(16) Vaishali: Pidhauli/ Fe-she-li or so called Vaishali: (Si-Yu-Ki page 66 to 73)This is another big blunder by historians. In page 66 second para Huen Tsang writes, “Going north east from this (Drona stupa) and crossing the Ganges, after travelling 140 or 150 Li, we come to the country of Fe-she-li (Vaishali).” Now 150 li is equal to approximately 42 kilometers. In satellite maps when we calculate 42 kilometers north east from Desna we pass over Pandarak village, cross the Ganges as stated by Huen Tsang, and reach Pidhauli village. The 42 kilometers north east from Desna as the crow flies ends perfectly across the Ganges in Pidhauli village. That means Pidhauli is definitely Huen Tsangs ‘Fe-she-li.’ When I was exploring Huen Tsangs Pataliputra in Pandarak village, I examined King Ashokas first Buddha relic stupa according to Huen Tsangs description. It is now a Hindu sun temple. The local people showed me a rock on the banks of the Ganges with the footmarks of the Buddha on it before he crossed the river on his way to Vaishali and further on to his nirvana. Huen Tsang had mentioned this rock with the footmark. The villagers call it ‘Koyla Rani’ (translated Coal Queen) as it is made of black stone. So that meant Pandarak village was the fording point for the Buddha when he wanted to cross the river to go to Vaishali from Magadh. On scrutinizing the other side of the river in satellite maps, the word Pidhauli popped up. I realized Huen Tsangs mis-pronounced ‘Fe-she-li’ wasn’t the Vaishali in Laalgunj but Pidhauli village just across the Ganges from Pandarak village. I then examined the surrounding villages and found each and every spot exactly according to Huen Tsangs accurate bearings. These are the places Huen Tsang visited in Pidhauli or his ‘Fe-she-li.’

(a) Godhna village: In page 67 first line Huen Tsang writes, “north west of the royal city 5 or 6 Li’s is a sanghramma with a few disciples. They study the teachings of the little vehicle according to the Sammatiya school.” I chose Godhna village to be the sangharamma because it is on high ground which will have ancient structures below. This village is exactly two kilometers north east of Pidhauli village which I strongly believe is Huen Tsangs ‘Fe-she-li’. Chasing Huen Tsang a pattern has emerged which makes it easy to do some guesswork. In Mathokhar village or Huen Tsangs mispronounced Kapotika or pidgeon monastery lives the Goraiya sub cast of the Jadav clan. They pray to the ‘Gor’ or feet which I suspect is the Lord Buddhas feet. They call the temples in which the feet have pride of place a ‘Goraiya.’ Now Godhna which is north east of Pidhauli sounds very similar to Goraiya, because here too Jadavs reside. So Godhna will be the sanghramma Huen Tsang mentions. By fixing Godhna as the sanghramma all the other villages fit into Huen Tsangs description.

(b) Amjadpur Bithouri: In page 67 second para Huen Tsang writes, “By the side of it is a stupa. It was here that Tathagat delivered the Vimalakirti sutra (Pi-mo-lo-kie-king), and the son of a household Ratnakar, and others offered precious parasols to the Buddha.” Amjadpur may be a new name added to Bithouri after the coming of Muslims. Bithouri is an ancient Bihari word. Vimalakirti or Huen Tsangs mispronounced ‘Pi-mo-lo-kie-king’ could be a foreign mispronounciation of Vithouri or Bithouri. People today sometimes mispronounce the letter V with a B. Amjadpur Bithouri village is certainly on a low stupa.

(c) Navada village: In page 67 second para second last line Huen Tsang writes. “To the east of this is a stupa.  It was here Sariputra and others obtained perfect exemption (became Arahats).” Exactly 1200 meters east of Amjadpur Bithouri is the village called Navada. This is the sanghramma in which Sariputra and the others became arhats. I came to this decision because Navada is east to Amjadpur Bithouri and the name pops up regularly when Huen Tsang writes about a sanghramma. This village is next to the railway line and the next description of Huen Tsang will prove my choice of this village as Sariputras sanghramma was accurate.

(c) Bhagwatpur Teai: In page 67 third para Huen Tsang writes, “To the south east of this last spot is a stupa; This was built by a king of Vaishali. After the nirvana of the Buddha, a former king of the country, obtained a portion of the relics of his body, and to honour them as highly as possible raised this (building).” The reader will realize this is no doubt Bhagwatpur Teai. It is about 8oo meters to the south east of Navada just as Huen Tsang states. The village is settled on a huge mud stupa which is perfectly round in shape. Infact. I think I recognized two stupas. The older (original) one is smaller in size and has an ancient well on it. This is most probably the original stupa built by the Lichavi king. Later King Ashoka took out the relics and built a second stupa which is huge in size and has an entire village settled on it. In satellite pictures you can see the perfectly circular shape of the village. The name Bhagwat itself may be an ancient rendering of the word Bhagwan or God. Teai too could be an ancient form of the rural Bihari word Tiage. Tiage means sacrifice. We all know that the Buddha sacrificed himself and died. The stupa that was excavated in modern day Vaishali is hardly a tenth of the size of this stupa. The next two spots described by Huen Tsang prove’s the accuracy of my decision to choose Bhagwatpur Teai as the original Lichavi Buddha relic stupa which King Ashoka opened. The Buddha relic stupa in Vaishali is a big laugh compared to the original one in Bhagwatpur Teai. The Vaishali stupa that was excavated certainly isn’t an Ashokan stupa. British archaeologists and historians identified Lalgunj area and named it Vaishali on the basis of the pillar they found nearby. Historians seemed to forget that King Shashank destroyed Ashokan pillars in all the major spots. If Ashokan pillars were left untouched, they were in vague places. The British historians found one of these not so important pillars which king Shashank missed and identified the place as Vaishali. Basically the place was Pidhauli.

(d) Chatri Tola and Durga Sthan monkey pond Teai:  This section is very important in proving Pidhauli and the area around it is Huen Tsangs ‘Fe-she-li’. It also proves that Bhagwatpur Teai is the Lichavis Buddha relic stupa. Huen Tsang writes in page 67 last para, “To the northwest is a stupa built by Ashoka Raja; by the side of it is a stone pillar about 50 or 60 feet high, with a figure of a lion on the top. To the south of the stone pillar is a tank. This was dug by a band of monkeys for the Buddhas use.” North east of Bhagwatpur Teai is Jama masjid Chatri Tola. Chatri Tola seems to be the original name of this place. This could be the spot where Huen Tsangs pillar was as the name Chatri Tola suggests it. The area is on a stupa no doubt. The name Chatri tells it all. It means a sort of umbrella. Umbrellas are on a stick just like the animals on Ashokan pillars. There was the figure of a lion on King Ashokas pillar. This could be the ancient Chatri or umbrella. Thorough search of the area will throw up remnants of the pillar. South of Jama Masjid Chatri Tola is Durga sthan temple next to a pond. Huen Tsang states that a pond made by monkeys was situated south to the Ashokan piller that had a figure of a lion on top. According to Huen Tsang monkeys dug up this pond for the Buddhas use. This pond is famous in the area as the monkey pond. Local folk lore states that in ancient times hundreds of monkey lived here. This pond tallies exactly with Huen Tsangs statement. Only the villagers don’t know that the monkeys made it for the Buddhas use. This pond proves that Chatri Tola to the north and Bhagwatpur Teai to the south west of Jama Masjid Chatri Tola fits in exactly with Huen Tsangs statement about the whereabouts of the Lichavi Buddha relic stupa.

(e) Madhusudan: Huen Tsang further writes in page 68 first para third last line, “Not far to the south of this tank is a stupa; it was here the monkeys taking the alms bowl of Tathagat, climbed a tree and gathered him some honey.” This will be Chak Madsudan. Chak means a stupa and Madsudan sounds similar to Madh which means honey in sanskrit. I haven’t visited this place but it is there in google pictures.

(f) Chak Kaem: In page 68 third para Huen Tsang writes, “To the north east of the sanghrama 3 or 4 li’s is a stupa. This is the old site of the house of Vimalakirti.” This will be Chak Kaem which may be the short form of ‘Malakirti’ because this stupa now has a village on it with the name Chak Kaem and is approximately 3000 meters north east of Dularpur Mutt. This is the ancient sanghrama Huen Tsang speaks about which is now a Hindu temple. The priest told me how the huge Shiva linga was dragged here in ancient times. That means before the Shiva Linga was dragged here it was a Buddhist sangharama. Today a Brahmin is the priest in charge.

(g) Bhairav Mandir: In page 68 fourth para Huen Tsang writes, “Not far from this is a spirit dwelling, its shape like a pile of bricks. Tradition speaks this stone pile is where the householder Vimalakirti preached the law when he was sick.” This is the Bhairo Baba temple east of the Dularpur Mutt and slightly south of Chak Kaem. This is the sira which every village in rural Bihar is supposed to have in which the spirit of an ancient highly revered person or ancestor of the village resides. My theory is all the siras or spirit homes of rural Bihar were once Buddhist monks. Just like the one here. This sira or spirit house belongs to Chak Kaem and Dularpur village’s which is populated by Brahmins who were foremost in challenging Buddhism in Bihar and north India. These Brahmins proudly state that they were Shaiv Brahmins who challenged the Vaishnavs who were followers of the Buddha. But the sira or the village spirit dwelling place is according to Huen Tsang the dwelling place of Vimalakirti’s spirit who preached here when he was sick. Vimalakirti was Buddhist that means the sira was Buddhist. In the old days most of the rural village spirit dwelling places were simply a pile of loosely thrown bricks like what Huen Tsang described. But now the trend is to convert them into swanky marble temples. This is exactly what happened to this spirit house or Bhairo Baba Mandir. It is now a swanky marble temple. Bhairav mandir proves that Chak Kaem nearby is on top of a stupa that marks Vimalakirti’s house.

(f) Rautgaon: In page 68 second last para Huen Tsang writes, “Not far from this is a stupa; this is the site of the old residence of Ratnakara.” This will be Rautgaon village on top of a mud stupa. I have pinpointed this village because it is near Bhairo Bab Mandir or the spirit house Huen Tsang mentions. It is also close to Chak Amra which Huen Tsang mentions in the next para. Verbally ‘Raut’ sounds very similar and like a short form of ‘Ratnakara’.

(g) Chak Amla: In the last para of page 68 Huen Tsang states, “Not far from this is a stupa; This is the old house of the lady Amra. It was here the aunt of Buddha and other Bhikshunis obtained nirvana.” Chak Amla falls in line according to Huen Tsangs description. We see him moving south wards placing the villages next to each other very accurately. The names are there according to his description. Chak Amra is no doubt Huen Tsangs lady Amra. This is the spot Buddha’s aunt and other bhikshunis died.

(h) Chak Rukiya: In page 69 first para Huen Tsang writes, “To the north of the sanghrama 3 or 4 Li is a stupa: this indicates the place where Tathagat stopped when about to advance to Kusinagara to die, whilst men and Kinnaras followed him.” This is a clean case. Chak Rukiya is the stupa. Rukiya means to stop in the local Bihari language. Satellite pictures show this place to the east of the railway line.

(h) Garahiya Chak and Gahuni village: In page 69 first para fourth line Huen Tsang writes, “From this not far to the northwest is a stupa; here Buddha for the very last time gazed upon the city of Vaishali.” From the phrase ‘From this’ we realize that Huen Tsang means from Chak Rukiya where the villagers stopped the Buddha, not far to the northwest is a stupa where the Buddha gazed for the last time at Vaishali. Exactly northwest of Chak Rukiya are two places with the same meaning. First is Garahiya Chak. Garahiya sounds verbally similar to the word ‘gaharaie’ which means to concentrate or gaze at something. Gahuni is a rural Bihari word to concentrate on something. The village will be on top of a stupa by the name of Gahuni.

(i) Bhikhan Chak: In page 69, first para sixth line Huen Tsang states, “Not far to the south of this is a vihara before which is built a stupa, this is the site of the garden of the Amra girl which she gave in charity to the Buddha.” Exactly south of Garahiya Chak and Gahuni village is Bhikhan Chak. It is a perfect rural word for charity or alms. Bhikhan Chak is to the west of the highway so is in the south western extreme of the area of Pidhauli. It is outside the dam that protects these villages from Gangetic floods since the Ganges flows nearby. Bhikhan Chak was a favorite relaxing place of the Buddha and Buddhist records say it was next to the Ganges. There are records of Amrapali coming here to pay homage to the Buddha.

(j) Chak Mehro: In page 69 second para Huen Tsang writes, “By the side of the garden is a stupa; this is the place where Tathagat announced his death.” This is Chak Mehhro no doubt as the Buddha announces his death to Mara. Mara could be a foreign Buddhist mis pronounciation of Mehro. We must remember that Buddhism was lost to India. The records came back from foreign countries. Many of the words will have been mis pronounced through the centuries by different linguistic Asian people using it. Huen Tsang here tells the story of how the Buddha asks Anand three questions about himself and his life span. Anand fails to answer as he is concentrating on Mara. He is infatuated by Mara. Mara comes and reminds the Buddha that he had stated that when he succeeds in accomplishing all that he had come to the world to do he, the Buddha, would die and leave the earth. Now since the Buddha had accomplished all he had come to achive, when will he die? The Buddhas reply is unique. He picks up some dust on his nails and asks Mara if the dust on his nail is more or the dust on the earth. Mara replies that the dust on the earth is more. The Buddha then tells him that the grains of earth on his nail is similar to those who are saved by his teaching and are following the correct path. The grains of earth on the ground are much more and are like those who haven’t heard his teaching so may not be following the correct path. But finally he assures Mara that he will die in three months. Mara goes away delighted. The reader will realize this story deals entirely with the Buddhas interaction with Mara so Chak Mehro is most probably the stupa that marks the spot of this interaction.

(k) Burhi Van: The name Van means a forest. So Burhi Van means a forest called Burhi. Today the forest no longer exists though the name has stuck to the land. The land has been usurped for agriculture. It is here that Anand withdraws to think in the forest. I will quote the second para of page seventy. Huen Tsang writes, “Meantime Anand in the wood had a strange dream and coming to the Buddha told it to him.” The wood or forest is no doubt Burhi Van because it is near Chak Mehro where the Buddha predicted his own death to Mara. It was from here or Chak Mehro that Huen Tsang says Anand retired to the seclusion of a forest to think. Today there is a tiny village by the name Burhi Van. And Burhi Van village is close to Chak Mehro where the Buddha predicted his death to Mara while Anand was thinking in the forest. Anand has a bad dream in this forest. He dreams that there is a big tree in the forest with a huge canopy giving shade to everything below it. But one day a storm comes and blows it away.The Buddha replies that he had asked Anand whether he should remain in the world. But Anand was so fascinated with Mara that he didn’t reply to the Buddha. In between Mara slyly tempted him to die and the Buddha fixed a date. Anand had missed a chance to save the Buddha. This is what his dream in Burhi Van meant. The Buddha was going to die.

(l) Nandpur Saroop/Adharpur villages : This is the biggest proof of Pidhauli being the so called Vaishali. Half of Anands body relics are enshrined here in one of these two villages. That is Nandpur Saroop and Adharpur. I will quote page 73 third para. Huen Tsang writes, “By the side of the preaching hall and not far from it is a stupa which contains the relics of the half body of Anand.” (a) My first bet is on Nandpur Saroop. It is Anands stupa and the name most probably means ‘Anand Ka Swargiya Roop.’ The last three letters of the word which ends with ‘pur’ used here is the ancient ‘par’. This means on top and denotes a stupa. Nand is the short form of Anand.  Saroop is the short form of Swargiya Roop which means the ‘dead form.’ So put together Nandpur Saroop can mean the ‘dead form of Anand.’ It means how Anand looks in death. If this village is Anands relic stupa then Adharpur will be the preaching hall Huen Tsang has written about.” (b) My second guess is Adharpur village. Adhar can mean Adha which means half. We must remember Anands relics were divided into two halves. The last three letters which are ‘pur’ could be an ancient form of ‘par’ which in rural Bihari means on top and hints of a stupa because the latter is on top of a relic. But the villagers told me that Adharpur wasn’t on top of a mud mound or stupa which seemed abnormal as this is a flood prone area. Excavations of these two villages will tell the truth. I wager 80 to 1 Nandpur Saroop is Anands relic stupa. Adharpur is a standby option.

(m) Teghra village and town/To-Kio: Finally in page 73 fourth chapter Huen Tsang goes on to tell us about a few hundred stupas in a place he mispronounces as To-Kio. This is Teghra village no doubt as the last three places he mentions are south of Pidhauli village and slightly north of Teghra village. To-Kio no dounbt is Teghra town cum village. I will quote the fifth para of page 73. He says, “Not far from this are several stupas, the exact number has not been yet determined. Here a thousand Pratyeka Buddhas (To-Kio) attained nirvana. Both within and without the city of Vaisali, and all round it, the sacred vestiges are so numerous that it would be difficult to recount them all.” I agree with Huen Tsang. When I was inspecting Bhagwatpur Teai which I believe is the Lichavis Buddha relic stupa, villagers took me to a small foundation. It was ancient no doubt. Villagers told me that there were plenty of them around and were uselessly taking up agricultural land.

Here is the link:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IFpJojrZmhw&t=35s