Pavapuri Jain Tirth
Jalmandir, here Lord Mahavira attained salvation sitting on a padmasana.
Pawapuri or Pavapuri is also called Apapuri is situated 8 kms from Bihar Sarif and 31
km Rajgir.By road it is 87 km from Patna. It is located on Bahktiapur - Rajgir railway line. Buses and taxies also run from Rajgir to
Pawapri. Pawapuri also known as Apapuri is a scared Jain pilgrimage. Lord Mahavira, the final Tirthankara of Jainism, breathed his last at this place, and was cremated here around 500 B.C
Having attained omniscience (Kevala- nana) on the bank of Rju-kula and after preaching the principle of Jainism through his divine voice (divya-dhvani),
Lord Mahavira toured over different areas of the country and propounded the religious doctrines.
Afterwards he reached Pavapuri and seated himself on a clan or pure slab of stone in a
park studded with many ponds. He did not move out for two days; and plunged in pure meditation (sukla-dhyana). He quitted the mortal
coil and became a Siddha in the last quarter of the night of the 14th day of the black half of the month of
Kartika. This is described in the Maha-purna of Puspadanta. The Uttara- purana too describe this episode.
For these references it is clear that Lord Mahavira attained nirvana in a park, near Pavapuri, round about which there were many pounds or lakes.
At present the site of the nirvana of Mahavira is accepted
near Bihar- Sherif where a magnifificent Jaina temple stands in the centre of a big lake.
This is accepted as the tirtha- ksetra on all hands. Both the sects, Digambra and Svetambra, have voluntarily accepted this place as the spot of the nirvana of Mahavira
A marble temple, the Jalmandir, was later built in the middle of the tank. Here Lord Mahavira attained salvation sitting on a padmasana. Another beautiful Jain temple of white marble called Samosharan is located
at this place. Lord Mahavira had delivered his sermon here.The best time time to visit Pawapuri is between October and March.