East India - Buddhist India Tour |
Duration: 9 Nights / 10 Days
Places Covered: : Delhi -
Sravasti - Lumbini - Kushinagar - Bodhgaya - Rajgir - Nalanda - Bodhgaya -
Sarnath - Varanasi - Delhi |
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| DAY 01: DELHI |
Breakfast at hotel.Morning leave for Delhi on arrival
lunch at restaurant Afternoon visit Qutab Minar India Gate , Rajghat and Shanti
Vana the cremation sites of Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru, Drive past Red
Fort, Parliament House and President House. Dinner and overnight at hotel. Delhi
is just not a city but it is a book-- a book which narrates the history of
India. The city was built and destroyed seven times and has been witness to the
various events which has brought India through the history books. Seven times
this city went through the pain of being built and rebuilt. Today as the capital
of India Delhi is the seat of administration and the monuments which tell the
saga of a bygone era stand there. These icons are testimony to the grandeur of
past and also an attraction for the tourists. With an area of 1483 sq. Kms,
Delhi is all set to acquire full statehood. The charm of Delhi has attracted
Emperors, Conquerors and poor in equally. It is correctly said that Delhi is a
land of 'Dilwalas' or for people with heart. This phrase acquires a true colour
when one goes around the lanes of Delhi. |
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| DAY 02: Delhi/Sravasti |
Breakfast at hotel. Morning transfer to airport to connect flight for
Lucknow. On arrival leave for Sravasti. Dinner and overnight at hotel.
Sravasti, the capital of the ancient kingdom of Kosala, has the honour for
sheltering Buddha for 24 rainy seasons in the Jetvana Gardens. The city believed
to be founded by the mythological king Sravast, has age-old stupas, majestic
monasteries and several temples. Buddha is said to have performed some miracles
here. This holy place also has the famous Anand Bodhi tree, an offspring of the
one, said to have been planted by Buddha's main disciple
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| DAY 03:
Sravasti/ Lumbini |
Breakfast at hotel. Morning leave for Lumbini, on
arrival transfer to hotel .Lunch at hotel, Afternoon half day city tour visiting
birth place of Lord Buddha. Dinner and overnight at hotel.
Lumbini, the
birthplace of the Buddha, was located in 1890 after being untraced for 1,500
years. Lumbini grove, the sacred site of Lord Buddha's birth is today a small
village in Nepal, 27 km from Sonauli on the Indo-Nepal Border. Three hundred
years after the Mahaparinirvana, Emperor Ashoka visited Lumbini and erected a
pillar there. This pillar, though broken, still remains at the site. It is known
as the Rummendei Pillar after the earlier name of the place (modern name
Rupandhei) in Nepal. |
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| DAY 04: Lumbini/ Kushinagar |
Breakfast at
hotel. Morning leave for Kushinagar, on arrival transfer to hotel, lunch at
hotel. Afternoon visit Nirvana Temple and Ramabhar Stupa. Dinner and overnight
at hotel. Kushinagar was an important centre under Mauryan King Ashoka, a great
Buddhist follower. Most of the religious structures here were constructed
between 3rd century BC and 5th century AD. For a long time Kushinagar remained
lost in the jungles and was unknown to the world till 19th century when the
British rediscovered it in 1880. Extensive excavations have indicated the
presence of large number monks here as late as 11th century AD. A majority of
tourists come to Kushinagar during Buddha Purnima to celebrate the birthday of
Lord Buddha.
The place has a tropical climate with extreme temperatures
during summers and winters. Winter days are pleasant with dry weather and clear
sky. |
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| DAY 05: Kushinagar/ Rajgir |
Breakfast at hotel.Morning
leave for Rajgir enroute visit Vaishali carrying box lunch. On arrival transfer
to hotel Dinner and overnight at hotel.
Rajgir: Like many others
in search of truth, Prince Siddhartha, after he renounced his royal heritage
came to this city to seek the path of vation. The first Buddhist structures at
Rajgir were raised when Ajatsatni built a monastery, and a stupa over his share
of the Buddha's ashes. That reliquary is now a mound used as a graveyard. The
Japanese much later have built the World Peace Stupa, with its gilded images of
the Buddha. Rajgir also has the Nipponzan Myohoji, the Japanese temple, and the
Centaur Hokke Club which offers some traditional facilities to Japanese
pilgrims. |
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| Day 06 : Rajgir/ Nalanda /Bodhgaya |
Breakfast at
hotel.Morning visit Nalanda University and Gridhkut mountain. Lunch at hotel,
afternoon leave for Bodhgaya. On arrival transfer to hotel, dinner and overnight
at hotel.
Nalanda was the most renowned university in ancient India. It
derived its name from Na-alam-da, meaning Insatiable in Giving, one of the names
by which the Lord Buddha was known. The Archaeological Survey of India maintains
the Nalanda Museum across the road which houses some exquisite bronzes of the
9th and 10th centuries, Pala dynasty, and other remains excavated at the site.
The beautiful Thai Temple and the Nava Nalanda Mahavihara, a centre for research
in Pali and Buddhist studies, are 2 kms from the main site. |
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| Day 07:
Bodghgaya |
Breakfast at hotel. Visit temple and Niranjana river. Meals
and overnight at hotel.
As the place of the Buddha's Enlightenment, Bodhgaya
is the spiritual home of Buhddhists. It attracts tens of thousands of believers
from all over the world. Bodhgaya situated near the river Niranjana, is one of
the holiest Buddhist pilgrimage centres since it was here that Buddha attained
enlightenment under the Bodhi tree. Bodhgaya is 12 km from Gaya, 140 km from
Patna, 66 km from Rajgir and 482 km from Calcutta. |
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| Day 08:
Sarnath/Varanasi |
Breakfast at hotel.Morning leave for Varanasi, en-rout
visit Sarnath. On arrival transfer to hotel. Dinner and overnight at hotel.
Sarnath, 10 km from Varanasi, where the Buddha preached his first sermon in the
Deer Park, contains the most impressive remains, as well as a modem temple. The
Dharmarajika, Chaukhandi and Dharnek stupas are outstanding. There are also the
remains of a monastery, and the beautifully polished Lion Capital of Ashoka.
Sarnath contains a rich library and at the Mula gandha Kutir Vihara there are
excellent frescoes by Kosetsu Nosu. The Sarnath Museum, not far from the site,
contains some of the finest specimens of Buddhist sculpture. At all centers of
Buddhist worship, the Vaisakha (April-May) full moon is observed as the
anniversary of three important events - the Buddha's birth, Enlightenment and
death, while the Asadh (July - August) full moon is observed as the anniversary
of his first sermon. |
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| Day 09: Varanasi |
Early morning boat cruise
on river Ganges. Thousands of pilgrims throng the water's edge, bathing,
worshipping, meditating. On stone platforms under palm leaf umbrellas, the
Pandas-Brahmin priests preside over rites and rituals. The boat trip will cover
various ghats including the cremation sites. Because every pious Hindu believes
that to die in Kashi (Varanasi)and to be cremated on the banks of the Ganges is
to attain release from the cycle of birth and death. Afternoon visit Sarnath
Sarnath, 7 km from the city where Buddha preached his first sermon more than
2500 years ago. The land of Varanasi (Kashi) has been the ultimate pilgrimage
spot for Hindus for ages. Often referred to as Benares, Varanasi is the oldest
living city in the world. These few lines by Mark Twain say it all: "Benaras is
older than history, older than tradition, older even than legend and looks twice
as old as all of them put together". Hindus believe that one who is graced to
die on the land of Varanasi would attain salvation and freedom from the cycle of
birth and re-birth. Abode of Lord Shiva and Parvati, the origins of Varanasi are
yet unknown. Ganges in Varanasi is believed to have the power to wash away the
sins of mortals. |
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| Day 10: Delhi |
After break fast you will be
transfer to the . |
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The tour cost includes
1. Bed
breakfast and one major meal on a regular basis.
2. Air conditioned car
through out the journey.
3. All entrances
4. Staff Assistance at all the
places.
5. Stay in 4 star hotels
6. Local English speaking Guides at all
the places
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For tour details click on the
name of the tour. If you wish to enquire about the price details
select the checkbox next to the tour and submit the form.
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