate of the state is tropical with hot summers and cold winters. Monsoon brings medium to high rainfall and floods several areas in north Bihar. Humidity levels remain high in north and central Bihar throughout the summer and monsoon season, making them quite uncomfortable. The best time to visit the state is from October to March.
History:
Archeological Survey of India has established a museum here called Vaishali Museum.it was set up in 1971 to preserve the antiquities found during exploration and excavation in and around the area. It has four galleries.
Interesting things to do:
 
Interesting things to Visit:
Ashokan Pillar:
Erected by the Mauryans to commemorate the site of Lord Buddha’s last sermon, Ashoka Pillar has become the mark of tourism in Bihar. Locally known as ‘Bhimsen’s Lathi’, Ashoka Pillar is a single piece of highly polished of red sandstone. On top of the 18.3 m high pillar, is a life size statue of a lion sitting on an inverted lotus facing north towards Kushinagar.  
Coronation Tank:
Coronation Tank, also called Abhishek Pushkarni held a very important position in century old Vaishali. The water of Coronation Tank during that period was considered to be holy and sacred. Thus it was used for anointing Vaishali’s elected representatives before they were sworn in to their respected positions.

Buddha Stupa I & II:
The Buddha Stupas here were created for the second Buddhist council that happened here in the 383 BC. Although the exteriors of Buddha Stupa I is not in a great condition, but tells us a lot about the architecture during that period. It is also famous as one eighth of the sacred ashes of Lord Buddha were found here. Another casket was found at the site of Buddha Stupa II which contained the sacred ashes of Lord Buddha.

Bawan Pokhar Tank:
Bawan Pokhar Tank is located at Vaishali in Vaishali District of Bihar. Built during the Pala period, this tank now stands as a historic monument and attracts tourists. Bawan Pokhar Temple lies on the northern bank of the tank.

Bawan Pokhar Temple:
Bawan Pokhar Temple is sited on the northern banks of Bawan Pokhar Tank in Vaishali of Bihar. It is believed to have been built during the Pallava period. The temple houses an interesting array of basalt black images of several deities, which date back to the Gupta and Pallava periods. Besides, a four headed Shivling made of black basalt was excavated from here. There is a Jain temple, which is famous for the image of Tirthankar, behind the temple. Points of interest nearby include a Lotus Tank, which was once popular among the Lichchhavis.

Fort Vishal:
Fort Vishal, named after the King Vishal, is an excavated site in Vaishali of Bihar. This one km long fort is believed to be the remains of an ancient parliament house, where Lichchhavis discussed and regulated the ancient republic. Vaishali Archaeological Museum, which houses excavated artifacts, and Abhishekh Pushkarni are among the points of interest nearby.
Mobile range info:
 
How to reach?
Nearest Railway Station:Hajipur Railway Station at 35 Km
Nearest Airport: Patna airport is around 55 Km.
Road Transport:Good network of roads connect Vaishali to Patna (56 Km), Muzzaffarpur (36 km) and Hajipur (35 Km). There is good frequency of buses to and from Vaishali connecting it to different cities of Bihar.
Nearest Visiting places:
Harikatora Temple:
Harikatora Temple is located in Vaishali of Bihar. It is believed to have been built during the Gupta period. The highlight here is an image of Lord Kartikeya, which is in a sitting posture on a peacock. This temple is in a ruined state now.  

Miranji Ka Dargah:
The dargah houses the relics of Sheikh Mohammed Faizullah Kazim, a saint of the 15th century. On the occasion of Id-ul-Fitar, Muslims from the neighboring areas come here to pay their respects to the saint.

Ramkund Tank:
Ramkund Tank lies to the south of Ashoka Pillar at Vaishali in Bihar. According to the legend, it is at this place where monkeys offered a bowl of honey to the Buddha. Hence it is also called Monkey Tank. The tank made of brick and mortar measures upto 200 ft in length and about 100 ft in width.

Golghar:
Alarmed by the famine of 1770, captain John Garstin built this huge granary for the British army in 1786. The massive structure is 29 m high and the walls are 3.6 m wide at the base. The winding stairway around this monument offers a brilliant panoramic view of the city and the Ganga flowing by.Golghar or the round house, the huge granary was built in 1786 by Captain John Garstin, at the behest of the then administrator, Warren Hastings. Bihar experienced severe draught that resulted in acute famine in the year 1770. Alarmed by the situation faced by the people, this massive granary was constructed for the British army.The enormous structure is 29 m high and is 3.6 m wide at the base. Overlooking the river and the plains, it looks like the upper half of a gigantic, decorated Easter egg, with the spiral stairway winding around this monument, adding to its embellishment. It offers a magnificent breathtaking view of the city and the river Ganges, flowing nearby.

Martyr’s Memorial:
A memorial to seven freedom fighters who sacrificed their lives in the Quit India Movement of August 1942, the Martyr’s Memorial is a modern sculpture facing the Secretariat, where they were shot in their attempt to host the national flag.Life-size statues in front of the aged secretariat compound have been put up in memory of seven brave young men who faced bullets for the freedom of the country and sacrificed their lives in August 1942 in the historic struggle for India’s independence during “Quit India” movement.It is a modern sculpture with life dimension statues of the seven martyrs’, in front of the Secretariat where they were shot in their attempt to hoist the national tricolor.

Har Mandir Takht:
Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth Guru of the Sikhs, was born in 1660 in Patna. The Har Mandir Takht, one of the four sacred shrines of the Sikhs, stands at thisholy site. The original temple was built by Maharaja Ranjit Singh, and contains belongings of the Guru and Sikh holy texts. The Harmandir Takht, oone ofthe four holy shrines of the Sikhs, stands at this holy site, The original temple was built by Maharaja Ranjit Singh and contains belongings of the Guru and Sikh holy texts. As a sign of reverence, it is also called Patna Sahib by the Sikhs. The Harmandir Temple, also referred to as Patna Sahib, is the second most important pilgrimage of the Sikhs after the Golden Temple of Amritsar. The Takht Harmandir was built by Guru Gobind Singh, the 10th guru of the Sikhs. The gurudwara is made of white marble and is great piece of art. The Harmandir Temple Located in Patna City, the elder part the city, it also houses a museum on it’s third floor.

Patna MuseumPatna Museum:
The Patna Museum houses a First World War cannon, metal and stone sculptures of the Mauryan and Gupta periods, Buddhist sculptures and quaint terracotta figures. A 16 m long fossilised tree is one of its special features.Patna museum was established in the year 1917 by the British Government.The building of the museum was built in the style of Rajput and Mughal architecture.It is a multipurpose museum.The museum is the storehouse of archaeological objects, coins, art objects, paintings, instruments, textiles, paintings, thankas, bronze images and sculptures and terracotta. Patna museum is divided into 11 different sections.

Pathar ki Masjid:
Adjacent to Har Mandir Sahib, on the bank of the Ganga, is this beautiful mosque built by Parwez Shah, son of Jehangir, when he was the governor of Bihar. It is also called Saif Khan’s mosque, Chimmi Ghat mosque and Sangi Masjid.Stone Mosque or Pathar Ki Masjid was built in 1621 by Parvezshah, son Emperor Jahangir , when he was the Governor of Bihar. Adjacent to Har Mandir Sahib, this beautiful mosque was built by Parwez Shah when he was the governor of Bihar. It is situated on the bank of the Ganga, it is also called Saif Khan’s mosque, Chimmi Ghat mosque and Sangi Masjid.

Sher Shah Suri Masjid:
Sher Shah Suri built this mosque in 1545 to commemorate his reign. Built in the Afghan architectural style, it is one of the many beautiful mosques in Bihar, and one of the impressive landmarks of Patna.Khuda Baksh Oriental Library: Founded in 1900, a magnificent one man collection of rare Arabic and Persian manuscripts, Rajput and Mughal paintings, oddities like the Koran inscribed in a book only 25mm wide and an assortment of old and new books from the University of Cordoba, Spain. It is one of the national libraries in India. The library also contains the only books to survive the sacking of the Moorish University of Cordoba in Spain.Sher Shah Masjid was built by Sher Shah Suri, to commemorate his reign. Built in Afghan architectural style, it is one of the many beautiful mosques in Bihar and a landmark in Patna. An Afghan chieftain, who defeated Mughal Emperor Humanyun to rule Delhi. Locally known as Shershahi, the mosque was built in 1545, making it the oldest mosque in Patna.

Jalan Museum:
Built on the foundations of Sher Shah’s fort, Qila House contains an impressive private collection of antiques, including a dinner service that once belonged to George III, Marie Antoinette’s Sevres porcelain, Napoleon’s four-poster bed, Chinese jade and Mughal silver filigree,.It is a private collection, and prior permission is required for a visit.Jalan Museum, also known as Quila House, is constructed at the old site of Shershah’s Fort, in Patna of Bihar.The museum houses private collections of Chinese porcelains, paintings, jade and silver filigree work of the Mughal period.Prior permission is required to enter the museum.

Sadaqat Ashram:
The Ashram is the headquarters of Bihar Vidyapeeth, a national university. India’s first president, Dr. Rajendra Prasad lived here after his retirement and there is a small museum here showcasing his personal belongings.The beautiful bungalow of Sadaqat Ashram in Patna is situated at the bank of the river Ganga. This fantastic location of the Sadaqat Ashram attracts many tourists every year. Here people visit the museum to learn more about the last days of Dr. Rajendra Prasad’s life

Agam Kuan:
Agam Kuan (Unfathomable well) is one of the most important early historic archeological remains in Patna. It is situated just close to Gulzarbagh railway Station, which is proposed to be associated with the Mauryan Emperor Ashok. The Agam Kuan refers to an “abysmal well” and it is situated on the eastern part of the capital of Bihar, namely Patna. It was built during the Mauryan Empire and ‘Ashoka the great’. Agam Kuan in Patna, BiharThis magnificent monument in Bihar is 105 feet deep and 20 inch in diameter. Half of the well is made of ornamented bricks. One of the spectacular things in this well is its arch-shaped windows

Padri Ki Haveli:
Built in 1772, the Padri Ki Haveli in Patna is the oldest church in the state of Bihar. The Padri Ki Haveli has an interesting history behind its inception. The church is seventy feet in length, forty feet wide and fifty feet in height. The magnificent monument was designed by Tirreto, the venetian architect who came from Calcutta. The church has withstand many attacks and act of destruction. The soldier of Nawab Mir Kasim, the ruler of Bengal looted the Padri Ki Haveli following their quarrel with the English traders. In the process, the ancient records kept inside were destroyed and burnt. The church suffered another attack during the Sepoy mutiny in 1857.

Deer at Sanjay Gandhi Biological ParkBiological Park:
Owing to its huge size, Sanjay Gandhi Biological Park is considered among one of the biggest zoos in India. The park houses more than three hundred species of trees including of orchids, ferns and roses. Each of these species has been kept in different houses and even their names have been given accordingly.The presence of the rare white tiger makes Sanjay Gandhi Biological park unique. Other than white tiger, the park has single male zebra, rhino of single horn, hippopotamus, and many cubs and tigers. The population of leopard is expected to rise in coming year for they have started breeding now. There are some 70 species of animals. Some rare species of animals such as clouded leopard, crocodile, Himalayan bear, lion tailed macaque, leopard cat, hog deer, and white peacock, etc. have been kept here. The total population of animals is around 800. The park is excellent exhibition of wildlife.

PlanetoriumModern Planetarium:
Indira Gandhi Science Complex, is one of the must visiting places in Patna. This is among few Planetarium’s (Taramandal) in India.A planetarium is a theatre built primarily for presenting educational and entertaining shows about astronomy and the night sky, or for training in celestial navigation. A dominant feature of most planetariums is the large dome-shaped projection screen onto which scenes of stars, planets and other celestial objects can be made to appear and move realistically to simulate the complex ‘motions of the heavens.

Kumhrar 80 pillar HallKumhrar:
Kumhrar, site of the ancient city of Patliputra, lies 5 kms from Patna railway station. Archaeological findings in this area establish Patna’s claim to over a thousand years of political glory – 600 BC to 600 AD. Very little of this grandeur remains though, except for the remains of a huge Mauryan hall supported by 80 sandstone pillars dating back to 300 BC.Kumhrar, located in the city of Patna, is the site that consists of the archaeological excavations of Patliputra and marks the ancient capital of Ajatshatru, Chandragupta and Ashok. The remains of the ancient city of Patilputra have been uncovered in Kumhrar, south of Patna. It is six kms from the railway station, on the Kankarbagh Road. Excavations here have releaved relics of four continuous periods from 600 BC to 600 AD. An important find is the 80-pillared huge hall of the Mauryan dynasty.
Nearest Petrol Pump:
HP Petrol Pump:Patna,Bihar,India   IOC Petrol Pump:Patna,Bihar,India
Hotels/Lodge/Accommodation:
Hotel Chanakya:Beer Chand Patel Marg,Patna,Bihar,India,Ph:0612 2223141  
Hotel Satkar International:Fraser Rd,Patna,Bihar,India,Ph:0612 2220551
Hotel Nand:R. K. Bhattacharya Rd,Patna,Bihar,India,ph:0612 2322732
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Police Station:100
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