Bhagalpur Sightseeing - Mandar Hill

This hill is famous for its mythological background. A small hill about 30 km from Bhagalpur is the very same hill which was used for the Sagar Manthan. The marks of the snake around the hill used for mathan can be seen. Foot prints of Lord Vishnu can also be seen on this hill. The most attracting feature of the hill is the lake at its peak.

The hill, steeped in legend and laced with landscape of extraordinary splendour, exposes the 800 feet high granite hill. Mandar is associated with amritmanthana which suggests that the hill was used by the gods to churn the ocean to procure amrit (Nectar). The serpent, Basukinaga offered to serve as the rope and has left behind an impression of the coil on the granite hill. It is believed that panchjanya, the conch shell used in Mahabharat War was discovered here in the Sank kund. The Puranas refer to various sacred places on the hill which is also believed to be the abode of Vishnu under the title of Madhusudana or the destroyer of a demon called Madhu who was killed by Vishnu and then covered by the Mandar hill. Kalidasa’s kumarasamahava refers to foot marks of Vishnu on the slopes of Mandar.

The hill is replete with relics of bygone ages. Besides inscriptions and statues there are numerous rock cut sculptures depicting various Brahmanical images. The hill is equally revered by the Jains who believe that their 12th Tirthankara attained nirvana here on the summit of the hill.