Places of Interest
Zeeradei
Situated about 13 km from the district headquarters,zeeradei is known as the birthplace of India’s first president Dr. Rajendra Prasad,who was later conferred Bharat Ratna. Popularly called Rajendra babu by his friends and followers, Dr Prasad was a symbol of simplicity,truth and dedication.
Ashiana
This place is known as the native residence of Maulana Mazharul Haq,one of the greatest freedom fighters of the country and a symbol of Hindu-Muslim unity
Anand Bagh Math & Sunder Bagh Math
Situated at Bakhri village in Siswan block of Siwanthe two temples are in fact “samadhi sthals” of two renowned saints,Swami Jaggannath Das ji and his guru Bhagwan das ji.Both the temples are located near the Daha river and thousands of devotees visit these temples every year.On auspicious days,there’s a huge rush of people as devotees from far flung places like Uttar Pradesh,West Bengal and New Delhi besides saran,Gopalganj,Jehanabad and Ara in Bihar come here.
Mahendra Nath Temple
Situated in Mehdar village under Siswan block, about 32 km south from the district headquarters, Mahendra Nath temple of Lord Shiva attracts visitors,including foreigners, from far flung areas.
Raghunathpur
Situated about 27 km south from the district head quarters,Raghunathpur is the place where Lord Rama is believed to have taken rest after killing demon Tarka near Buxar.Later, Lord Rama proceeded to Janakpur Dham after crossing river Saryu.
Bhikhabandh
This place symbolises the affectionate relationship between a brother and his sister.There exists a temple of brother-sister at Bhikhabandh village under the Maharjganj block of the district.According to folklore,a brother and sister laid down their lives fighting Mughals in the 14th century
Panchmukhi Shivalinga
There’s an old Shiva temple in Mahadeva locality of Siwan town which houses a “panchmukhi” or five faced Shivalinga. Locals insist the Shivlinga in the temple come out of the earth.One can also see the faces of Brahma,Vishnu and Mahesh on the Shivalinga. Hundreds of devotees throng this temple every day.On Mahashivratri,a fair is also held here.
Burhiya Mai Temple
Located on east-northern portion of Gandhi Maidan in Siwan town, this temple draws huge crowd of devotees, especiallyon Saturdays.Locals believe one’s wishes are fulfilled after worshipping the deity here. Offerings include new saris,fruits,flowers and coconuts.
Amarpur
Amarpur is a village situated 3 Kms. West of Darauli, in this village ruins of mosque of red bricks on the bank of river Ghaghara are still available. This mosque was build during the reign of Mughal Emperor Shahjahan (1626-1658) under the supervision of the Naib Amar Singh but the work was left incomplete. The village derived its name from the builder of the mosque Amar Singh.
Faridpur
Faridpur situated just near Andar is the birthplace of Maulana Mazharul Haque who played an important role during the freedom movement. Sadaquat Ashram in Patna, which originally belonged to him. He was a symbol of Hindu Muslim unity.
Darauli
A block headquarter now is said to be have been founded after the name of Dara Shikoh the elder son of the Emperor Shahjahan. It name was Daras Ali, which later on was changed into Darauli. There is reminiscence of Mughal period ruins where a big mela is held every year on the Kartik Purnima.
Don
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- A village in the Darauli block where there are remnants of a fort, which is said to be connected with the famous hero of the Mahabharat, Acharya Dronacharya the guru of both Kaurav’s and Pandav’s.
- Where the Brahmin Dona built his stupa
Dona’s stupa is a lesser-known but popular Buddhist pilgrimage site, despite its isolated location. The Buddhist traveler Hiuen Tsang mentions a visit to Don in his account of his travels in India. He describes the stupa as being in ruins. The account of Dona’s distribution of Buddha’s ashes and being given the vessel is a mentioned in the end of the Mahaparinibbana Sutta, which is described in Maurice Walsh’s The Long Discourses. Presently Dona’s stupa is a grassy hill and has a Hindu temple built over it, where a beautiful statue of Tara is worshipped as a Hindu goddess. This statue was carved in the 9th century. A.D. Tourists on a Buddhist Pilgrimage Tour are sure to appreciate the historic sight of the stupa at Don.
How to Reach
Don can be reached from Patna to Siwan via Chhapra. A day trip from Kusinagar via Gopalganj can also be arranged.
After the Buddha’s cremation a dispute arose as to how his ashes should be divided. Eventually a brahmin named Dona was given the task and he did it to the satisfaction of all the eight claimants. As a reward for his services he was given the vessel in which the ashes had been collected and from which he had divided and he announced that he would enshrine this vessel in a stupa. This stupa later became a popular destination with pilgrims. When Hiuen Tsiang went there it was already in ruins but it still sometimes emitted a brilliant light. Today Dona’s stupa is a large grassy mound with a Hindu temple on it just outside the village of Don. Nearby is an exceptionally beautiful statue of Tara now being worshipped as a Hindu goddess. This statue dates from the 9th century. To get to Don go from Patna to Siwan via Chhapra . Alternatively you can visit Don as a day trip from Kusinara via Gopalganj. Beyond Siwan the road is very bad. The story about Dona’s division of the Buddha’s ashes is in the last part of the Mahaparinibbana Sutta which can be found in Walshe’s The Long Discourses. When you have finished in Patna cross the Ganges by the new Mahatma Gandhi Bridge and head north to Vesali via Hajipur.
Hasanpura
It is a village in the Hussainganj block. It is said that Makhdum Sayyad Hasan Chisti, a saint who came from Arabia to India and settled here, found it. He founded a Khankhah too.
Lakri Dargah
It is the place of pilgrimage for the Mohammedans. The village is so called because it contains the tomb (Dargah) of a Mohammedan saint, Shah Arjan of Patria, in which there is some good woodwork. The story runs that the saint, attracted by the solitude of the place, performed a Chila here, i.e., gave himself up to religious contemplation for 40 days. He also set up a religious establishment, which was endowed by the Emperor Aurangzeb. The anniversary of the saint’s death is celebrated the 11th of Rabi-us-sani every year which attracts a large crowd.
Maharajganj
A block headquarters now, it was also called Basnauli Gangar. It is the largest bazar in the district. This was the place where great hero of Indian Independence Movement, Shri Phulena Prasad centralised his activity and fought against the Britishers.
Mairwa Dham
A block headquarters now, there is a celebrated Brahma Asthan, locally known as Hari Baba ka Asthan, the shrine having been built over the relics of the saint. There is also a mound called Chananriyam Dih from an Ahirni woman who is now worshipped in a shed built in front of the Dak bungalow which occupies the top of the mound. The shrine is on the bank of the Jharhi River and fairs are held in Kartik and Chaitra months. There is also a leper home at Mairwa known as Kustha Sevasram whcih is doing useful work.
Mehandar
A village in Siswan Blcok, where there is a temple of Lord Shiva & Lord Vishwakarma which is visited by the people of the locality on the Shivaratri day & Vishwakarma Puja (17 Sept) Day. It is known for its temple and a pond scatted over an area of more than 52 bighas. It is said that one Nepal king built these and took his bath in the pond and got his leprosy cured.
Bhikhabandh
A village in Maharajganj Block, there is a big tree under the shade of which Bhaiya-Bahini temple is situated. The story runs that these brother and sister fought Mughal sepoys in the 14th century and died here in course of fighting.