The Bodhi tree is now marked by a raised platform. On the sacred tree flags flutter in eternal breeze. The Places where Lord Buddha spent seven weeks are now seven sacred shriners. And although the divine Doctrine of the Buddha no longer flourishes in the land of its birth, Bodhgaya continues to be the most important Buddhist centre of pilgrimage in the world.



RAJGIR

Rajgir, meaning "The Royal Palace", (Raja Griha) lays 90 kms South of Patna, and it was the capital of Magdha Kingdom. Rajgir is a site of great sanctity and significance for Buddhists. The Gridhakuta Hill, in Rajgir was the seat from where Buddha delivered many of his sermons. It was here that the teachings of Buddha were recorded in writing for the first time in the First Buddhist Council held at Rajgir after the demise of Lord Buddha.
Many sites of historical and archaeological significance surround the Holy city of Rajgir. Bimbisara Jail reminds one of the devoted Mauryan King Bimbisara being a Buddhist, was imprisoned by his son Ajatashtru at this place where he spent his last days. From here he could see Buddha climbing up the Gridhakuta Hill to do his meditation.



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 mtr 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.



VAISHALI

Vaishali located 60 kms from Patna city in Bihar. It was believed to be the first republic of the world, having an elected body of representatives, holds special significance for Buddhist devotees. At Kolhua(near Vaishali), Lord Buddha spent his last rainy season here & delivered his last sermon, hinting at his independing 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 IInd Buddhist Council congregation, held after 100 years of Buddha's Parinirvana to discuss the ten points 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 teachings became a nun in turn.



KUSHINAGAR - The Holy Place of Maha-Parinirvana

Kushinagar, the seat of Mallas Dynasty, also known as Kushinara, is situated 56 kms from Gorakhpur city in Uttar Pradesh. In Kushinagar, after teaching Dhamma for 45 yrs, Lord Buddha entered into Mahaparinirvana (passed away) under a sala tree at the age of 80 yrs on full moon day. It is here Lord Buddha announced the four holy places to be visited by every Buddhist pilgrim that is Lumbini- Birth place, Bodhgaya- Enlightenment place, Sarnath- First Sermon place & Kushinagar- Mahaparinirvana place.

It is here in Kushinagar after his entring into Mahaparinirvana his body was cremated and the ashes (remains) were divided into eight parts and distributed among eight claimants who enshrined the remains in their kingdoms and built STUPAS



SRAVASTI - The Place where Lord Buddha performed Miracles.

Situated 165 kms from Lucknow and 15 kms from Balrampur. Sravasti, the capital of the ancient Kingdom of Kosala, has the honour for sheltering Buddha for 24 rainy seasons in the Jetvana Vihar, this Vihar was offered by wealthy merchant Anath Pindika
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.



KAPILAVASTU

The young Prince was groomed to become the future king of Kapilavastu but his destiny lay elsewhere. Tormented by thoughts of human suffering, sickness, old age and death. Gautama renounced the world,his wife Yashodhara and young son Rahul, and set forth to seek supreme knowledge. The ancient capital city of the mighty sakya clan, Kapilavastu was the seat of the king Suddhodana's kingdom. The site was only recently identified with the present day township of Piprahwa, through excavation. All that remains of the royal capital are the ruins of the monasteries and a stupa.....



LUMBINI

Come let us travel back to a time over 2500 years ago, to a forest in Lumbini, where a son is born to the noble Queen Maha Maya and King Suddhodana. Siddhartha Gautama, destined to become learned one….The Buddha. Here in 249 B.C. Emperor Ashoka raised a pillar to commemorate the sacred spot. Seven hundred years later, when the Chinese Traveler Fa-Hien visited India, he mentioned Lumbini in his writing but was not able to lacate it. It had vanished from the momory, along an ancient route deep in the forest.



VARANASI

A time would come when the Buddha's teachings would travel to lands he had never seen, his image worshipped in temples and his name chanted in monasteries. However for Kashi, that summer two thousand five hundred years ago, he was just another pilgrim.

Varanasi, Benares, Kashi, they have called this city by many names. Placed between the Varuna and the Assi rivers it is Varanasi. It is the spiritual pilgrimage that is like a luminous beacon to Hindus and for them it has always been Kashi, the city of light. They believe bathing in the river Ganga here washes away their sins. It is also Avimukta, the city that is never forsaken by Lord Shiva, its ruling deity. It is Shiva's favourite city, his Anandavana of Garden of Bliss. And finally, it is also the Mahashmashana, the great cremation ground.

One of the oldest cities in the world

Living with the great questions of birth and death, Varanasi has never bothered to record its history. Its beginning are lost in the mists of time, no one cares to remember when this city began. It was there when Jerusalem, Beijing and Athens rose and it has watched great cities like Nineveh and Babylon get swallowed by the sand. It is one of the oldest living cities in the world.

On the banks of the Holy river

The best introduction to Varanasi is from the river. The city stands by a curve of the Ganga river, with the stone steps of the numerous Ghats sweeping down to the water. At dawn, hire a boat and drift past the Ghats and the city will float past like a hand operated bioscope. Begin from Dasashawamedha, one of the holiest Ghats, where the gods are said to have performed the ten-horse sacrifice. The river will be thronged with early morning bathers standing chest deep in the water as they raise their faces to the rising sun and recite the sacred mantra. One can see the perpetual movement of the pilgrims on the steps, the vivid colours of their clothes glistening against the pale gold water, the triangular flags fluttering atop the temple spires.