Buddhist Pilgrim Places in India
Buddhism, born within India, has spread to be the 4th largest religion in the world. Today, this religion is known to be the most peaceful and most revered in the world. Buddhism has followers from all walks of life. With almost 488 Million followers across the globe, today people from everywhere come to India in search of finding solace in the places where the Buddha lived, breathed and taught his preaching.
Siddhartha Gautama, the founder of the religion was born in Lumbini, now Nepal. He attained enlightenment amidst the wilderness near the town of Gaya, near a Bodhi Tree and taught and practised his new thoughts throughout the area. The Buddhist Pilgrimage sites in India are mostly clustered around the Bihar and Uttar Pradesh states. Here is a list of 4 most famous Buddhist pilgrim places in India:
Bodh Gaya
Bodh Gaya is considered as “The place where it all started” for Buddhism. Gautama Buddha, after searching for the true meaning of life and misery in it, sat beneath a Bodhi tree and meditated for several days and finally attained Nirvana.
Bodh Gaya previously known as Uruwela is located at the banks of the river Niranjana where Emperor Ashoka built a temple. Siddhartha renounced his family at the age of 29 and travelled in search of the Enlightenment. He gave up all materialistic possessions and started following the Noble Eightfold path without the help of a Guru and practised it. After which he attained enlightenment on the very banks of the river, under a Bodhi Tree, near Gaya. Hence the name Bodh Gaya.
Location: Uttar Pradesh, near the town of Gaya
Sanchi
Started by the first disciple of Buddha, it can be called the first monastery type set up in the world. Emperor Ashoka married a girl from Sanchi, a disciple of the Sanchi monastery. King Ashoka developed the most recognizable features of the site today. Even after Ashoka’s empire fell, Sanchi remained one of the most venerated sites in India. The new stone railing of the stupa was constructed during the Gupta reign.
Location : Madhya Pradesh
Sarnath
Sarnath needs no introduction. It’s the place where our national emblem came from. The first sermon given by Buddha was here, which was heard by a group of deer, which immediately attained nirvana. The most important factor which attracts many people to the place is the Ashokan Pillar which is the national emblem of India.
Location: near Varanasi
Rajgir
Rajgir was an imperial city long since fallen into ruins and is a great place for all those interested in the spirit of Buddhism. It was here the teachings of Buddha were codified and spread to the world. Rajgir was the original capital of Magadha before Patliputra was established. It was here that Buddha gave some of his most famous teachings, and also converted king Bimbisara of Magadha and countless others into Buddhism. Saptaparni caves here, served as the venue for the first Buddhist council.
Location: Bihar
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