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Pawapuri or Pavapuri also called Apapuri is a prominent Sidha Ksetra Jaina Tirtha situated 8 kms from Bihar Sarif and 31 kilometres from Rajgir. By road it is 87 kilometres from Patna. It is located on Bahktiapur Rajgir railway line. Buses and taxies also run from Rajgir to Pawapri. Lord Mahavira, the final Tirthankar and founder of Jainism, breathed his last at this place, and was cremated here around 500 B.C. It is said that the demand for his ashes was so great that a large amount of soil was removed from around the funeral pyre, creating the water tank. A marble temple, the “Jalmandir”, was later built in the middle of the tank, and is now a major pilgrimage spot for Jains. Another Jain temple called Samosharan is located here. There are five main temples in Pawapuri - the Jal Mandir, the Gaon Mandir, the Samosaran, the New Samosaran and another temple built by Bibi Mehetab Kumari. Apart from these temples there is a Digambar Jain Mandir near Jal mandir. The Gaon mandir or the village temple marks the spot where Lord Mahavira breathed his last. It is said that this temple was built by King Nandivardhan, elder brother of Lord Mahavira.
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