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 Some Journeys are made for sensual gratification, others purely for internal peace. Negotiating the Buddhist Circuit falls in the latter category. A journey through the austere Stupas and the ancient monasteries reverberating with the mystical chants of sacred Buddhist Mantras, will instantly transport you to a time zone 2500 years back in history, when a prince renounced all worldly pleasures to turn into an ascetic, centuries before the birth of Christ.
The story is so
old, that every point on the Buddhist circuit has a history steeped in myth
and meaning; every monument stands testimony to faith fused into reality, as
centuries passed and people lost bits of their oral heritage. In Sanskrit
the word "Bodh" means knowledge, Buddha would thus mean " One who has
attained all knowledge,"or one in whom their is no conflict, no
suffering---in short, one, who has mastered himself. The Chinese would call
him the Zen Master. If you are looking for the same 'Buddha' in you, the
main sites of interest would be:-
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Lumbini : (In
present day Nepal) the birthplace of Lord Buddha.
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Bodh Gaya :
(In neighbouring state, Bihar) Where he attained enlightenment.
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Sarnath :
Where he held his first public discourse.
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Kushinagar :
Where he attained Mahaparinirvana (Demise).
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Kapilvastu :
Where Prince Siddharth grew up as a child.
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Kaushambi :
Where Buddha delivered many a sermons.
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Sankisa : Where he descended after
addressing his mother in Heaven.
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Sravasti :
His favorite monsoon resort.
Lumbini (Nepal)
 Immensely
overwhelmed by the roadmap of Lord Buddha's life, the believers have an
undying urge for pilgrimage to the birthplace of Lord Buddha, i.e. Lumbini.
Being just 27 km. away and conveniently connected by road from Sonauli-in
the state of Uttar Pradesh, India is obviously 'The Gateway to Lumbini'.
On the full-moon day of May, the year 623 B.C. at the Lumbini Park, near
Kapilvastu, a noble Prince was born. He was named Siddhartha Gautam, meaning
"wish fulfilled." An Ashokan Pillar, built in 249 B.C., marks the exact spot
where Buddha was born and right next to it stands the pool in which he
performed ablutions.
Fa-Hien mentioned this site several hundred years later in his travelogues
but was unfortunately not able to locate it. Faded from public memory, the
original site got lost somewhere in the deep forest. It was located again in
1980, almost 1,500 years after Fa-Hien's visit and traced to a small village
in Nepal. Rudiments of a broken Ashokan Pillar, an old monastery, statues of
Buddha's mother maya Devi, etc. all helped in establishing the true identity
of Lumbini.
On the south of this temple lies the bathing pool, Puskarni, where the Queen
is believed to have taken a bath before the delivery. A nepalese Buddhist
temple was built sometime in 1956, followed by a Tibetan monastery of the
Sakya order in 1975, which has a beautiful shrine, adorned with the
traditional Buddhist Murals. One can spot young monks studying Buddha's
teachings at this Shrine in their attempt to preserve some vestiges of the
lost Tibetan traditions.
Kapilvastu
Having
Pilgrimaged to Lumbini. the birthplace of Lord Buddha, the devotees reach
nearby Kapilvastu (93 km.) only to get lost in a world altogether different.
Once the capital city of the mightly Sakya clan, it was in Kapilvastu's
opulent environs that prince Siddharth (later Lord Buddha) spent most of his
early childhood. Kapilvastu was the seat of kind Suddhodhana, the father of
the Enlightened One. The site has been excavated betwen 1971 and 1977 and
identified with the present day township of Piprahwa. One and a half
kilometer away from Piprahwa lie the two excavated mounds. The bigger one,
with a thick walled structure was supposedly Suddhodhana's palace. The
Second is identified as the ruins of Piprahwa Stupa, erected by Sakya
rulers. While excavating this site an inscribed seal was discovered, which
read 'Om Devaputra Vihare Kapilvastu Bhikku Sanghas' (This is the Devaputra
Vihara of the Kapilvastu Bhikshu Sangha). There also lies a small Sri Lankan
monastery, the Mahindra Mahavihara in the vicinity of these ruins.
Meandering their way through Kapilvastu, the devotes feel transferred
thousands of years back to an era when young Prince Siddharth having sen the
pains of life, renounced all worldly riches and pleasures in search of the
path which leads to cessation of suffering and salvation for which he
proceeded to Bodhgaya, now in Bihar.
Bodhgaya
(Bihar)
Set on the
banks of river Niranjana, Bodhgaya is held as one of the most sacred places
for the Buddhists. Here, under the Bodhi (Peepal) Tree (Tree of Awakening)
prince Siddharth attained supreme knowledge and became Buddha, or the
'Enlightened One' on the full moon day of Vaisakh,623 B.C.A. Peepal tree
still stands there, marked by a raised platform, although this one is
believed to be an offspring of the original tree under which Buddha
meditated. River Niranjana in which the Buddha bathed after attaining
enlightenment, flows quietly besides the tiny hamlet. Then there is
Chaukramana, or the Jewel Walk, where Buddha is believed to go for strolls
and the magnificent Maha Bodhi Temple, which is an architectural
amalgamation of many cultures. The temple houses a mammoth statue of Buddha.
Sarnath
 After his
edification Lord Buddha himself chose Sarnath, in Uttar Pradesh, for
deliverance of his first historic sermon. He choose Sarnath, then known as
'Rishipattan', due to its immediacy to the world renowned city of Kashi or
Varanasi, the then hub of scholarly and cultural activities. Being about 240
km. from Bodhgaya and there being no means of transportation in those days,
did not deter Buddha from proceeding to Sarnath.
About 10 km. from the holy city of Varanasi, Sarnath is the place where more
than 2,500 years ago Buddha delivered his first sermon after attaining
enlightenment. The five disciples who followed him there were surprised to
see the mesmerising, glowing countenance of Buddha, who was now ready to
address his disciples. This moment in history is known as Dharamachakra
Pravartan, which set the Sangha tradition. An imposing conical structure, 34
meters in height, called Dhamekh stupa signifies the "seat of the holy
Buddha." There are also the ruins of Dharmarajika Stupa, besides the
original Mulgandhakuti Temple, which according to Hieun Tsang was about 61
mtr. high. That's the place where Buddha rested and meditated in Sarnath.
After converting to Buddhism, Emperor Ashoka visited Sarnath in 273-232 B.C.
and erected a smooth glistening stone pillar here, to mark the foundation of
the Buddhist Sangha. The Lion Capital on top of this pillar is now India's
National Emblem. Then there is the Chaukhandi Stupa, which was a terraced
temple during the Gupta period (4th to 6th century) but later in 1588 A.D.,
Govardhan, the son of Raja Todarmal, built an octagonal tower to commemorate
the visit of Humayaun, the Mughal emperor. His descendant Akbar, finally
raised the present stupa in 1555 A.D. All three stupas-- Dharmarajika,
Chaukhandi and Dhamek--are outstanding in their architectural features. A
journey to Sarnath would be incomplete without a visit to the library at
Mula Gandha Kuti Vihara, which houses some amazing frescoes done by Koset
Nosu. The Sarnath Museum, not far from the site, also houses some of the
finest specimens of Buddhist sculpture (timings: 10.30 a.m. to 4.30 p.m.,
closed on Friday, Entry fee Rs.2/-)
Shravasti
 After attaining
Enlightenment Lord Buddha was constantly mobile spreading his message of
humanity, Universal brotherhood and salvation amongst the different segments
of the society. This service to humanity would stop for a brief period in
the monsoons. This period too, however, would be used by Lord Buddha to
meditate and preach, on choosing an ambient place. It was during this
process that Lord Buddha turned towards Shravasti, 134km. from Lucknow.
During Buddha's time, Shravasti was one of the big towns in the entire
Indo-gangetic plan and the capital of the ancient kingdom of Kosala. The
town played host to Lord Buddha for 27 years and was his annual rainy season
retreat. Believed to be founded by the mythological king Sravast (hence
names after him), the site holds ruins of many ancient Stupas, majestic
monasteries and beautiful temples. This place also has an Anand Bodhi tree,
an offspring of the original bodhi tree, planted by Buddha's main disciple
Anand.
This site of Mahet is spread over an area of 400 acres. The two main
attractions here are the Pakki Kuti and the Kachchi Kuti while Sahet, spread
over an area of 32 acres and a little distance away from Mahet, it was here
that Anathpindak, a wealthy merchant, constructed the Jetavana Vihar. The
remants of several temples, Stupas and Viharas have been found here. Like
wise the huge World Peace Bell is another attraction, which was established
with the help of the Japanese. The motive was to convey the message of
humanity of Lord Buddha through the bell's toll. There are also the Thai-Sri
Lankan-Myanmar-Chinese-Korean Buddhist Temples, the Shobhnath Temple, Swarna
Gandha Kuti, the Ananda Bodhi Tree and the Angulimal Cave here.
Sankisa
Sankisa is
identified with the present village of Basantpur in Farrukhabad district of
Uttar Pradesh. Situated on the banks of river Kali, Sankisa is most easily
accessible from agra which is 175 km away on the Agra-Mainpuri road. The
nearest railhead is pakhna which is 11.5 km away. Sankisa is the place where
the Buddha descended from heaven along with Lord Brahma and Devraj Indra
after giving a discourse to his mother, Mayadevi. Emperor Ashoka erected a
pillar here with an elephant capital to mark this holy spot.
Kaushambi
In his bid to
spread his message Lord Buddha also visited Kaushambi, 60km. frin Allahabad,
counted one amongst the most prosperous cities of those times. It was the
Capital city of the then Vatsa Janpada, with Udayan as the king. This place
is believed to have ben visited by Lord Buddha in the 6th and 9th year after
attaining enlightenment. He delivered several sermons here, elevating it to
a centre of higher learning for the Buddhists. Excavations have revealed
ruins of an Ashokan Pillar, an old fort and the Ghositaram Monastery,
besides a huge number of sculptures and figurines, cast coins and
terracotta, objects.
Kushinagar
 A small, dusty
hamlet in eastern U.P., the Buddha is believed to have breathed his last
amidst the pastoral surrounding of Kushinagar. Earlier known as Kusinara,
Kushinagar lies 53 km west of Gorakhpur. The place is venerated as the site
of the Buddha's Mahaparinirvana (his death) under a sal tree at the age of
80, on a full moon day. The exact spot is marked by the cremation Stupa-the
Rambhar Stupa. Legend has it that after cremation, Buddha's ashes were
divided into eight equal parts and distributed among his eight disciples who
later built these stupas in his memory. This is also the place, where
Tathagata, or 'The speaker of truth' breathed his last words,"Behold now,
brethren, I exhort you, saying, decay is inherent in all component things!
Work out your salvation with diligence!" A temple dedicated to this
event-the Mahaparinirvana temple, stands amidst a serene grove of sal trees.
The huge statue of the reclining Buddha, excavated in 1876 at the temple
site, presents one of the most stunning sights for the devout. It is
believed to have ben installed here by a monk, Haribala, who ferried it from
Mathura, during the reign of KIng Kumar Gupta in 5th Century A.D.
There are stupas all over Kushinagar, including the relic
stupa-Mukutbandhana and the Chaitayas and Viharas built by royal patrons in
the Gupta period. It was several years later that Chinese travellers Fa
Hien, Hiuen Tsang and I. Tsing visited Kushinagar and gave a graphic account
of the place, which by the had fallen to bad times. The existing historical
sites at Kushinagar can be divided into three Categories:the Mahaparinirvana
Temple, which houses the statue of the reclining Buddha, the Mata Kunwar
Shrine, which houses a 10th Century blue schist image of Buddha, and the
Rambhar Stupa, which is supposed to be the spot where Lord Buddha was
cremated. For a long time Kushinagar remained lost in the jungles till the
British rediscovered it in 1880. Most of the religious structures were
constructed between 3rd century BC and the 5th century AD. Extensive
excavations have revealed the presence of a large community of monks living
in Kushinagar as late as 11th Century A.D., While it was an important centre
of learning during the reign of the mauryan Emperor Ashoka.
 A small temple built on the Buddha's last resting place, in front of a sal
grove, which too has now ben restored. The best feature of Khushinagar is
that it's ben a meeting point of various nationalities and culture. On one
side stands a former Chinese temple, which has been converted into an
international meditation centre. Next to it stands a large Burmese temple.
Then there is a small Tibetan monastery with stupas constructed in distinct
Tibetan style. Blessed with a tropical climate, much tourist flock to
Kushinagar during Buddha Purnima to celebrate the birthday of Lord Buddha.
It goes without saying that Uttar Pradesh is a virtual theatre where
different aspects of Lord Buddha's life are elaborated for the fortunate to
see and experience. So it is clear that what a devout can perceive of the
entire life of Lord Buddha in Uttar Pradesh, cannot be replicated anywhere
else. The fragrance of the Lord still lingers in Uttar Pradesh. It's only a
question of visit to experience it.
Excursions
Govt. museum
Mathura, Archaeological Museum Sarnath and the museums at Allahabad and
Lucknow.
Apart from the
museums at Varanasi, Kushinagar and Gorakhpur,
fine
collections of Buddhist Sculptural art are treasured in the museums of
Mathura, Sarnath, Allahabad and Lucknow. The Govt. Museum at Mathura, famous
for the largest collection of Kusana Art, is a repository of Buddhist art
too. Buddha images housed here of the Gupta period are among the master
pieces of world art.
The Sarnath museum is another treasure trove of Buddhist sculptural art. Some of the finest images of Buddha and Panels depicting important episodes from his life can be seen here. The museums at Allahabad and Lucknow also have seizable collection of Buddhist sculptural art.
Weekly closure day For all museums: Monday Visiting Hours: 10:30am to 4:30pm
Where to
Stay
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UPSTDC Rahi Tourist Bungalow, Kapilvastu. Tel. 91-5544-261489
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UPSTDC Rahi Tourist Bungalow, Sonauli. Tel. 91-5522-238201,
238576
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UPSTDC Rahi Tourist Bungalow, Sarnath. Tel. 91-542-2595965
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UPSTDC Rahi Tourist
Bungalow, Pared Kothi, Varanasi. Te. 91-542-2208413, 2208545
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UPSTDC Rahi Tourist
Bungalow, Katra, Sravasti. Tel. 91-5252-265302
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UPSTDC Rahi Tourist
Bungalow,Balrampur. Tel. 91-5263-232456
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UPSTDC Rahi Tourist
Bungalow, Sankisa.
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UPSTDC Rahi llawart Tourist Bungalow, 35 Mahatma Gandhi Road, Allahabad. Tel. 91-532-2601440
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UPSTDC Rahi Tourist Bungalow, Buddha Marg, Kushinagar. Tel. 91-5564-273045
Fax : 273046
Business Hours
 Tourist
Information Offices
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Tourist Office,
Pared Kothi, Varanasi. Tel. 91-542-2208162, 2206638
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Tourist Office, Rahi Tourist Bungalow, Sarnath. Tel. 91-542-2595965
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Tourist Office,
Rahi Tourist Bungalow Campus, Sonauli. Tel. 91-5522-238201
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Tourist Office,
Siddharthnagar
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Tourist Office,
Civil Lines, Gorakhpur. Tel. 91-551-2335450
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Tourist Office,
Rahi Tourist Bungalow Campus, Balrampur. Tel. 91-5263-232456
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Tourist Office, Rahi llawart Tourist Bungalow Campus, 35, Mahatma Gandhi Road, Allahabad. Tel.
91-532-2601873
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Tourist Office,
Buddha Marg, Kushinagar. Tel 91-5564-273045
TRAVEL
INFORMATION
How to get
there
Air :
For Sarnath-Babatpur, Varanasi, connected with Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata,
Khajuraho, Agra, Lucknow, Kathmandu, is 30 km. Kushinagar-Gorakhpur 46 km.,
Babatpur, Varanasi 288 km. For Kapilvastu-Gorakhpur 109km., Amausi, Lucknow
310km, Babatpur, Varanasi 330km. For Sravasti-Amausi, Lucknow 186 km. For
Sankisa-Kheria, Agra 207km., Amausi, Lucknow 245 km. For Kaushambi-Bamrauli,
Allahabad 40 km., Babatpur, Varanasi 200 km., Amausi, Lucknow 260 km.
RAIL :
Convenient Rail connections to Buddhist sites are available from Varanasi 10
km. (for Sarnath), Deoria 35 km. and Gorakhpur 53 km. (for Kushinagar),
Naugarh 20 km. (for Kapilvastu), Balrampur 17 km. (for Sravasti), Pakhana 10
km. and Neemkaroli 14 km. (for Sankisa), Bharwari 15 km. and Allahabad 50
km. (for Kaushambi).
Road :
Buddhist Circuit is well Connected with a good network of roads. Some major
road distances are-from Sarnath:Varanasi 10 km., from Kushinagar: Gorakhpur
53km., Kapilvastu 157km., Lumbini (Nepal) 170 km., Sarnath 253 km., Sravasti
274km. from Kapilvastu: Sonauli 48km. Lumbini (Nepal) 86km. Gorakhpur 104
km., Sravasti 147km., Kushinagar 157km., Lucknow 308km., Varanasi 327km.,
from Sravasti:Balrampur 17km., Bahraich 48 km., Lumbini (Nepal) 165 km.,
Gorakhpur 196km., Varanasi 306 km., Sarnath 315km., from Sankisa:Fatehgarh
40km., Farrukhabad 45 km., Kanpur 175km., Agra 200km., from Kaushambi:
Allahabad 60km., Kanpur 150km., Varanasi 185km., Sarnath 190km., Lucknow
260km.
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