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Location of the place of Enlightenment of Lord Mahavira
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in north-eastern U.P., Nepal and north Bihar etc. The belt starting from the district of Gorakhpur to Tirhut Division, between the Himalayas and the Ganges, has been the producing area of sala trees. Sala trees are totally absent in the regions south of the Ganges. We do not find any mention of presence of a sala tree in any one of the scriputres, in the said area. Hence Jrimbhikagama can never be spotted anywhere either in south Bihar or in West Bengal.
Four factors will determine the genuineness of the location of Jrimbhika, viz. (i) the name of the place should resemble the name of Jrimbhika, (ii) there must be a river or river-bed whose name should resemble the name of Rijukulya (iii) the place must be in a sala growing belt, and (iv) the place must be at a distance of 12 Yojanas about 54-55 miles from Pavanagar. Jhanjhwa fulfils all these conditions. Hence our location of Jrimbhika at the present day Jhanjhwa is fully justified and its authenticity is proved beyond all doubts.
Jhanjhwa is on the metaled road running from Gopalganj to Barauni in the old district of Saran in Bihar. The road joins the National Highway no. 28 connecting Lucknow with Assam. The nearest railway Station (about 4 miles) is Sidhwalia on the Chapra-Siwan loop line of N.E. Railway. Buses also ply between Chapra and Jhanjhwa.
