Buddhist Tours
India is the birth place of Buddhism. Buddhism was the dominant religion all over India for almost 17 centuries, starting from the 5th century BC to 12th century AD. The religion became so popular that scholars from distant countries like China traveled enormous distances to arrive in India and learn about the various aspects of the religion. Buddhist tours in India are an ideal way to explore the many places in India that are associated with the birth and growth of Buddhism in India.
Bodhgaya, Sarnath and Kushinagar are the three major places associated with Buddhism in India. The birthplace of Lord Buddha, Lumbini is also among the four most important Buddhist sites in the world. It is situated in Nepal.
Bodhgaya is an important destination of Buddhist tours in India. It is here that Gautam Buddha attained enlightenment. The site is located in the present day Gaya district in the eastern state of Bihar in India. Around 500 BC, the wandering prince Siddhartha came to this area and started meditating under a Bodhi tree. After three days, he attained enlightenment and became a legend known as Lord Buddha. The Mahabodhi tree, and the Mahabodhi temple are the major attraction of the complex. There are records indicating that the Emperor Ashoka built the original temple. The complex received extensive damage from the Turkish invaders in the 13th century.
Sarnath is another important place related to Buddhism in India. The deer park in Sarnath is the place where Lord Buddha delivered his first teachings about Buddhism. The Buddhist sangha was born here as well. Sarnath is located near Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh in India. Sarnath is also the location of the Dhamek stupa, one of the most prominent Buddhist monuments in India. The famous Ashokan pillar originally surmounted by the lion capital can still be seen in Sarnath, although it was  destroyed by the invaders and now only the base remains.
Kushinagar is the place where Gautam Buddha breathed his last. It is a very important pilgrimage center of Buddhism in India. The site is located in the Kushinagar district in Uttar Pradesh in India and contains the cremation site of Lord Buddha’s body.
These sites are the most important Buddhist pilgrimage sites in the world and Buddhists from all over the world visit these places in large numbers. Sanchi, Ajanta and Ellora are the other important places included in the Buddhist tours in India. These toursinclude travel, accommodation and sightseeing in the major Buddhist sites in India. Themajor Buddhist festivals are also covered by these Buddhist tours.
placestovisitindia.com offers online information on Buddhist tours in India and other information on Buddhism in India.
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