Venuvana Vihara

Venuvana Vihara, also known as Venuvana Monastery. A monastery situated in the northern part of Rajagriha in Magadha, India. It was built by King Bimbisara as an offering to Shakyamuni Buddha. According to one account, it was Kalandaka, a wealthy man in Rajagriha, who built the monastery and donated it to the Buddha. According to another account, Kalandaka offered his bamboo grove, and Bimbisara built a monastery there. Bamboo Grove Monastery and Jetavana Monastery in Shravastiwere the two major centers of Shakyamuni’s propagation activities.

In the vicinity of Venuvana is a large pond with a Buddha image at the centre. This pond is believed to be the site of the “Karanda Tank” mentioned in Buddhist text as the ‘Karanda Kanivapa’.

Read More