From Siddharth to Sakyamuni and finally to Buddha or the Enlightened One :

» Lumbini
» Bodhgaya
» Varanasi
» Sarnath
» Rajgir
» Kushinagar
» Vaishali
» Sravasti
» Nalanda

An incredible transformation of a prince to an enlightened teacher, who walked the land of India more than 2500 years ago. Truly a journey of immense value on the path of self - discovery. Tread the places sanctified long ago by Lord Buddha’s footsteps.

Places Connected with Lord Buddha’s life :

Lumbini
The birthplace of the Gautama Buddha, Lumbini, is greatly revered by every Buddhist, being one of the four holy places of Buddhism, namely the sites of his birth, enlightenment, first discourse, and death. Situated in the foothills of the Himalayas in modern Nepal, Lumbini in Buddha's time, was a beautiful garden full of green and shady sal trees (Shorea). King Suddhodana, father of Gautama Buddha was of the Shakya dynasty belonging to the Kshatriya or the warrior caste. Maya Devi, his mother, gave birth to the child on her way to her parent's home in Devadaha while taking rest in Lumbini under a sal tree in the month of May in the year 642 B.C. It is said that Maya Devi was spellbound by the natural beauty of Lumbini and while she was standing, she felt labor pains and catching hold of a drooping branch of a Sal tree, the baby, the future Buddha, was born. A stone marks the exact spot, where Lord Buddha was born.

On the south of the Maya Devi temple there is the famous sacred bathing pool known as Puskarni. It is believed that Maya Devi took a bath in this pool before the delivery. A visit to Lumbini, the birth-place of Buddha, is not only for spiritual enlightenment but also for solace and satisfaction that one gets in such a calm and peaceful place.
Bodhgaya
It is considered the most important Buddhist pilgrimage center. This is the place where Lord Sakyamuni Gautam Buddha entered into meditation after being moved by the sufferings of mankind. The giant Bodhi Tree, which we see today is believed to have grown from the original Bodhi Tree under which, sitting on a raised platform, Prince Siddharth meditated and finally attained Nirvana/enlightenment. Then there is Chaukramana, the Jewel Walk, where it is believed that the Buddha strolled while in deep thought.

Buddha strolled while in deep thought. The magnificent Maha Bodhi Temple in Bodhgaya is an architectural amalgamation of many cultures. The temple has a colossal statue of Buddha, which is seen touching the ground. The temple carries inscriptions recording the visits of pilgrims from Sri Lanka, China and Myanmar in the 7th and 10th centuries A.D.

Varanasi
The city of many names Varanasi, Benaras, Kashi is one of the most ancient living cities known to mankind. This city attracts Hindu pilgrims like a beacon of light, as Kashi, the city of light. The holy river Ganges flows through this city, bathing in which is said to cleanse ones sins. It is said that this city rests atop the trident of Lord Shiva and is his favourite city. Living with the questions of birth and death, Varanasi never bothered to record its history. The origins of this city are lost in the mists of time. It has attracted ascetics, sadhus, tantriks, great spiritual masters and commoners alike. Famous are the ghats, temples, especially the Golden Temple or the Vishwanath Temple dedicated to Lord Shiva, the original of which was destroyed by the Muslims, the cremation grounds, etc. The city is always alive, churning in the labyrinth of narrow lanes, with ascetics and commoners waking up before sunrise to bathe in the Ganges and pray to sun, the giver of life. Lord Buddha after attaining enlightenment, walked from Bodhgaya in search of his five ascetic companions, who had left him as they felt that self-mortification was the way to attain enlightenment and Gautama Buddha thought otherwise. He found them in Varanasi and after gave them his first sermon and they became his first disciples. Sarnath
Situated about 10 kms from the holy city of Varanasi, Sarnath is the blessed place, where more than 2500 years ago Lord Buddha chose to deliver his first sermon, after he attained enlightenment. Lord Buddha gave his first sermon to his five disciples, who formed the first Sangha. Hence every Buddhist endeavours to be blessed with a visit to Sarnath in his lifetime. A mammoth conical structure, which is 34 meters in height and called Dhamekh Stupa signifies the "seat of the holy Buddha," as he proclaimed his faith. Sarnath also has the ancient ruins of Dharmajajika Stupa and Mulgandhakuti Temple. It is said that Lord Buddha rested and meditated here, while in Sarnath. Monasteries belonging to various countries are situated here. The quiet & serene atmosphere is most soothing and peace giving to every meditator.

Rajgir
Rajgir is the corrupt version of the word "Raj Griha" meaning the Royal Palace. Rajgir is a place of great significance and sanctity for the Buddhists. The Giridhrakoot Hill or the Vulture"s Peak was the seat, from where Lord Buddha delivered many of his sermons. It was here that the teachings of Lord Buddha were recorded in writing, for the first time. An aerial ropeway takes the pilgrims up the hill where the Japanese have built the beautiful Shanti Stupa. A short walk away is the Saptaparni Cave, where Buddha meditated. At the base of the hill is Venuvan Vihara or the Bamboo Forest Garden, which was gifted by king Bimbisara to Buddha and where Lord Buddha resided for quite a while. Nearby is situated the Jivaka’s Mango Grove, who was an ardent follower of Lord Buddha and was a surgeon by profession and there is situated Karanda Tank, the bathing site of Lord Buddha. There are many other ancient buildings and sites, which date back to the 6th century B.C. The hot springs called Saptdhara are supposed to have great healing powers.

Kushinagar
It was in Kushinagar, that Lord Buddha breathed his last with the last words, "Behold now, brethren, I exhort you, saying, decay is inherent in all component things ! Work for your salvation with diligence." The Mahaparnirvana Temple dedicated to the aforesaid event, stands amidst a serene grove of Sal trees. The huge statue of the reclining Buddha, excavated in 1876 at the temple, is one of the most momentous of all sights for the devout. Rambhar Stupa is the spot, where Lord Buddha was cremated and his relics divided into eight equal parts. Another interesting place is the Mata Kunwar Shrine contains a 10th century blue schist image of Lord Buddha. Apart from these, there is the Chinese Temple, Tibetan Temple and the Indo-Japan-Sri Lankan Buddhist Centre, all of which hold significant religious value for the pilgrim. Vaishali
Vaishali is believed to be the first republic of the world, having an elected body of representatives, holds great significance for Buddhist devotees. Here Lord Buddha delivered his last sermon, hinting at his impending departure from the mortal world. It is said that it was in Vaishali that monkeys brought honey for Lord Buddha as a gift and dug a pond for him to take bath in. Vaishali was also the centre of the IInd Buddhist Council congregation, held after 100 years of Buddha’s demise to discuss the 10 points of Vinaya, the rule of conduct under dispute. Amrapali, the beautiful dancer and courtesan of the republic of Vaishali became an ardent devotee of Lord Buddha and gifted him a mango orchard. Finally she became a nun and gave up the material allurements. The excavations done here, have revealed the archeological remains of an ancient parliament house, which indicates that this republic flourished in the 6th century B.C.

Sravasti
During the Buddha’s lifetime Sravasti was the biggest town in the Gangetic plains and played host to Lord Buddha for 25 years as his annual rainy season retreat. During Buddha’s lifetime, here lived a rich and pious merchant by the name of Sudatta, who was his disciple. Sudatta invited the Lord to Sravasti and began selecting a suitable place to build a vihara (retreat) for the Lord and his followers. He selected a beautiful park, which belonged to Jeta, the prince of Sravasti. Jeta demanded that Sudatta cover the entire park with gold coins, which Sudatta did. Jeta then said, that since the trees were left uncovered, they belonged to him. But finally, Jeta had a change of heart and so Sudatta built a magnificent seven storied Vihara in the garden, which was named after Jeta and called Jetavana. Lord graced this place by living there. Today ruins of the viharas remain in the serene atmosphere of Jetavana, which exude an aura of sacredness. It was in Sravasti, where Lord Buddha performed the only miracle of his life, when challenged by six non-believers. Lord Buddha levitated on a thousand petalled lotus and multiplied his person innumerable times. Sravasti is a very special and sacred place for all Buddhists.

Nalanda
Lord Buddha came to Nalanda often and stayed in his disciple’s mango grove. Later, it was in Nalanda that the most famous of all universities in ancient India was established in the 5th century AD. It was a monastic university, where thousands of teachers and students used to live and study. Admissions were so difficult that only two out of ten eminent scholars were admitted. Philosophical debates, mathematics, medicine, etc were taught here and great Indian scholars like Nagarjuna, Asanga, Aryadeva passed from the corridors of this great university. Even the great tantrik Guru Padmasambhava, who took Buddhism to Tibet, was a scholar in Nalanda. Students from all over the known world came here to study. Emissaries from many countries came with rich presents and generous donations. This great centre of learning was brutally destroyed by the Muslim invader Bakhtiyar Khalji. Even the ruins of Nalanda evoke awe and admiration, which today is a world heritage monument.