VARANASI –Sarnath
Sarnath 10 Kms from Varanasi is the Prime Centre of Buddhism. It was here that Buddha preached his first sermon.The act known as the turning of the Wheel of Law or Dhammacakkapavattna.
One can see an archelogical museum ,deer park, stupas (chaukhandi-where he met the 5 Brahmins to whom he preached his first sermon, Dhamik stupa-where he delivered his first sermon and the Dharmrajika stupa) and various monastries.
ALLAHABAD-Kaushambi
60 kms from Allhabad is this city which attracts Buddhist Pilgrims .It is considered to be the place where Lord Buddha passed his sixth and ninth year after attaining enlightenment King Udayana was a Buddhist upasaka and during his rule , Buddha delivered many sermons and the place also finds distinct place as the centre of Kuru’s Dynasty in Mahabharata and later as a wealthy city during Buddha’s time. Ashoka gave importance to Kaushambi and placed a pillar of Ashoka in Kaushambi, which has inscriptions there in Pali.
The city is however in ruins due to the negligence of later rulers who had shifted their attention away from the place. Nevertheless, there are some old forts, stupas and sculptures that attract tourist attention, bearing the sign of an ancient civilized city.
BODHGAYA
Bodhgaya situated in Gaya District of Bihar is the holiest of holy places to the Buddhists. It is here that Prince Siddartha Gautama attained Enlightenment called “Samma Sambodhi”. When he was meditating on the Vajrasana.
The Tibetian Pilgrim Dharmasvamin who visited the spot in the thirteenth century refers to the places as Vajrasana or Diamond Throne.
One can see the Main temple, the Vajrasana,Seven holy spots around the temple.Sujata village, Sujata stupa, Niranjana river 80 feet statue of Buddha and Duggeswari where the Bodhisatta led the hard life of ascetic.
RAJGIR
Rajgir formerly known as Rajgriha –the Home of Royalty was the capital of Magadh until Patliputra was formed.It is 15 Kms from Nalanda and 76 Kms from Bodhgaya. This place has been associated with Lord Buddha and Buddhism. Buddha not only spent many years in Rajgir but also delivered sermons here and proselytized emperor Bimbisar at the Griddhakoota hill. The Jivekarmavan monastery was the favorite residence for Buddha. Even Bimbisar gave Venuvan Vihar to Buddha for his residence. It is said that it was at Rajgir that physician treated Buddha, Jivak after he was injured by his cousin Devdatta. Rajgir has come up as health and winter resort with its warm water ponds. These ponds are said to contain some medicinal properties which help in the cure of many skin diseases. The added attraction of Rajgir is the Ropeway which takes you uphill to the Shanti Stupa and Monasteries built by the Japanese Devotees on top of the Ratnagiri hills.
NALANDA
Nālandā located 88 kms south east of Patna was an ancient center of higher learning from the 5th Century to 1197. Nalanda flourished between the reign of the Śakrāditya supported by patronage from the Hindu Gupta rulers as well as Buddhist emperors like Harsha and later emperors from the Pala Empire.
The complex was built with red bricks and its ruins occupy an area of 14 hectares. At its peak, the university attracted scholars and students from as far away as Tibet, China, Greece, and Persia. Nalanda was ransacked and destroyed by an army under Bakhtiyar Khilji in 1193. The great library of Nalanda University was so vast that it is reported to have burned for three months after the invaders set fire to it, ransacked and destroyed the monasteries, and drove the monks from the site.
PATNA – Kumhrar
Kumhrar Kumrahar is the remains of an ancient city of Pataliputra, located in Patna- the capital of Bihar. The archaeological remains of the Mauryan period (322–185 BCE), has been discovered here, this include the ruins of a hypostyle 80-pillared hall.The excavation finding here dates back to 600 BCE, and marks the ancient capital of Ajatshatru, Chandragupta and Ashoka, and collectively the relics range from four continuous periods from 600 BCE to 600 CE.
VAISHALI
Approx 60 Kms from Patna is Vaishali the former capital of the Lichavis. It is well-known for its close association with the Buddha. After leaving Kapilavastu for renunciation, he came to Vaishali first and had his spiritual training from Ramaputra Udraka and Alara Kalama. He organized his Bhikshu Sangha on the pattern of Vaishalian democracy. It was here that he established the Bhikshuni Sangha, initiating his maternal aunt Maha Prajavati Gautami into the order. His last Varshavasa (rainy season resort) was here and he announced his approaching Mahaparinirvana (the final departure from the world) just three months in advance. Before leaving for Kusinagara, where he laid his mortal coil, he left his alms-bowl (Bhiksha-Patra) here with the people of Vaishali. The Buddha visited Vaiśālī in the fifth year after his Enlightenment, and spent the rainy season there.
One can visit the Relic stupa Here the Licchavis reverentially encased one of the eight portions of the Master’s relics, which they received after the Mahaparinirvana. After his last discourse Buddha set out for Kushinagar and the Licchavis kept following him. Buddha gave them his alms bowl but they still refused to return. The Master created an illusion of a river in spate which compelled them to go back.
KESARIYA
Kesariya is a town in Bihar, India It is the site of a stupa built by the King Ashoka. It is one of the largest stupa in India. The Buddha once stayed in Kesariya (then called “Kesaputta”). On that occasion, he preached the Kesaputtiya Suttas (a group of sutras preached to the Kalamas of Kesaputta – A.i.188), which include the Kalama Sutta. The inhabitants of Kesariya were the Kosalans and the Kalamas.]
KUSHINAGAR
It was here that Lord Buddha attained Mahaparinibbana and where he was cremated. It is approx 300 kms from Varanasi.
One can see the Mahaparnirvana temple – supposed to be the site where he attained Mahaparnirbbana and Rambhar stupa where the remains of Buddha were cremated.
LUMBINI
Lumbini in Nepal is birth place of Prince Siddartha – the Enlightened One Lord Buddha. Today it is a sacred place within the territories of the Nepal Government. It was discovered in 1886 A.D. by General Alexander Cunningham.
It is a world Heritage site. One can see the temple dedicated to Queen Maya Devi, Asokan Pillar proclaiming that Prince Siddartha was born here and a pond.
KAPILVASTU
The capital city of the Shakya dynasty was one of the earliest Republics in the world, Kapilvastu witnessed the childhood and early family life of the Buddha in the royal palace. Also known as Piprahwa is in the Lumbini Zone of Nepal is one of the most holy sites . It was here that the prince saw sorrow, pain, disease and death, the four sights which disturbed Him and He abandoned His life in search of the reality of life, and became the Buddha. Twelve years later after He attained enlightenment, the son of the city came back to His home, but not as a prince but rather as the Buddha, who preached His sermons over here
One can see the escavation site of Royal Palace, Stupa and a monastry.
SRAVASTI
Sravasti 165 kms from Lucknow the state capital of Uttar Pradesh was the capital of Kosala Kingdom during Buddhas time.
It was here that the Buddha displayed great miracle of sitting on a thousand Petaled Lotus in front of an audience consisting of the King of Kosala.Buddha displayed the multiple form of himself a million times going up to the highest heavens in-order to confound the Tirthikas and to establish his supremacy.
Jethvanarama Monastry was built by Anathapindika whose family name was sudatta-the wealthiest trader of Sravasti.
He had visited Rajgir when Buddha used to live there, He listened to his sermon and became a Buddhist.He invited Buddha to Sravasti. He purchased a piece of land and buit a 7 storied building for the residence of Buddha. Buddha spent 24 rainy seasons here.
Many important incidents occurred here. It was here that a women charged Buddha with a false accusation saying that she bore a child by the Buddha by tying a wooden bowl over the belly to show it. At that moment, while she was moving towards Buddha a strong wind blew up her cloak and the bowl fell on the ground.The earth opened and whe was swallowed. It was here that a notorious robber Angulimala who used to kill people and cut a finger of each person for a garland.Later he was converted by the Buddha.
LUCKNOW
Lucknow is Capital of the state of Uttar Pradesh, it is one of the Gateway to the Buddhist sites.
SANKASIA
Sankasia or Sankasya is in Farukhabad district of Uttar Pradesh .It is believed that Buddha descended to the earth from the Trayastrimsa Heaven (Heaven of the Thirty-three Gods) after preaching to His mother and other Gods. This event is said to have occurred after the great miracle performed by the Buddha came down by a triple ladder, accompanied by the Gods Brahma and Sakra (Indra).
Because of its association with Buddha, Sankasya became an important Buddhist shrine and a number of stupas and monasteries were built here in ancient times. Fa-hian, who visited the site for the first time in 5th century says. “When Buddha was about to come down from heaven to earth, he produced by a miracle three flights of jeweled steps and he himself came down the middle flight which was made of the seven preciosities. Brahma also produced a flight of silver steps to the right, where he was in attendance with a fly-brush in his hand. The God of Heaven, Indra, produced a flight of copper steps to the left, where he was in attendance with an umbrella of the seven preciosities in his hand. Countless hosts of Devas followed Buddha down; and when He reached the earth, the three flights disappeared into the ground except seven steps which remained.” Continuing, Fa-hian says: “Asoka built a shrine over the steps, placing on the middle flight a full length image of Buddha. Behind the shrine he raised a stone column sixty feet in height; upon the top he placed a lion, and within the column, at the four sides, images of Buddha.”
AGRA – Tajmahal
In 1631, Shah Jahan, emperor during the Mughal empire’s period of greatest prosperity, was grief-stricken when his third wife, Mumtaz Mahal, a Persian princess, died during the birth of their 14th child, Gauhara Begum. Construction of the Taj Mahal began in 1632. The court chronicles of Shah Jahan’s grief illustrate the love story traditionally held as an inspiration for Taj Mahal. The principal mausoleum was completed in 1648 and the surrounding buildings and garden were finished five years later. Emperor Shah Jahan himself described the Taj in these words:
The Taj Mahal incorporates and expands on design traditions of Persian architecture and earlier Mughal architecture. Specific inspiration came from successful Timurid and Mughal buildings including; the Gur-e Amir (the tomb of Timur, progenitor of the Mughal dynasty, in Samarkand), Humayun’s Tomb, Itmad-Ud-Daulah’s Tomb (sometimes called the Baby Taj), and Shah Jahan’s own Jama Masjid in Delhi. While earlier Mughal buildings were primarily constructed of red sandstone, Shah Jahan promoted the use of white marble inlaid with semi-precious stones, and buildings under his patronage reached new levels of refinement.