Kurkihar, a place with archeological significance, is located in
Gaya District of
Bihar. It is 3 km off the main Gaya-
Rajgir Road.
Gaya is 25 km away.
A number of sculptures and inscriptions have been excavated from here by the British during the 19th century. Prominent of them are the statues of Buddha and Bodhisattvas, bells, stupas and several ritual objects. Most of these items are now preserved in Indian Museum, Kolkata.
Kurkihar boasts two temples, of which one houses an exquisite statue of Buddha outside the entrance of the temple. This temple is also famous for fourteen carved pillars, which dates back to the 9th century.
The village got its name from Kukkutapada Giri, a sanctified triple peaked hill which has been mentioned in the writings of Chinese travelers such as Fa-hien and Hieun Tsang.
