Lauria Nandangarh
Ashokan pillar · Emperor Ashoka; the Buddha · Lauriya, West Champaran, Bihar
It is the best-preserved standing Ashokan pillar with its capital intact, visited on the Buddhist...
An Ashokan sandstone pillar over 32 feet high, inscribed with Ashoka's edicts, with a bell-shaped capital carrying geese and a seated lion - the name comes from *laur*, pillar. About 2 km south-west is the Nandangarh mound, the remains of a large stupa, originally around 25 m high, built on a polygonal or cruciform plan; Buddhist artefacts and manuscripts of the 4th century CE were found in it, and a relic casket is reported from the excavation. Fifteen stupa mounds stand in three rows across the site. ASI-protected (N-BR-65).
Plan your visit
- Best season
- September to April" (Bihar Tourism)
- Area
- Lauriya Nandangarh
Yatras that include Lauria Nandangarh
- Buddhist Yatra: Ashoka's pillar, lion still on top, standing where he put it.
- Mauryan and Ashokan Bihar: A pillar with its lion still on top, standing where Ashoka raised it.
- Champaran and Gandhi: Lauriya, where the Mauryan and the modern history of this district sit side by side.
Experiences here
- Valmiki Tiger Reserve: Bihar's only tiger reserve, in the forest along the Nepal border
Tirtham can arrange here
Guide, car and stay around Lauriya Nandangarh
Also around Lauriya Nandangarh
- Champaran meat (ahuna): Mutton sealed in a clay handi and cooked for hours over coals, from Champaran.
- Marcha rice and chura: A pepper-grained, fragrant rice from West Champaran, GI-registered in 2023, famous as chura.
Nearby places
- Rampurva Ashokan Pillars: Visited on the Buddhist and Mauryan heritage circuit of Champaran; note that both capitals have been...
- Bettiah Catholic Church: Catholics come for worship at north India's oldest Catholic foundation; notably, hundreds of...
Questions pilgrims ask
Why is Lauria Nandangarh important?
An Ashokan sandstone pillar over 32 feet high, inscribed with Ashoka's edicts, with a bell-shaped capital carrying geese and a seated lion - the name comes from *laur*, pillar. About 2 km south-west is the Nandangarh mound, the remains of a large stupa, originally around 25 m high, built on a polygonal or cruciform plan; Buddhist artefacts and manuscripts of the 4th century CE were found in it, and a relic casket is reported from the excavation. Fifteen stupa mounds stand in three rows across the site. ASI-protected (N-BR-65).
When is the best time to visit Lauria Nandangarh?
September to April" (Bihar Tourism).
Can Tirtham plan a yatra to Lauria Nandangarh?
Yes. Tell us how long you have and who is going, and Tirtham plans the days, the guide, the car and the stay.
Plan my Yatra. Rather talk to someone? Call or WhatsApp +91 87893 56605, or contact us.