Indian History

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

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 Wes

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 al

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.

Kankwari Fort (Sariska Tiger Reserve)/ Image Credit Kankwadi fort is located within the bounds of the Sariska National Park in Alwar district in Rajasthan. S ituated 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 .  

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 pilgri

  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

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. F

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