Champapuri

When you reach Champapuri, you arrive at one of the holiest places in the Jain faith. This ancient town, near Bhagalpur in Bihar, is deeply linked with Bhagwan Vasupujya, the twelfth Tirthankara. Jains believe that all five of his great life events took place here, which makes Champapuri very rare and special. For Jain pilgrims, and for our families coming from abroad on yatra, a visit here fills the heart with peace and devotion.

Champapuri, also called Champa, lies near the city of Bhagalpur in Bihar, on the banks of the holy Ganga. In ancient times it served as the capital of the Anga kingdom, one of the great kingdoms of old India. For the Jain faith it stands as a most important Tirtha, as devotees honour it as the place linked with all five kalyanaks, or auspicious events, of Bhagwan Vasupujya, the twelfth Tirthankara. Because of this, it ranks among the highest of Jain holy places.

October to March

The main site is the Jain temple of Bhagwan Vasupujya. Pilgrims come here for darshan and prayer in a calm and pure setting. The temple complex feels peaceful and stays well kept, and it forms the true heart of a Champapuri yatra. You can spend quiet time here in worship and reflection, feeling close to the twelfth Tirthankara.

Champa was once a grand and rich city, the capital of the Anga kingdom, and its name appears in very old texts. For the Jain community it has drawn pilgrims for many centuries because of its deep link with Bhagwan Vasupujya. Generation after generation of devotees have come here to pray. The town carries a calm and holy feeling that you remember for a long time.

As a holy Jain place, Champapuri and its dharamshalas serve pure and simple vegetarian food. The meals are plain, fresh and cooked with care, often without onion and garlic, in keeping with Jain tradition. Rice, dal, rotis and seasonal vegetables form the usual food. You do well to eat the sattvik food offered at the pilgrim rest houses.

Champapuri is a place of pilgrimage, so shopping is simple and devotional. You can buy prayer books, small idols, prayer beads and pictures of the Tirthankaras near the temple. The nearby city of Bhagalpur is famous across India for its fine Bhagalpuri silk, which makes a beautiful and lasting gift.

Champapuri lies close to Bhagalpur, which has its own railway station with trains from many cities. The nearest airports are at Patna and Deoghar. Within the area you travel by auto rickshaw, cycle rickshaw and taxi. A taxi gives you the easy way to move between the temple, the Ganga ghats and the nearby holy sites.

Around Bhagalpur you can also visit the ghats of the Ganga, where the great river flows wide and calm. The area holds other old temples and quiet spots for prayer. Many pilgrims join Champapuri with the other holy sites of Bihar and Jharkhand on a single blessed journey.

Bhagalpur (about 5 km.): The main city, famous for Bhagalpuri silk and the Ganga ghats. Pawapuri (about 90 km.): The holy place where Bhagwan Mahavira attained nirvana. Sammed Shikharji (about 150 km.): The greatest Jain Tirtha, on Parasnath hill. Vikramshila (about 50 km.): The ruins of an ancient Buddhist university.

Dress modestly and remove your shoes before you enter the temple, as this is a holy place. Speak softly and keep the surroundings clean out of respect. If you are on a longer Jain yatra, plan Champapuri together with Pawapuri, Rajgir and Sammed Shikharji for a complete and blessed journey.