Buddhist Destinations in India

Many of the great religions of the world were born in India. It was about 2500 years ago, when one of the greatest religions of the world, Buddhism, was born in India. Siddhartha Gautama was born as a prince who left it all at the age of 29 years to seek the meaning of life. After six years of meditations he attained enlightenment under a peepal tree in Bodhgaya, now in Bihar and was known as Buddha. It is said that this event took place in about 531 BC and after that, Buddha travelled extensively in India and delivered sermons and preachings till his death in 486 BC in Kushinagar, India. Most of the major Buddhist tourism destinations are situated in India all of which are associated with important events of Buddha's life and propagation of Buddhism.

Discover and explore the life and times of Buddha with Vision Tours to get an insight into the soul of the religion as well as to see how spiritualism redefines itself.

» Bodhgaya :
Bodhgaya is one of the four most sacred sites of the followers of Buddha. The structure that draws most tourists here is the Mahabodhi Temple as it is located near that very spot where Lord Buddha attained enlightenment. Along with being an important Buddhism pilgrimage, it is also an important centre for the study of Buddhism. It is located in the central part of state of Bihar. The original Bodhi tree under which Lord Buddha attained enlightenment had died, though the present tree is a descendant of the original tree. A number of countries have erected their own monasteries at Bodhgaya.


» Kushinagar :
Kushinagar was the chosen place where Lord Buddha decided to leave for his heavenly abode. Kushinagar was then known as the capital of the Malla republic and is now identified with the modern village of Kasia which is located in the eastern Uttar Pradesh. Lord Buddha subsisted on the alms collected by him and used to travel a lot to preach the common people. He used to rest only in the rainy season.


» Lumbini :
It is listed as the world heritage site and is located in the South Western Terai of Nepal. The sacred garden is among the major tourist sites which is a UNESCO heritage site as well. The central attraction of the place is the presence of archaeological remains that can related with the birth of Lord Buddha. There is a Sanctum Sanctorum here which is believed to be the exact spot where Lord Buddha was born. It is believed that the Indian Emperor Ashoka also paid a pilgrimage to the birth place of Lord Buddha. It is now being developed on a large scale to drive more tourist traffic towards the place.


» Kapilvastu :
It is a historic town which is situated at the distance of about 25 km from Lumbini. The place was believed to be the capital of the Shakya republic. It is a pilgrimage site for the followers of Buddhism from all over the world. He lived here till the age of 29 years only after which he gave it up all to seek enlightenment.



» Sravasti :
The place was once the capital of the Kosala Mahajanpada, and used to be the largest town of the Gangetic plains in the life time of Lord Buddha. Sravasti hosted Lord Buddha for 25 years during his annual Vassavasa. It is also believed that he started propagating his religion to various countries from Sravasti. It is also said that Lord Buddha performed the greatest of his miracles to confound the Tirthika heretics in which he created multiple images of himself.