Due to its religious significance, the city holds a place of prominence in Hindu, Buddhist and Jain scriptures.

Rajgir was the first capital of the ancient kingdom of Magadha, a state that would eventually evolve into the Mauryan Empire.

[4][6] Girivraja, a name given in the Rāmāyaṇa as well as in Pali texts (as Giribajja), is explained by Buddhaghosa as meaning "an enclosure of hills".

[7]: 211 The epic Mahabharata calls it Girivraja and recounts the story of its king, Jarasandha, and his battle with the Pandava brothers and their allies Krishna.

This temple is also a place for four Kalyanakas of Tirthankara Munisuvrata.It is also mentioned in Jain and Buddhist scriptures, which give a series of place-names, but without geographical context.

It likely served a dual purpose as both defense against attackers and protection from potential flooding caused by monsoon rainwater flowing down from the hills.

The most notable of these was the Pippala stone house, whose remains have been identified on the eastern slope of the Vaibhara hill.

Later, when it was no longer used for defensive purposes, the Pippala house's 11 small cells were likely repurposed to serve as individual meditation rooms for Buddhist monks.

He attributed almost all the religious monuments he saw to Bimbisara or Ashoka and did not mention any contemporary patrons or building activity.

This stands in stark contrast to his descriptions of Nalanda and Bodh Gaya, which both contain reference to events that took place either during his own lifetime or in the recent past.

Kakoli Ray describes the impression of Rajgir from these accounts as a place "[living] in its own past, haloed by sacred memory and association but uncared for by [their] contemporaries.

"[10]: 1281, 4–5 Rajgir was hardly abandoned, though – in fact, the first clear evidence of Hindu activity dates from this period, during the 5th century.

[7]: 212  Of these, Ratnagiri is the highest, at about 305 m.[13]: 16 Rajgir is known for its hot springs, which have held religious significance since ancient times.

Another major water feature in the area is the Panchane River (from Pañcānanā, "having five mouths"), which flows to the east of Rajgir.

[13]: 16 The landscape of Rajgir or Pant WLS is uneven terrain enclosed by five hills; Ratnagiri, Vipulgiri, Vaibhagiri, Songiri and Udaygiri.

This wildlife sanctuary, notified in 1978, represents a remnant patch of forests nestled in the Rajgir hills within the south Gangetic Plain.

[14] It is home to a number of wild animals including: mammals – blue bull (Boselaphus tragocamelus), chital or spotted deer (Axis axis), Indian crested porcupine (Hystrix indica), small Indian civet (Viverricula indica), jungle cat (Felis chaus); birds – painted spurfowl (Galloperdix lunulata), Eurasian thick knee (Burhinus oedicnemus), painted sandgrouse (Pterocles indicus); reptiles and amphibians – Bengal monitor (Varanus bengalensis), Indian bullfrog (Hoplobatrachus tigerinus), Jerdon's bullfrog (Hoplobatrachus crassus), ornate narrow-mouthed frog (Microhyla ornata), and Indian tree frog (Polypedates maculatus).

The main tourist attractions include the ancient city walls from Ajatashatru's period, Bimbisar's Jail, Jarasandh's Akhara, Gridhra-kuta, ('Hill of the Vultures'), Son Bhandar Caves[18] and the Jain temples on the five peaks.

The rope-way that leads to it is another attraction, which was gifted by Japanese spiritual leader Fuji Guruji in the 1960s.A new rope way has been planned.

There is a Japanese temple beside the Venu Vana, an artificial forest with historical associations to Buddha and the kings of the region.

Renowned for its thermal spring and the tomb of Makhdoom Syed Ghulam Ali, as well as the prayer space of Sharfuddin Yahya Maneri, it holds significance for pilgrims and visitors alike.

The thermal spring, dating back approximately 800 years, attracts numerous visitors who utilise it for ablution (Wudu) and bathing purposes.

Located in Patna division, this Nagar Panchayat type of municipal council mainly depends upon tourism and is supplemented by agriculture.

[35] Japanese monk Nichidatsu Fujii, the founder of Nipponzan Myohoji order of Buddhism established a white stupa atop Ratnagiri hills in Rajgir, which was inaugurated on 25 October 1969.

This event is attended by Budhhist monks and devotees from various south-east Asian countries and the ministers and officials of Government of Bihar.