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Villagers have initiated for the revival of more than  2500 year old history when  Gautam Buddha for the first time preached a female in his life at Bhadaria village falling under Amarpur block in Banka, a eastern Bihar district in Bihar.

Historical references from  eminent writers on Buddhism like Hawaldar Tripathi Sahridoy, Rahul Snaskrityan and tests like Buddha Charya and Agguttarnikay and some Tibetan tests said that that Buddha accompanied by 1250 Buddha Vikshuk (monks) arrived Baddhiya (now Bhadaria) on the bank of river Chanan and become the guest of one Medhak, one powerful and influential ‘Setthi’ business men.

Lighting lamp at the function.

Setthi Medhak had a 7 year-old granddaughter, Bisakha who was assigned to welcome Buddha. Buddha for the first time preached a girl like her and she later became Buddha’s great female disciple commonly known as ‘Migarmata Bisakha’ as mentioned in different Buddhist texts.

To remember the great event, Bisakha Foundation, a Bhadoria based social organization with cooperation with Gram Panchayat of Bhadoria today organized a programme at the village where noted scholar of Gandhian philosophy and former MP, Dr Ramji Singh unveiled a plaque containing the history of Bhadoria during 6 th century AD.

Dr Ramji Singh after unavailing the plaque in Bhatoria village.

In his addressed to the villagers Dr Singh called upon the people to rise the demand for conservation and renovation of Bhadaria village to commemorate the great event of  Gautam Buddha’s  first time preaching to a female, Bisakha at the village.

Bhadaria village under Amarpur block in Banka district located some 250 Km east of Patna.

Plaque : Village history mentioned.

“Two names Gautam Buddha and Mahatma Gandhi are very familiar in the world. You people of this village have the privilege that the name of your village has been tagged with Buddha who came here and stayed here for over more than  three months,” Dr Singh mentioned in his keynote address while putting much emphasis for developing the village a role model for tourism.

Many distinguished speakers in their addresses pointed 1out the historical significance of the village. Dr Amrendra, noted scholar of Angika language while giving references of different Buddha texts recalled how affluent was Medhak and the people of Bhadaria. “When Bisakha went to received Buddha, she was accompanied with her 1000 female attendants. Besides Medhak gifted over more than 1500 cattle mainly cows yielding quality milks to Buddha, that reflects the prosperity of the area,” he mentioned.

Rajendra Singh, a Bhagalpur based journalist-cum-historian in his brief address said arrival of Buddha in this village and preaching to Bisakha was a unique incident in its kind in the world. Different eminent persons like, Dr Ramchandra Ghosh, Anuj Kumar Sivlochan, Manoj Mita, Dr Shambey, Gautam Kumar Suman , G Sarkar also addressed the villagers.

For remembering Buddha’s visit at Bhadoria.

Ajit Kumar Pathkak, convener of Bisakha Foundation underlined two important events of Buddha’s life in this village. “Earlier the Buddhist monks didn’t take any byproducts of milk but Buddha first time allowed them to take milk, ghee etc. Second, the Buddhists monks didn’t take foods while on voyage and many were died due to such strict norms. But Buddha first time also allowed them to take foods and drinks during voyage,” Pathak pointed out from the reference of different relevant texts.

Lakhan Lal Pathak, chief patron of the foundation said the main aim of organizing the function was for reviving the importance of the place with an aim to promote tourism.

Villagers have decided to construct a gate in the main entrance of the village along with installation of two statues of Buddha and Bisakha at Bhadoria

Village audiences at Bhadoria’s function.

soon. “The gate in the memories of Buddha and Bisakha will help to give reorganization to Bhadoria village,” they pointed out. However, villagers also planted a saplings  of Maha Bodhi tree and the symbolic foot marks of Buddha in the village.

“We want to expose our village before the world and want to spread the massage of how Buddha preached a girl first time in his life here ,” said Ansu Kumari, a class ten student and native of this village.