| Temples & Legends Of Bihar |
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| Temples & Legends Of
India |
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BENUSAGAR |
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| Incidentally,
it may be mentioned that there are a large number of stupas in the neighboring villages of
Keshnagarh, Ruam and Itapukri. These -various places had or still have a number of ancient
relies. Ruam has some old remains of a moat, tanks and an accumulation of ancient copper
slag and all these indicate a township at one time. About Ruam, L. S.S. O'Malley, the
author of the old Singhbhum district gazetteer mentions: "It contains some remains
which probably mark a former settlement of the Sravakas or lay Jains, though local
tradition ascribes them to a Rajah called Ruam who is said to have a fort here. "
O'Malley is probably not -wrong, as Jainism had struck deep roots in Singhbhum
along with Manbhum (now Purulia district).Singhbhum borders Kalinga (Orissa). There was
active trade and commerce and a constant passage of pilgrims between Kalinga and these
areas and the road to Kalinga passed through this region. Singhbhum was also included in
the empire of Kharavela, the great Jain Emperor of Orissa.
Mahavira Vardhamana, the 24thTirthankara of Jainism, had passed through this area,
visiting places in Manbhum and Singhbhum, district and then going to Orissa. Mahavira went
to Kalinga, as the king of Kalinga was a friend of his father. An old Jain work, the
Haribhadriya-Virtti, mentions this The Emperor Kharavela's famous Hathigumpha inscription
has a reference to Gorathagiri (Barabar hills in Gaya), Rajagriha (Rajgir in Patna), and
the Gangetic plains of Pataliputra. |
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