Centuries ago, a child was born in the royal kingdom who later gave the world a new way of life, which would release their inner conflicts, problems, and suffering and help them lead a peaceful life. Prince Gautama Siddhartha renounced everything to search for the essence of life and came to Bihar, India. From then on, the Buddha explored this beautiful country, discovered the middle path, preached to his disciples, and finally attend Mahaparinirvana. The four holy places associated with Gautam Buddha are Lumbini – the birthplace of the Buddha, Bodh Gaya- the site where the Buddha attained enlightenment, Sarnath – the location of the Buddha’s first sermon, and Kushinagar- the location where the Buddha attained parinirvana. It is believed that the Buddha wanted every Buddhist to visit the four places that were significant in his life. These places are respected as the greatest Buddhist Pilgrimages. Check our blog here to visit all these Buddhist circuits and discover the path to enlightenment, towards Buddha as part of India tour packages.
Bihar Buddhist Circuit
Bihar is the land where Gautam Buddha began his search for answers to human suffering and found enlightenment. The Buddhist circuit is a trail of the holy footsteps of Lord Buddha and important places of his life and teachings throughout Bihar. Even though the entire state is a big monastery with several Buddhist sites and impressive ruins, the leading Buddhist Circuit of the state is: Bodh Gaya-Rajgir-Nalanda-Rajgir. Bodhgaya is the sacred and holiest among all Buddhist places to visit in India where Lord Gautam Buddha attained enlightenment under a Bodhi Tree. Known for its Mahabodhi Temple complex, it is one of the earliest Buddhist pilgrimage sites in India and among the must-include places in Bihar tour packages. Rajgir, the place where Lord Buddha taught their beliefs during the 6th and 5th centuries BC, Nalanda- an ancient city where Gautama Buddha delivered lectures in this region, and Vaishali-the place where Gautama Buddha preached his last sermon before his death in 483 BC, are the other prominent places to visit in Bihar.
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UP Buddhist Circuit
If you follow the trail of Buddhism in India, you will find that the northern part of the country, especially the Gangetic plain and the surrounding regions, was greatly influenced by the teachings of Lord Gauthama Buddha. Uttar Pradesh happened to be one of those important Buddhist places for pilgrimage in India. The state had witnessed two important events in the life of Buddha – his first-ever sermon that was delivered in Sarnath and his attainment of Mahaparinirvana at Kushinagar. Apart from this, Buddha travelled extensively in this state teaching and preaching. Shravasti is another Buddhist site and one of the historical places to visit in Uttar Pradesh it is closely associated with the life of Gautama Buddha, who is believed to have spent 25 rainy seasons here. Thus, Buddhism in Uttar Pradesh has strong roots and eminent religious significance that contribute to making it an important Buddhist pilgrimage destination in the world.
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Sanchi Circuit
Located in the Raisen district of Madhya Pradesh, Sanchi is a small historical town and one of the popular places of heritage in India. Known worldwide for its Buddhist monuments, the Great Stupa at Sanchi is the oldest stone structure in India and was originally commissioned by Emperor Ashoka in the 3rd century BCE. Dotted with stupas, temples, monasteries, and sculptural wealth, Sanchi is recognized as UNESCO World Heritage Site and among the must-visit tourist places in Madhya Pradesh. Sanchi stupa houses the relics of Sariputra and Mahamoggallana, the two chief disciples of the Buddha. The main highlights of the Sanchi Stupa are various styles, stone carvings, and narrative art depiction through stories. Besides, Ashoka Pillar, the Great Bowl, Sanchi Museum, Gupta Temple, and Udayagiri Caves are the other places to visit in Sanchi. Other popular places for Buddhist pilgrimage in Madhya Pradesh are Satdhara, Murelkhurd, Andher, and the astonishing site of Sonari.
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Maharashtra Buddhist Circuit
The land of Maharashtra has a rich Buddhist heritage and culture. The state has nearly 25 destinations that are closely associated with Buddhism and the spectacular Ajanta and Ellora caves are the testimony of the same. Ajanta and Ellora caves near Aurangabad are considered to be one of the most excellent examples of ancient rock-cut caves in India and are among the top tourist places in Maharashtra. These caves are adorned with unusual sculptures, paintings, and frescoes which attract a large number of tourists from around the world every year. After Ajanta or Ellora Caves, the seven ancient rock-cut caves on Elephanta Island are the most famous places for Buddhism in Maharashtra. Besides, Karla Caves, Pandavleni Caves in Nashik are other ancient rock-cut caves associated with Buddhism that can be visited as part of Maharashtra tour packages.
Book Here : Ajanta - Ellora Tour Packages