Kolhua, Daijokyo Buddist Temple, Bihar, India
Between the Buddha Stupa Relic and the Archaeological Museum, a single-lane countryside road winds its way through farming villages to the Kolhua Complex, 5km away. It’s worth making time for this very pleasant walk, although shared autos also make the trip and it’s relatively easy to hitch a ride on a motorbike. Set in a landscaped park, Kolhua comprises a large, hemispherical brick stupa guarded by a lion squatting atop a 2300-year-old Ashoka pillar.
The pillar is plain and contains none of the Ashokan edicts usually carved onto these pillars. Nearby are the ruins of smaller stupas and monastic buildings. According to legend, Buddha was given a bowl of honey here by monkeys, who also dug out a rainwater tank for his water supply.
Visit India Epic India Route © Monika Newbound
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