Buddhist Sites in India
From Siddharth to Sakyamuni and finally to the budha or the Enlighted one - an
incredible transformation of a prince to an enlighted teacher, who walked the earth more
than 2500 years ago.
Upon Seeing sorrow, misery, pain and death, in the prime of his youth, prince siddhath
decided to discover their causes and means of overcoming their
occurences.
Thus renouncing worldly pleasures and leaving home and family behind, he travelled from
place to place until finally attaining enlightment by fixed meditation under the Bodhi
Tree.
He then Preached the truth he discovered and exhorted his disciples to follow the Eight
Fold Path for the cessation of the endless cycle of birth and re-birth.
Rajgir
Kapilavastu - 110 kms from Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh. 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 prince Siddharth(Gautam Buddha) spennt his childhood.
Bodhgaya - Bodhgaya in the state of Bihar, reckoned as the most important Buddhist
Pilgrimage Centre, is the place where Lord Sakyamini (Gautam Budha) entered into the
meditation afetr being movd by the sufferings of mankind.
Gaya - Gautam Buddha realised the Supreme Truth here that "Neither extreme self
indulgence nor self mortification is ever required. What is needed is to follow the Middle
Path."
Sarnath - The begining of the celeberated Mantra "Buddham Sharnam
Gachhami", owes it Origin to Sarnath. The three jwels " I go for refuge to the
Budha. I go for refuge to the Wheel of law, I go for refuge to the Sangha" first laid
down here.
Kushinagar - Kushinagar is a revered place for Buddhist pilgrims. It was
here that the Tathagata, the reciter of truth, breathed his last with the last words,
"Behold now, brethen , I exhort you, saying, decacy in inherent in all component
things ! Work out your salvation with diligence !"
Ladakh
Ladakh - Popularly known as "Hermit Kingdom", Ladakh is a land of snow carved
peaks, translucent lakes, barren terrain and mystic culture. Quite like Tibbet it has a
great Buddhist tradition which is evident from the high monk to people atio of 1:8 In the
month of June, the famous Hemis festival is held, when a large number of tourists visit
it.
The Ajanta Caves consists of 30 Caves including the unfinished ones, dating back from
200 BC to 250 AD. The caves are cut from the volcanic lava on the Deccan in the forest
ravines of the Sahyadri Hills and are set in beatiful sylvan surroundings. Ajanta provides
a unique combination of architecture, sculpture and
paintings. Two basic types of Buddhist Architecture are preserved at Ajanta, the Chaitya
or Prayer Hall and Vihara or monastery.
Other Paces are Rajgir, Kaushambhi, Sravasti, Vaishali, Nalanda, Orissa, Sikkim, Tawang,
Tabo, Sankisa, , Sanchi, Karla Caves, Kanheri Caves, Junnar Caves, Bhaja Caves &
Ngarjuna Konda.
Customised Package Tours are available for all or selected Buddhist sites in India.
