North India is undoubtedly the seat of Buddhism. The entire land is dotted with
monuments and relics, legends and history that epitomise the birth, the decline
and finally the resurrection of Buddhism. In north India region ,That buddhism
emerged as a religion and spread across to the world , Here , you can discover
this glorious legacy, and walk in the footsteps on the Great one !
Tour Programme :
Day 1 : Delhi.
Arrive Delhi in the midnight, assistance on arrival with garland welcome and
transfer to hotel.
Perhaps there is no other capital city in the
world so steeped in history and legend as the Indian capital, Delhi. It was
the magnet that drew the Mongols, Turks, persians, Afghans, Mughals and finally
the British. All of whom Contributed to its glorious but turbulent history.
Day 2 : Delhi—Gorakhpur.
Morning free, afternoon sightseeing to Delhi, visit
Qutub Minar--The
Minar built to proclaim the victory of Islam over the Unbeliever in 1199 AD
. The tower has five distinct storeys, each marked by a projecting balcony,
Humayun’s Tomb—is a memorial by a grieving wife, it was built
by his widow Haji Begum in 1565—66, nine years after his death, she have spent
one and a half million rupees on the building,
Red Fort—Anthoer
marvel of architecture is the Red Fort or Lal Quila. It is laid out along the
river Yamuna as an irregular octagon, surround by a wall of around 2.4 kilometres
and is built of red snadstone. The Mughal King Shah Jhan transferred his capital
from Agra to Delhi and the fort was completed in 1648,
India Gate, Parliament
House and Rashtrapati Bhawan.
In the evening transfer to the New Delhi Rialway station to board train at 19.45
hrs to Gorakhpur. O/n Trrain.
Day 3 : Gorakhpur—Sonauli—Chitwan National Park (Nepal).
Arrive Gorakhpur at 08.50 hrs and straight drive to Sonauli border about 95
kms/ 3 hrs. At Sonauli border you can get Nepali visa on the spot. From Sonauli
straight drive to Chitwan National park via Sauraha about 140 kms/ 6 hrs. Chitwan
National Park--This is one of the Nepal’s largest forest regions with a range
of wildlife covering an area of 932 sq. km. This Park is home of The rare great
one horned rhinoceros, several species of deer sloth bear, leopard, wild boar,
fresh water dolphin, crocodile, more than 350 species of birds and the elusive
Royal Bengal Tiger etc. The park, made up of the flood plains of the Narayani,
Rapti and Reu rivers. This park includes hilly areas of the Siwalik range covered
by deciduous sal forest and carpeted with grass. This makes the park a true
bird watcher’s Paradise. O/n Hotel.
Day 4 : Chitwan.
Morning cross the Rapti river by boat to view the Magar and gharial crocodiles
along with the waterbirds and after that walk to the jungle to view The rhiniceros,
wild boar, leopard etc… Afternoon elephant safaries deep in the jungle for the
close acquaintance with the nature and the wild life. Evening visit the villages.
O/n Hotel.
Day 5 : Chitwan.
Morning bird watching excursions on the bicycle into the jungle. Afternoon visit
the Tharu village by cart ride. Evening free. O/n Hotel.
Day 6 : Chitwan—Lumbini.
Morning after breakfast visit elephant breeding centre and straight drive to
Lumbini--The birth place of Lord Buddha about 175 kms/ 7 hrs. Evening visit
Maya Devi Temple , the Parts of the Maya Devi Temple are believed
to be over 200 years old. A huge pipal tree is gradually tearing the temple
apart—Some believe this is the tree that Maya Devi held while giving birth to
Siddhartha. You can visit
Ashoka pillar also just near to Maya
devi temple. The pillar at Lumbini commemorates Ashoka’s pilgrimage to the birthplace
of Buddha. It is six metres high, although half of it is underground. O/n Hotel.
Day 7 : Lumbini—Tilaurakot—Lumbini.
Morning after breakfast a very short drive to Tilaurakot about 30 kms, visit
the ruins of Tilaurakot. Tilaurakot, which is bustling Terai region, there is
nothing more than a tiny hamlet. Tilaurakot was once, however, the capital of
the republic of Kapilvastu, where Buddha spent the first 29 years of his life.
Most of the surrounding countryside is now dominated by poor muslim peasant
farmers. There is no Buddhists. Return back to Lumbini. O/n Hotel.
Day 8 : Lumbini—Berdpur--Saravasti.
Morning after breakfast drive to Saravasti about 252 kms/ 8 hrs, enroute visit
Berdpur , ruins of convent and stupa in no mansland between India and Nepal.
Proceed to Saravasti. O/n Hotel.
Day 9 : Saravasti—Kushinagar.
Saravasti, The ancient city of Saravasti, venerated by Buddhists and Jains alike,
is at present a scattering called Sahet and Mahet, the site is 17.7 kms (11
miles) west side of Balrampur. The Buddha performed the great miracle and stayed
here 25 rainy seasons on account of which and other less famous occurrences
Saravasti has become one of the eight holy places of Buddhist pilgrimage. The
entire area of the ruins is known by the twin names of Sahet Mahet. Sahet was
the site of the famous Buddhist monastery known as
JETAVANA-Maha vihara,
which lay outside the limits of the ancient city. The ruins, covering roughly
an area of 1500 ft. by 500 ft ; consist mainly of plinths and foundations of
monasteries and stupas, all Buddhist. Mahet, situated about two and a half fourlongs
north of Sahet, denotes Saravasti city proper and is a much bigger site situated
south of the river Achiravati (Modern Rapti), which flows a few fourlongs away.
Continue to drive to Kushinagar about 257 kms/ 8 hrs. o/n Hotel .
Day 10 : Kushinagar .
Full day explore to Kushinagar, visit
Mahaparinirvana temple, Burmist
temple, Chinese temple etc.. Kushinagar--(near Kasia), east of Gorakhpur
is clebrated as the place where the Buddha died at the age of 80 and was cremated
and passed into Parinirvana. This place is one of four major Buddhist pilgrimage
sites. Monasteries established after the Buddha’s death flourished here until
the 13th century. In the main site, the core of the Main Stupa poosibly dates
from Ashoka’s time with the Parinirvana Temple. The restored 6 m recumbent sandstone
figure of the dying Buddha in a shrine in front , may have been brought from
Mathura by the monk Haribala during King Kumargupta’s reign (413—455 AD). Excavations
were begun here by the archaeological syrvey of India in 1904—05, following
clues left by the Chinese travellers. O/n Hotel.
Day 11 : Kushinagar—Vaishali—Patna.
Morning afetr breakfast drive to Patna about 290 kms/ 9 hrs. Evening free. O/n
Hotel .
Day 12 : Patna--Vaishali—Patna.
Morning sightseeing to Vaishali and visit
Ashoka Pillar--The
lion Pillar at Kolhua, was built by empereor Ashoka. It is made of a highly
polished single piece of red sandstone, surmounted by a bell shaped capital,
18.3 m, high. A life size figure of a lion is placed on top of the pillar. There
is a small tank here known as Ramkund,
Raja Vishal Ka Garh—A
huge mound with a circumference about one kilometre and walts nearly 2 m high
with a 43 m wide moat around them, is said to be the ancient Parliament House.
Over seven thousand representatives of the federal assembly gathered here to
legislate and discuss the problem of the day,
Birth place of Lord Mahavira
founder of Jainism and World peace stupa.
Later very short drive about 2 hrs to packed populated city Patna. Evening visit
Golghar-- Built in July 1786 by captain John Garstin of the Bengal Engineers,
Who planned this grain store for the army in case of a repeat of the 1770 famine.
Golghar is a 96 feet high structure of Unique beehive shaped architecture. It
has a base 125 m wide where the wall is 3.6 m thick, and the cremation place
at
the bank of river Ganges. O/n Hotel.
Day 13 : Patna—Pawapuri—Nalanda---Rajgir.
Morning after breakfast drive to Rajgir about 105 kms enroute visit Pawapuri
where Mahavira, the final tirthankar and founder of jainism, died and was cremated
here in about 500 B.C., later drive to Nalanda visit ruins of one of the world’s
great universities founded in the 5 th century B C. and an important Buddhist
centre until it was sacked by the Afghans in the 12th century and Museum. Later
drive to Rajgir. Evening free. O/n Hotel.
Day 14 : Rajgir.
Rajgir is a pleasant valley and is a very important pilgrim centre for the Hindus
and Jains. It is a most popular winter health resort with number of hot water
springs. Full day sightseeing to Rajgir, visit
Griddhakoot Hill—Associated
with Lord Buddha. The “Hill of Vultures” was one of the Buddha’s favourite places
where he delivered many important sermons, Bimbisara Jail—Where king Bimbisara
was imprisoned by his son Ajatshatru,
Saptaparni Cave—On the
northern cave of the Vaibhara hill, is a series of six caves contained in natural
bend of rock,
Ajatshatru stupa, Sone Bhandar and Maniar Math.
O/n Hotel.
Day 15 : Rajgir—Bodhgaya.
Drive 75 kms/ 3 hrs to Bodhgaya, A quiet village near the river Phalgu, is one
of the holiest Buddhist pilgrimage centres since it was under the Bodhi tree
here that Gautama, the prince attained supreme enlightenment to become “The
Buddha”. Arrive Bodhgaya and transfer to the hotel. Afternoon sightseeing, visit
Mahabodhi Temple—The temple stands east to the Bodhi Tree.
It’s architectural effect is superb. It’s basement is 48 sequare feet and it
rises in the form of a slender Pyramid, till it reaches its neck, which is cylindrical
in shape. The total height of the temple is 170 feet,
Vajrasana--
Vajrasana, the seat of stability. The Buddha supposed to have say in meditation
gazing east under the Bodhi tree, where the Vajrasana, the stone platform is
kept, The Hindu Monastery, Monasteries of
Japan, China, Thiland, Korea,
Burma, Tibet etc... o/n hotel.
Day 16 : Bodhgaya.
Day free for rest or explore the civilised countryside area. O/n Hotel.
Day 17 : Bodhgaya—Sasaram—Varanasi.
Morning after breakfast, long drive to Varanasi about 240 kms/ 8 hrs, enroute
visit impressive
Mausoleum of Sher Shah, built of red sandstone
in the middle of large green pond. Sasaram is on the Grand Trunk Road, the famous
Indian highway that was built by Sher Shah in mid 16 century.
Continue to drive to Varanasi. O/n Hotel.
Day 18 : Varanasi—Sarnath—Varanasi.
Very early morning sunrise boat ride on the holy river Ganges, back to the hotel,
after breakfast short drive about 15 kms to Sarnath, is one of Buddhism’s major
centres in India. When Buddha had gained enlightenment at Bodhgaya, the Buddha
came to the deer park ar Sarnath and delivered his first sermon, usually referred
to as Dharamachakra (The Wheel of Law). Visit to
Dharmarajika Stupa—Built
by the emperor Asoka to contain relics of the Buddha. It was enlarged on several
occasions but was destroyed by Jagat Singh, Dewan of the Maharaja of Benaras,
in 1794, when a green marble casket containing human bones and pearls was found,
Deer Park--Holy to Jains because Shyeyanshnath, the 11 th Tirthankar
was born near the Dhamekh stupa. “Sarnath” may be derived from his name. The
monastery in the southwest corner is one of four in the Deer Park. The others
are along the north edge. Return back to Varanasi. Evening stroll around the
city. O/n Hotel.
Day 19 : Varanasi—Delhi.
Morning free, afternoon transfer to rly. Station to board train to Delhi at
03.15 hrs. o/n Train
Day 20 : Delhi.
Arrive Delhi at 05.20 hrsand transfer to the hotel for wash & change. Late evening
transfer to Int’l airport for flight to home country.
Day 21 : Fly to your home country.
Seasons in India
Formalities
