For the followers of Buddhism, India indeed is a sacred place although it caters to people with different religious faiths. It is one of the few countries which has a sizeable population of people with Buddhist faiths and destinations pertaining to Buddhist pilgrimage tours. The reason behind such development is that Lord Gautama Buddha was born in India , in the city of Lumbini, presently in Nepal. Due to the absence of any documented fact, the presence of Lumbini in India is a debatable issue.

Secondly, Gautama Buddha attained enlightenment under a Bodhi tree, whose descendant is still present in Bodhgaya, a district in Bihar. Other than this, Lord Buddha delivered his first sermon at a deer park in Sarnath, a city located nearby Varanasi. Finally, Lord Buddha attained Pariniravana, at the age of 80 years, in Kushinagar, Uttar Pradesh.

Another reason behind the presence of Buddhist followers in India is the existence of exiled Tibetan leader Dalai Lama. He is currently heading the Drepung monastery in Tibet which is a part of China. After Dalai Lama found refuge in India, many of his followers accompanied him to India. They brought the religious teachings of Buddhism along with them. When it comes to Buddhist pilgrimage tours, there are five major destinations in India, which attract people of Buddhist faith and the connoisseurs of art and architecture. Read on…

Bodhgaya

A sacred place near Gaya, in the state of Bihar, Bodhgaya is revered by Buddhists. It is the place where Prince Siddhartha found the answers to trounce ageing, illness and fatality and became Buddha-The Awakened One after meditating consecutively for 3 days and 3 nights under a Bodhi tree. The descendant of the Bodhi tree is still there in Bodhgaya. The major attractions of Bodhagaya include Dungeshwari caves and Mahabodhi temple complex.

Sarnath

Located just 13 kilometers away from Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh, Sarnath is the place where Lord Buddha preached his first sermon to his five disciples who were actually seeking knowledge with Prince Siddhartha at Bodhgaya. Legend says that Buddha does not have money to cross the river and therefore he crossed the river through the air. When the King Bimbisara came to know about this, he gifted him a deer park for his studies and sermons. There is a Stupa installed by monk turned king Ashoka with the inscriptions relating to Buddhist teachings and a museum featuring literature and artifacts on Buddha.

Kushinagar

Situated in the Kushinagar district in the state of Uttar Pradesh, Kushinagar is an important Buddhist pilgrim destinations in India. The city has a brief mention in the Hindu epic Ramayana, according to which it was built by king Kusha, the son of Lord Rama. It is the place where Buddha attained Parinirvana and left for heavenly abode at the age of 80 years. The city has various Buddhist stupas and Viharas belonging to the 3rd and the 5th century. The chief attraction of this town is the Parinirvana temple which houses a magnificent Buddha statue in a resting posture.

Sravasti

An ancient Indian city which got recognition during the lifetime of Buddha, Sravasti is one of the must visit destination for Buddhism followers. A large part of Buddha’s monastic life, around 25 years, were spent in this town delivering sermons and instructions. The city houses remains of four ancient buildings- Angulimala Stupa, Anathapindika’s Stupa, Jetvana monastery and an old Jain temple.