Banka

Places to visit

• Mandar Hill : Mandar Hill, a solitary, singular boulder hill that rises to a height of 700', is fittingly associated with a popular mythical narrative of immortality in Hindu Puranas. At the base of the hill, a big tank with a Vishnu temple in the center and a lotus structure was recently created. A temple is built on top of this hill in remembrance of the 12th Jain Tirthankara, Vasupujya, who reached nirvana here. On the climb to the peak, a magnificent lake situated in a black rock niche is extremely breathtaking.This hill is described in Hindu mythology as Sumeru Parvat, the churning pole of Amrit Manthan (the elixir of immortality), with the flowing "Naag" river (the Great Snake). The patterns visible on the rock are thought to have been produced by the mythological Great Snake while the Devs and Asuras were churning.

Distance: Mandar Hill is18 kilometres away from Banka

• Papaharani : Papaharani is a pond in the Mandar Mountain foothills. There are three paths that climb up the mountain from this pond. Many temples are in disrepair beneath this mountain. The panoramic Mahabishnu and Mahalakshmi temple is located in the heart of Papaharani. On the mountain's peak, there are two Jain temples. A considerable number of Jain pilgrims gather here to worship Lord Vasupujya. This is said to be Lord Vasupujya's Nirvana Land. The mountain has many little ponds. The depth of the Milky Way and the conch shell are two of them. The SitaKund is the most well-known of these kunds. It is named after the Hindu goddess Sita. Sita is said to have bathed here.

Distance: Papaharani is 28 kilometres away from Banka