Vibrant Rajasthan - Tour to the Land of History, Legends, Hotels....
India is a home to many religions and all these religions have important places of worship. Buddhist Pilgrimage tour also deals with the important places of worship like Sravasti, Kushinagar, Patna, Rajgir, Bodhgaya and Varanasi. All the sacred sites have been associated with Lord Buddha right from his birth to the rise of Buddhism in India. This tour covers 12 Days and 11 Nights.
Tour Information | |
Duration: | 12 Days/11 Nights |
Destinations: | (New Delhi - Lucknow - Sravasti - Kushinagar - Patna - Rajgir - Bodhgaya - Varanasi - New Delhi) |
Day 01: Flight to India (New Delhi)
You arrive in Delhi by international flight. After a traditional 'Swagat'
(Welcome) our representatives would assist you at the airport and to our
hotel for check in and overnight stay.
Day 02: New Delhi - Lucknow (by train)
This morning is at leisure. In the afternoon we will drive to the railway
station for the train to Lucknow.
Day 03: Lucknow - Sravasti (about 170 km)
Upon arrival in Lucknow, we will drive further to Sravasti. Sravasti
(ancient Savatthi) was the capital of Kosala Mahajanapada and was the
biggest town in the Gangetic plains during the Buddha's lifetime. Sravasti
was host to the Master for 25 years during the annual vassavasa (rain
retreat) when the Sangha congregated at one place. Sravasti is situated in
Gonda district in eastern Uttar Pradesh, called Sahet-Mahet. In Sravasti
we visit the famous monastery where Lord Buddha spent 24 rainy seasons
preaching.
Day 04: Sravasti - Kushinagar (about 380 km)
Today
in the morning drive from Sravasti to Kushinagar. Kushinagar is the place
that the Buddha chose for his Mahaparinirvana, or final exit from this
earth. Kushinagar or Kushinara as it was then known was the capital of the
Malla republic, one of the republican states of northern India during the
6th and 5th centuries BC. There are several new monasteries and temples.
Today we visit the Rambhar Stupa that marks Buddha's cremation ground.
Mahakashyapa lit the funeral pyre at Mukutabandha Vihara (Rambhar Stupa)
in Kushinagar. Today not much remains of this stupa expect a large brick
mound rising to a height of almost 15 metres set within a well-kept park.
We also visit the large Burmese Chandramani Bhikshu Bharamasala. This is
the oldest monastery in Kushinagar. We will also visit the Kushinagar
Museum.
Day 05: Kushinagar - Patna (about 253 km)
In the morning after having breakfast we drive further to Patna. Patna,
the ancient Indian town of Pataliputra was thriving township during the
Buddha's lifetime. Patna, the state capital of Bihar is situated on the
banks of the Ganga. It is the major entry point for pilgrims who wish to
travel in the footsteps of the Buddha. Today we will drive to Kumrahar to
see the ruins of Pataliputra, which is about 6 km from Gandhi Maidan. The
remains of a massive assembly hall with bases of 80 pillars have been
excavated at the site, of which only one pillar remains intact.
Day 06: Patna
Today after having breakfast we have sightseeing in Patna. Today we visit
Patna Museum, Golghar, Patna Sahib. The British established the Patna
Museum in the year 1917. This museum has more than 50,000 rare and
valuable antiquities and art objects. The most prized possession here is
the Holy Relic Casket containing the sacred ashes of the Buddha, unearthed
in Vaishali. Golghar is a mammoth concrete granary built by the British,
subsequent to the great famine of 1770. Two spiral staircases from either
side lead to the top, which affords a panoramic view of the Ganga and the
town. Gurudwara Har Mandir Sahib, popularly known as Patna Sahib is the
sacred shrine of the Sikhs. The site is hallowed as the birthplace of the
10th Guru of the Sikhs, Guru Gobind Singh. Between Patna and Patna Sahib
is Gulzarbagh, where the opium factory and the storehouses of the British
were located. It now houses the Government Printing Press.
Day 07: Patna - Rajgir (about 100 km)
In the morning after having breakfast we drive to Rajgir. Enroute we
visit Nalanda, the ancient Buddhist University. During the lifetime of the
Buddha Rajgir (Rajgriha) was the capital of the powerful Magadhan kingdom,
ruled by the virtuous king Bimbisara. Rajgir is about 100 km from Patna.
This town attracts various pilgrims and tourists. The town also boasts the
largest number of horse drawn carriages. Today we will visit the Vishwa
Shanti Stupa. It is a marble structure with niches bearing golden images
of the Buddha, built by the Nipponza Myohoji sect of Japan. Opposite the
Stupa stands the Saddharma Buddha Vihara. Then we will drive further to
Griddhakuta. The strange rock protrusion resembling a vulture's beak
probably gave the hill its name. In the rock cut caves here the Buddha
spent many rainy seasons, meditating and preaching. Rajgir is also famous
for its seven hot Sulphur Springs, Satadhara. Satadhara is situated at the
foot of Vaibhava Hill. The hot springs are a part of the Lakshmi Narayan
Temple complex.
Day 08: Rajgir - Bodhgaya (about 70 km)
In the morning after having breakfast we drive to Bodhgaya. Bodhgaya
(once Uruvela village) is the place where 2500 years ago in the 6th
century BC, a young ascetic, Siddhartha attained enlightenment to become
the Buddha and found Buddhism, one of the world's oldest religions.
Bodhgaya is the spiritual home of the Buddhists. Today we visit the
Mahabodhi temple built to mark the spot where the Buddha attained
enlightenment. The famous Mahabodhi temple, which stands in the centre of
the Mahabodhi Temple Complex, has been restored and rebuilt over the
centuries. The Mahabodhi Temple Complex houses all the major pilgrimage
spots. A large circular stone with the Buddha's footprints is kept in a
small shrine on the left. We also visit the Bodhgaya museum that is
located near the Mahabodhi temple. It houses antiquities excavated in and
around Bodhgaya. It has a large collection of Buddhist and Hindu relics,
terracotta seals, scriptures and pillars from the Sunga period.
Day 09: Bodhgaya - Varanasi (about 242 km)
In the morning we drive further to Varanasi. Varanasi is without doubt
India's most sacred city and thus visited by over one million people.
Varanasi is also called the city of light - Kashi or Benaras. Buddha
visited this city in 500 BC. Varanasi is regarded as one of the oldest and
the holiest city. According to the Indian chronicles, Varanasi was
established as a city around twelve hundred years ago before the Christian
era.
Day 10: Varanasi
In
the early morning we take boat - ride on the holy River Ganges and enjoy
sunrise on the boat. Ghats (flight of steps) and the activities of
pilgrims on that, are the principal attraction for visitors to Varanasi.
Thousands of pilgrims and devotees visit this city to make holy prayers,
to meditate and to purify themselves through taking a bath in the holy
river Ganges. In the noon we visit the city of Varanasi.
Day 11: Varanasi - New Delhi (by air)
In the afternoon we drive to the airport for the flight from Varanasi to
New Delhi. In New Delhi we have rest of the day at leisure. Rooms are
available to get fresh and change before we depart to the airport with
Caper Travels representative.
Day 12: New Delhi
Tour concludes. Caper thanks you for your patronage and ensures a
punctual transfer to the Railway Station / Airport for your onward travel.