Famous Buddhist tourist places in India: Buddhist pilgrimage sites in India
Gautam Buddha, the founder of Buddhism was a religious leader, meditator, and philosopher. He is also known as Siddhārtha Gautama. With his thoughts, Lord Gautama Buddha showed many people the path of peace. Here are some of the Buddhist temples in India, Buddhist pilgrimage sites in india you must visit once.
Buddhist temples in India – Buddhist pilgrimage sites in India
Bodh Gaya
Bodh Gaya is a very famous Buddhist pilgrimage site in Gaya District of Bihar. Under the Bodhi Tree in Gaya, the Buddha attained enlightenment. Bodh Gaya holds an 80-foot Buddha statue; The Mahabodhi Stupa, a lotus pond, a meditation garden, Chinese, Japanese, Bhutanese, Thai and Tibetan monasteries. Thousands of travellers visit this 2,500-year-old birthplace of Buddhism every year.
Top places to visit in Bodh Gaya: Mahabodhi Temple, Great Buddha Status, Tibetan Refugee Market, and Thai Monastery.
Sarnath
Sarnath is a sacred site where the Buddha delivered his first sermon. It holds 128 feet high, Dhamek Stupa, the Ashoka Pillar, and other stupas. Located near Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, its about 11kms from the holy town of Varanasi (Banaras). It is believed that it was the place where the Buddha first began teaching his followers.
Places to visit in Sarnath: Visit the Sarnath Museum, Tibetan Buddhist Monastery, and Dharmpal Monument. You can also visit several monasteries of other Buddhist nations situated here.
Do read: Best five places to visit in Varanasi
Buddhist temples in India – Buddhist pilgrimage sites in India
Kushinagar
Kushinagar in Uttar Pradesh is the place where the Buddha breathed his last. This site is mainly visited by the devotees of Buddha. It is famous for its various ancient monasteries and stupas. Kushinagar holds a Parinirvana Stupa. The stupa has a reclining statue of dying Buddha. Many devotees visit this place every year from all over the globe.
Places to visit in Kushinagar: Parinirvana Stupa, Matha Kuar Shrine, and Buddhist Museum.
Rajgir and Nalanda
Rajgir is a place where Buddha delivered many important sermons. About 10 km from Rajgir are the ruins of the Nalanda University. For more than 400 years from the 5th century CE, Nalanda remained world renowned as a centre of Buddhist learning. Nalanda has stupas, shrines, viharas, and important art works in stone and metal.
Places to see in Rajgir: Shanti Stupa, Gridhakuta Hill, Jivakameavan Gardens, and Ajatshatru Fort.
Must read: Important Ghats of Varanasi you shouldn’t miss
Buddhist temples in India – Buddhist pilgrimage sites in India
Lumbini
Lumbini is a place where Queen Mahamayadevi gave birth to Siddhartha Gautama in 563 BCE. It is also a world heritage site. This place holds many temples, monasteries and monuments. Lumbini holds a Mayadevi temple which is considered the most sacred site in the Lumbini Garden. Here, archaeologists have identified the exact spot where Lord Buddha was born.
Places to see in Lumbini: The Ashoka Pillar, BCE Buddhist temples, The Lumbini Museum and the Japanese Peace Stupa.
Kapilvastu
Kapilvastu is situated in Siddharth Nagar district of East Uttar Pradesh. This beautiful place holds several Stupas and is the major tourist attraction in Kapilvast. It is believed to be the ruins of the palace of King Shuddhodhan, the father of Prince Gautam. Kapilavastu is the district and comes under Lumbini.
Places to visit in Kapilvastu: World Peace Pagoda, Lumbini Museum, Myanmar Golden Temple.
Do read: Buddha, His Life, And Why Buddha Purnima is celebrated
For more articles like buddhist temples in india, do follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for interesting content. For watching our collection of videos, follow us on YouTube.