Vaishali, Buddhist Pilgrimage Destination

Vaishali in Bihar attracts pilgrims who come here for a brush with divine. The Buddha passed through Vaishali on his last journey and spent the last rainy season (Vassa) of life here. Vaishali played host to the Second Buddhist Council which was held 100 years after Buddha’s death. It was at this council that Buddhism was divided into Sthaviravadins and Mahasanghikas. 

During Buddha’s time Vaishali was the capital of the tribal confederation of Vijjis. One of the six chief cities of India at that period, Vaishali was annexed by Magadhan ruler Ajatashatru, son of Bimbisara. Its prosperity has been vividly described in Lalitavistara, one of the earliest texts on Mahayana Buddhism. 

Hailed as the world's first republic, Vaishali is also known for its association with Ambapali, the beautiful courtesan, who is famous in the Buddhist legend. Her invitation for dinner was accepted by the Buddha. One of the most beautiful poems of the Pali canon is attributed to Ambapali who later became a Buddhist nun. 

Places of interest in Vaishali 

Buddha Stupa-I

The mortal remains of the Buddha are enshrined in this 5th century AD stupa.  A stupa is a mound commemorating the Buddha’s death. The exterior of the stupa is now in ruins. 

Ashokan Pillar 

A trip to Vaishali is incomplete without having a glimpse of the Ashokan Pillar at Kolhua. Built by the greatest Mauryan emperor Ashoka in the 3rd century BC, the 18.3 m high pillar is a fine specimen of the Indian architecture and art in ancient times.  

Vishwa Shanti Stupa 

The Vishwa Shanti Stupa or World Peace Pagoda is the latest addition to the Buddhist monuments in Vaishali. Built by the Nipponzan Myohoji sect of Japan, the Stupa is located next to the Abhishek Pushkarini (Coronation Tank).  

Best time to visit Vaishali 

The best time to visit Vaishali is during its winter season, which lasts from December through February. 

How to reach Vaishali 

Air: Air: The nearest airport to Vaishali is at Patna that is connected by flights to major cities in India. Patna is 55 km from Vaishali. 

Rail: Hajipur, 35 Km from Vaishali, is the nearest railhead that is well connected by rail with major places and cities in the country. From the Indian capital you can board Lichchavi Express, Sadhbhawna Express, Garib Nawaj Express, Vaishali Express, Shaheed Express which will take you to Hakipur from where you can find several means to travel to Vaishali.

Road: Vaishali is connected by daily bus services with several cities and places in Bihar including Patna.  

Buddhist Monastery of Jagjivanpur, Malda

Located in close proximity to the India-Bangladesh border in the Malda district of West Bengal, Jagjivanpur is a famous archaeological site where excavations have yielded the structural remains of Nandadirghi Vihar, a Buddhist monastery which was a leading centre of learning in 9th Century AD during the Pala rule.

This Buddhist monastery was built on the instruction of Pala king Mahendrapala who was the son of Devpala, the third ruler of the Pala dynasty. The Pala rulers were great patrons of Buddhism. 

Jagjivanpur came to the forefront of conscious attention when a copper plate inscription of Mahendrapala Deva was discovered in 1987 here. The plate, which also confirmed the historicity of Mahendrapal Deva, states that he had granted a plot called Nandadirghik-odranga to his army chief for constructing a Buddhist monastery. Since then subsequent excavations have led to the findings of Nandadirghi Vihar. 

 

How to reach Jagjivanpur 

Air: Bagdogra airport near Siliguri in West Bengal is the nearest airport to Jagjivanpur.

Rail: The nearest railway station to Jagjivanpur is about 35 km away in Malda in West Bengal. Malda railway station is well-connected to major cities and places in India including New Delhi and Kolkata. Gour Express, Jan Satabdi Express and Intercity Express connect Malda town with Kolkata. From Malda you can take a taxi to reach Jagjivanpur which will take one hour. Buses are also available. 

Road: Good motorable roads connect Jagjivanpur with all the major places including Kolkata which is 350km from the place.

 

Hemis Gompa

Hemis Festival / Image Credit

Come the 10th day of the fifth month of the Tibetan calendar and Hemis Gompa, the largest and wealthiest monastery in Ladakh, plays host to one of the most important festivals of Ladakh. For visitors seeking a rendezvous with the unique Ladakh’s culture, the two- day Hemis Festival makes for a great opportunity offering them a matchless spectacle of masked dances, traditional music, religious rituals and ceremonies and a lifetime opportunity to sample the delicious cuisines of Ladakh. 

Hemis Festival commemorates the birth anniversary of Guru Padmasambhava, the founder of the Vajrayana Buddhism in Ladakh. The festival brings out the extroverted side of the famously friendly people of Ladakh. If you want to see the annual Hemis Tsechu festival you will have to come in the months of June and July. 

Sitting on a hillock, Hemis Gompa is 40km from Leh and the centerpiece of any visit to Ladakh. During the celebration of the Hemis festival the monastery comes alive with the spectacular mask dance by the lamas to the accompaniment of drums, cymbals and long horns.

During the Hemis Festival you will have the opportunity to sample the rich cuisines of Ladakh in the stalls outside. Here you can also pick up gifts and souvenirs.  

Hemis Monastery

Devni Mori

Excavations at Devni Mori, 2 km from Shamlaji in the Aravalli district in North Gujarat have led to the discovery of architecturally and sculpturally rich Buddhist remains that include a Buddhist monastery dating back to 3rd-4th century AD. The excavation at the site was carried under the supervision of R N Mehta and S. N. Chaudhary. 

                                                            Devni Mori STupa / Image Credit

The discovery of the stupa in Shamlaji is a testament to the influence of Buddhism in the area during the early period of the Christian era. The discovery of cascade containing relics of the Buddha from the stupa has further enhanced the sacredness of the stupa and the place of pilgrimage for the Buddhists. The inscription on the casket says that it contains sacred ashes of Buddha.

Kankwadi fort

Kankwari Fort (Sariska Tiger Reserve)/ Image Credit

Kankwadi fort is located within the bounds of the Sariska National Park in Alwar district in Rajasthan. Situated 107 km from Rajasthan’s capital, Jaipur and 200 km from Delhi, Sariska National Park is one of the largest and most famous national parks in India. Originally the private hunting ground of the Maharaja of Alwar, this national park is rich in flora and fauna.

Kankawari Fort / Image Credit

The Kankwadi fort was used by the sixth Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb to imprison his eldest brother Dara Shikoh when the former was bitterly engaged with his brothers in the struggle for succession ofthe Mughal throne.

 

Gurpa: Maha Kassappa awaiting Maitreya's arrival

Maha Kassappa smiling at the lotus flower/Wikipedia

33 km from Gaya in Bihar, the small village of Gurpa or Gurpada is home to the Kukkutapadagir mountain where Maitreya, the future Buddha, will return and receive the robes of the Buddha, kept with the latter’s successor, Maha Kassappa who is still in a state of meditation here. Before his death, the Buddha had given the robes to Maha Kassappa under whose presidentship the first Buddhist Council was held in the Magadhan capital of Rajagraha (modern Rajgir). 

Legend has it that when Maha Kassappa sensed that his life was nearing its end he decided to proceed to Kukkutapadagiri. During his journey to Gurpa, he withstood all the obstructions and the three peaks of the Kukkutapadagir mountain parted ways resulting in the creation of a seat for him. Since then Maha Kassappa is awaiting the arrival of Maitreya who will descend to this world in order to share the message of the Buddha with the mankind. 

Today Gurpa is a major Buddhist pilgrimage centre. Such is the popularity of the place that followers of Buddhism in other parts of the world have created Gurpada in their own native countries.  

How to reach Gurpa

Rail: Though Gurpa has itself a railway station on the Grand Chord line, the nearest major railway station is Gaya which is 33 km away from Gurpa. Gaya is well connected by rail with major places and cities in the country.  

Air: Patna is the nearest airport connected by air from major cities of India.

Road: It's a long day trip from Gaya to Gurpa. Good roads connect Gurpa with all the important places in India.

Best Time to visit

In summers, from April to June, the temperature of Gurpa hovers between 45°C and 30°C and it is quite hot during that time. The winter season, from October to March, is the best time to visit Gurpa. 

Ananta Vasudeva Temple in Bhubaneswar

 

The 13th century Ananta Vasudeva Temple in Bhubaneswar was built by Eastern Ganga princess Chandrika who was the daughter of Anangabhima III and sister of Narasimha I, the last great ruler of the Eastern Ganga dynasty.  

View of Ananta Vasudeva Temple from Bindu Sagar Lake / Image Credit: Sarba

Enchey monastery

Located on a beautiful hill top on the northern outskirts of Gangtok, the capital of Sikkim, the Enchey monastery commands spectacular views of the town and the Kanchenjunga peak. Established in 1909, it is the seat of the Nyingmapa sect of Tibetan Buddhism. Tradition has it that the famous tantric and lama Lama Druptob Karpo who had acquired flying power actually flew here from Maenam hill in South Sikkim and built a hermitage here for performing meditation.

Enchey monastery's prayer hall is adorned with beautiful murals and houses a statue of Buddha as well as other Tantric statues. 

You can see the monks performing prayers and traditional rituals. The Enchey monastery is at its exuberant best during its Chaam dance also known as the mask dance usually held in December.  Only lamas can participate in Chaam. 

How to reach Enchey monastery

Air: Bagdogra, 9 km west of Siliguri in West Bengal, is the nearest airport to Enchey monastery and is some 124 km away from Enchey monastery. From the airport, you can hire a taxi or a private cab that will take you to the Enchey monastery in two hours. The drive from Bagdogra to Enchey monastery is a bewitching experience with River Teesta and scenic mountains as the backdrop.  

Rail: The nearest railway station to Enchey monastery is about 150 kilometres away in New Jalpaiguri (NJP) in West Bengal. NJP railway station is well-connected to major cities and places in India including New Delhi and Kolkata. From NJP you can take a taxi to reach Enchey monastery or go to Siliguri Bus Station and board a state-run bus to Gangtok. From Gangtok you can hire a taxi or cab. 

Road: Well-maintained roads connect Enchey monastery with all the major places in Sikkim and India. 

Best Time to visit Enchey monastery 

October to June is the best period to visit Enchey monastery. If you want to see the Chaam dance performed in the monastery you will have to come in the month of December when temperature drops to an average low of about 4°C.  

Jethian: A Trail of Enlightenment

Located in the Gaya district of Bihar and close to Rajgir, Jethian occupies a place of great prominence among the spots associated with the life of the Buddha. Known as Lathivana in Pali and Yasthivana in Sanskrit in ancient times, Jethian is the place where the Buddha met the ruler of Magadh, Bimbisara, after the former became enlightened at Bodh Gaya in the 6th century BC. 

The Buddhist texts say that Gautama Buddha was heading towards Rajgir from Gayasisa (Brhmayoni) to share his experience with Bimbisara as promised by the former before his enlightenment. As soon as the Magadhan ruler got the news of Buddha’s coming, he along with his retinue of ministers and people of Rajgir left his capital to welcome Buddha at Jethian. Here Buddha delivered a sermon to Bimbisara on the non-existence of soul and the transience of worldly objects. 

It was from Jethian that the Buddha and his followers were escorted by King Bimbisara through Jethian-Rajgir Valley to Rajgir, where the King offered them his favourite park and pleasure garden, Veluvana (Bamboo Grove) for their residence.

Today the serene Jethian – Rajgir valley is a Buddhist pilgrimage route around 13.5 km long. Many pilgrims, Buddhist monks and tourists from different parts of the world take up this route as a form of spiritual path which was taken by Buddha some 2500 years ago. During their stay at Jethian, the Buddha and his followers were offered alms by its residents. This legacy has also been revived in the form of sangha-dana before the spiritual walk taken by the pilgrims. 

In the seventh century AD, the renowned Chinese traveller, Hieun Tsang spent almost two years at Jethian where he studied Buddhism under the guidance of eminent Buddhist monk Jayasena. 

Other highlights of Jethian are the remains of a stupa, the statues of the Buddha and Avalokitsewara, also known as Padmapani. Jethian is a perfect base for the pilgrims willing to explore various sacred Buddhist places in its vicinity. 

Jethian – Rajgir was identified by British archaeologist Alexander Cunningham in 1871.