Who gave Barabar Caves to Ajivikas?

The inscription in the Sudama cave informs that the four caves on Barabar hill were assigned by King Ashoka to Ajivika monks in 261 BC. Another inscription on the Nagarjuni hill is of the grandson of King Ashoka, Dasaratha Maurya, which tells that the Ajivikas continued to enjoy imperial Mauryan patronage for long.

How was the Lomas Rishi cave used?

Along with the other cave-temples in the Barabar hills, the Lomas Rishi cave, provided a prototype for the larger Buddhist Chaitya halls that are found in Maharasthra such as Ajanta or Karli and were very influential to the tradition of South Asian rock-cut architecture.

Why are caves at Barabar Hills called Ajivika caves?

The caves were used by ascetics from the Ajivika sect, founded by Makkhali Gosala, a contemporary of Gautama Buddha, the founder of Buddhism, and of Mahavira, the last and 24th Tirthankara of Jainism. The Ajivikas had many similarities with Buddhism as well as Jainism.

Where is Dasharatha’s Nagarjuna hill cave inscription located?

A collection of three caves with historical inscriptions make these hills an important place for tourists with. Nagarjuna Hills are located 35km north of Gaya, less than two km from Barabar Hills in Jehanabad district in Bihar.

Why was Barabar Caves built?

Around 40 km from Bodh Gaya lies a cluster of four caves, namely Karan Chaupar, Lomas Rishi, Sudama and Visvakarma, known as the Barabar Caves. Carved out from a monolithic granite rock, these are supposed to have been constructed by emperor Ashoka for the use of Ajivaka ascetics.

Who was the founder of Ajivikas?

Gosala Makkhaliputta
Ajivika, an ascetic sect that emerged in India about the same time as Buddhism and Jainism and that lasted until the 14th century; the name may mean “following the ascetic way of life.” It was founded by Goshala Maskariputra (also called Gosala Makkhaliputta), a friend of Mahavira, the 24th Tirthankara (“Ford-maker,” …

What is Lomas Rishi cave who built it and why?

This rock-cut cave was carved out as a sanctuary. It was built during the Ashokan period of the Maurya Empire in the 3rd century BC, as part of the sacred architecture of the Ajivikas, an ancient religious and philosophical group of India that competed with Jainism and became extinct over time.

Who is the caves of Barabar and their shelter house?

The oldest examples of Mauryan rock-cut architecture in India are the Barabar caves, located in the Barabar hills, in Jehanabad District of Bihar. There are four caves in Barabar dating back to reign of Asoka (273-232 BC) and his grandson Dasaratha, initially for the Ajeevika sect.

Who had their capital at Vaishali?

Vaishali, Pali Vesali, city of ancient India, north of Patna, northwestern Bihar state, on the Gandak River. In antiquity Vaishali was the capital of the Licchavi republic and was closely associated with the early histories of both Buddhism and Jainism.

Where is Barabar Caves located?

Jehanabad district
Dating back to the Mauryan period, Barabar Caves are the oldest rock-cut caves in India. Located in Jehanabad district in Bihar, about 31 north of Gaya, some of the caves have inscriptions that date back to the Ashokan period.

How many steps are there in Barabar Pahar?

Baba siddheshwar Nath temple: Situated at the top of the hill (almost 300 steps), this temple is dedicated to lord Shiva.

Who was Makkhaliputra Gosal?

Makkhali Gosala (Pāli; BHS: Maskarin Gośāla; Jain Prakrit sources: Gosala Mankhaliputta) or Manthaliputra Goshalak was an ascetic teacher of ancient India. He was a contemporary of Siddhartha Gautama, the founder of Buddhism, and of Mahavira, the last and 24th Tirthankara of Jainism.

Where are the Barabar caves in Jehanabad located?

Barabar Caves are situated in the hilly area near Makhdumpur, 25 km south of Jehanabad. These ancient rock-cut Buddhist chambers date back to 3rd Century A.D. and are renowned as the place of origin of the Ajivika sect.

Which is the oldest temple in the Barabar hills?

These ancient rock-cut Buddhist chambers date back to 3rd Century A.D. and are renowned as the place of origin of the Ajivika sect. Baba Siddhnath Temple, also known as the Shiva Temple and originally known as Siddheshwar Nath Temple, is located at one of the highest peaks in the range of the Barabar Hills.

What was the cause of the massacre in Bihar?

It was an outcome of the struggle for hegemony over sand quarry in the Ganges and Sone riverbeds. In this incident the struggle for supremacy between two contenders for sand quarry—both from the same upper backward caste and supporters of political party currently ruling in Bihar—led to the killing of 11 labourers.

Where did the Jallianwala Bagh massacre take place?

The Jallianwala Bagh massacre, also known as the Amritsar massacre, took place on 13 April 1919 when troops of the British Indian Army under the command of Colonel Reginald Dyer fired rifles into a crowd of Indians, who had gathered in Jallianwala Bagh, Amritsar, Punjab.