BUDDHIST CIRCUIT

Vaishali

Vaishali is well known for its close association with Buddha. Gautama Buddha preached his last sermon before  his death in 483 B.C  and announced his Mahaparinirvana. In the year 383 B.C  The second Budhist council was converted here by king Ashoka, making it an important site for both Jain and Buddhist religions. The city finds mention in the travel accounts of Chines explorers Faxian (4th century B.C  )  and Xuanzang (7th  century B.C) . Vaishali was one of the earliest republics in the world (6th century BC). Vaishali, birthplace of Lord Mahavira is also Sacred to Jains.

Patna

Patna once called Patliputra the capital of Bihar, is among the world’s oldest capital cities with unbroken history of many centuries as imperial metropolis of the Mauryas and Guptas imperial dynasties.

Rajgir

The name  Rajgir is derived from Rajgriha ‘Above of the Kings’ This city has witnessed several episodes of Buddha’s life. Here he preached various semons proselytized Empeor Bimbisar at Griddhakoota- Valture Hill and meditation many times. The Jivekarmavan monastery at Rajgir was the favourite residence for Buddha. His teaching were penned down at Rajgir and this was also the venue for the first Buddhist council. The reverie of Rajgir is now a prime Buddhist Pligrim spot.   Rajgir, 19 kms from Nalanda, was the ancient capital of Magadha Empire. Lord Buddha often visited the monastery here to meditate and to preach. Rajgir is also a place sacred to the Jains, Since Lord Mahavira spent many years here.

Champa Nagar(BHAGALPUR)

From Patna to Bhagalpur is approx. 220KM by road or by train (Vikramshila Exp, Intercity Exp, Tinsukia Mail etc) also. The nearest Airport will be BAGDOGRA, Champanagar in bhagalpur district was visited by Lord Buddha many times. This site also witnessed some important sermons and discourses from Lord Buddha including Kandaraka Sutta and Sonadanda Sutta. One of the main attraction of champanagar is a tank named Gaggara’s lotus lake where lotuses bloom. The grove of huge Champaka trees located on the bank of the lake was believed to be the most favorable spot of Buddha. Another  lake, Sarovana Talab yielded a number of Buddha statues in 1990’s at the time when the lake was being cleaned.

Bodhgaya

Near the holy city of Gaya, the Buddha attained enlightenment. The tree that had sheltered him came to be known as the Bodhi tree and the place Bodhgaya. Today Bodhgaya, an important place of pilgrimage, has a number of monasteries, some of them established by Buddhists of Japan, Thailand, Myanmar, Sri Lanka etc.

Nalanda

A great centre of Buddhist learning, Nalanda came into prominence around the 5th century BC and was a flourishing university town with over ten thousand scholars and an extensive library. Tibetan Buddhism, both its Mahayana and Vajayana tradition stems from Nalanda teachers andb traditions (the late 9th-12th century) A number of ruined structures dot the Nalanda landscape. The known and excavated ruines extend over an area of about 150,000 square metes. However, Xuanzang’s account of Nalanda’s extent indicates that a vast area still remains unexcavated.

Kesaria

This Stupa is in fact one of the many memorable stupa remarkable event in the life of Buddha. Kesaria has a lofty brick mound capped by a solid brick tower of considerable size, which it self is the remain of a Buddhist Stupa. The mound is a ruin with a diameter of 68 feet at its base and a total height of 5½ ft. originally it was crowned by a pinnacle which must have stood 80 or 90 ft above the ground. General Cunningham dated this monument to AD 200 to 700, and held that it was built upon the ruins of a much older and larger Stupa.

It is the highest Stupa found in the country with a height of about 104” from the base.

Buddhist pilgrimage: