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BUDDHIST SECTOR TOURS IN U.P, BIHAR & NEPAL
Kapilavastu
110 kms. from Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh, Kapilavastu (Piparwa) on the Gorakgpur Gonda loop – line with Naugarh ( 35 kms. ) the nearest railway station. The capital city of the Sakya clan, and one of the earliest republics, it was in Kapilavastu’s opulent environs, that the holy soul of price Siddharth (Gautam- Buddh ) spent his childhood. Here he saw sorrow and pain, disease and death. Then finally when he saw a radiant happy Sadhu who had conquered all these, he decided to renounce all worldly riches and pleasures to seek truth and embark on the path of salvation.
The place holds significant value for Buddhist pilgrims and has several Stupas. The archaeological excavations have revealed stone caskets containing relics believed to be that of Buddha’s.
Bodhgaya
Bodhgaya in the state of Bihar, reckoned as the most important Buddhist pilgrimage centre, is the place where Lord Sakyamini ( Gautam Buddha ) entered into meditation after being moved by the sufferings of mankind. The giant Bodhi Tree (Peepal) that we see today is believed to have grown from original Bodhi Tree under which siting on the raised platform, Prince Siddharth meditated and finally attained Nirvana. Then there is Chaukramana, the Jewel Walk, where it is believed that the Buddha strolled while in deep thought.
The magnificent Maha Bodhi temple in Bodhgaya is an architectural amalgamation of many cultures. The temple bears the stamp of the architecture of the Gupta Dynasty and subsequent ages. On the walls of the temple, one sees Buddha carved in different aspects, and in the sanctum sanctorum, a colossal Buddha is seen touching the ground, which has mythological significance in the Buddhist lores. The temple carries inscription recording the visits of pilgrims from Sri Lanka,China and Mayanmar in the 7
th and 10th Centuries A.D. Hieun Tsang, the Chinese traveller, also visit the temple in the 7th Century.Places of Interest Excursions
Shaivite Monastery Pretshila and Ramshila hills Parinirvana
Samadhis Phalgu Mukti
Jagannath Temple Rajgir Saptdhara
Bodhgaya Archaeological Museum Raja Griha Venuvan Vihara
Gridhakuta Hills Karanda Tank
Bimbisara Jail Saptaparni Cave
Ajatshatru’s Fort
Kaushambi - Kaushambi, 54 kms. from Allahabad, was visited by Buddha in the 6th and 9th years after his enlightenment. He delivered several sermons here, elevating it to a centre of learning for Buddhists. Today one can see the ruins of an Ashoka Pillar, an old fort and the Ghositaram
Monastery - The archaeological excavations here have yielded a large number of sculpture and figurines, coins, punch-marked and cast coins and terracotta sculpture which show the reverence the city was held in by the devout, in times gone by.
All these religious finds of historical and archaeological importance can be viewed at the Allahabad Museum.
Kushinagar
Tathagata, Mahaparinirvana temple, Reclining Buddha, Haribala.
Sravasti - Situated 134 kms from Lucknow and 29 kms from Balrampur, Sarasvati, the capital of the ancient kingdom of Kosala, has the honour for sheltering Buddha for 24 rainy seasons in the Jetvana Gardens.
The city believed to be founded by the mythological king Sravast, has age-old stupas, majestic monasteries and several temples. Buddha is said to have performed some miracles here.
This holy place also has the famous Anand Bodhi tree, an offspring of the one, said to have been planted by Buddha’s main disciple Anand.
Vaishali- Vaishali, believed to be the first republic of the world, having an elected body of representatives, holds special significance for Buddhist devotees. At Kolhua, Lord Buddha delivered his last sermon, hinting at his impending departure from the mortal world. Later, Emperor Ashoka erected a huge pillar to commemorate the spot of the last sermon.
Vaishali was also the centre of the 2nd Buddhist Council congregation, held after 100 years of Buddha’s Parinirvana to discuss the ten point of Vinaya, the rule of conduct under dispute.
At the excavated archaeological site of Raja Vishal Ka Garh is an ancient parliament house, which indicates that this republic flourished in the 6th Century B.C.
Vaishali is famous for Amrapali, the beautiful dancer and courtesan of Vaishali, who offered Buddha a mango orchard and impressed by his teaching become a nun (Bhikshu) in turn.
The excavations carried out in Vaishali have brought to light Buddha Stupa I (4th Century B.C.) and II, built in brick with a casket containing part of the ashes of Buddha.
Other sites of historical importance in Vaishali include Chaumukhi Mahadeve, a lingam carved with four faces of Lord Shiva; the Bhawan Pakhar Temple, where a large number of Hindu deities are worshipped together; Coronation Tank where the Lichhavi Kings were anointed before crowned and; the Vaishali Museum which has a small collection of regional handicrafts. Also worth a visit is Kundupur , 4kms from here which is the birth place of Lord Mahavira (6th Century B.C.) who spent 22 years of his initial years here.
Nalanda - Nalanda, 90 kms south of Patna, literally means the place that confers the lotus. It was one of the oldest universities of the world. It has nine million books, ten thousand students, two thousand teachers and was a centre of great learning which reached its zenith between 5th and 12th century A.D. Both Lord Buddha and Lord Mahavira visited this place. Emperor Ashoka built a Vihara, while Emperor Harshvardhan donated a 26 mte. High copper image of Buddha and Emperor Kumar Gupta built a college of fine arts. In 1951, an International Centre for Buddhist Studies was established in nalanda. Nava Nalanda Vihar, 2 kms from here, is a similar institution.
Sankisa - Sankisa lies in central Uttar Pradesh, 47 kms from Farrukhabad. It is believed to be the place where Buddha, along with Brahma and Devraj Indra descended after giving sermons to his mother in heaven. At the spot of descent sands a temple with a statue of the Buddha. The place is also known for a temple dedicated to Gisari Devi and an excavated Ashokan Elephant pillar. There is also a collosal Shiva Linga here. A large fair is held at Sankisa in the month of shravan (July-August). Nearest airport is Agra, and from there, by rail upto Pakhna (12km from Sankisa).