---

Indian States

Bihar

General Information | Cities Of Bihar | Festivals In Bihar | Map Of Bihar | Hotels In Bihar

Lauria Nandangarh

A village in the Bettiah Sub-division, about 24 Kms north-west of Bettiah, which contains some of the most interesting remains of huge stupa called Nandangarh. This 26 metre high ancient sepulchral mound is composed of bricks and is conjectured to be Ashes stupa, the stupa in which ashes of the Lord Buddha were enshrined.

At Lauria Nandangarh, less than half a Km to the east of the village, stands the famous pillar of Ashoka - a single block of polished sandstone of 32 ft and 9 1/2 inches in height and with a diameter of 35.5 inches at base and of 26.21 inches at top. The capital, which is 6 ft 20 inches in height, is bell shaped with a circular abacus supporting the statue of a lion. The abacus is ornamented with a row of Brahmi geese packing their food. The column has a light and elegant appearance and is altogether a much more pleasing monument than the shorter and stature pillar of Bakhra.The pillar is inscribed with the edict of Ashoka in the some clear and beautifully cut characters as those of Areraj pillar. The lion has been injured in the month and the column itself bears the road mark of alanon short just below the capital which has itself been slightly dislodged by the stock.

The pillar is much thinner and much lighter than those of Bakhra and Areraj. The weight of the polished portion of its shaft is only 18 tons or rather less than half that of the Bakhra pillar and some what more than half of the Areraj pillar.

Lauria Areraj:
31 kms noth-west of Motihari, in Lauria Areraj, emperor Ashoka erected one of his stone columns and inscribed it with his edicts. Erected in 249 B.C. , this 11.5 metre high lofty stone pillar, bears six of his edicts and has been created out of a single block of polished sandstone.

Travel Info:
Air : The nearest Airport is Patna airport.
Rail : The nearest Railway station is Bettiah 26 Kms.
Road: 26 Kms from Bettiah, 71 Kms from Motihari, 155 Kms from Muzaffarpur.

Cities:-
Bodhgaya | Kesaria | Nalanda | Patna | Pawapuri | Rajgir | Vaishali | Vikramshila