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India
- the land to travel to, a haven of tourism delights,
a civilization to tour through. Tourists come to India
for its wealth of sights, cultural exuberance,
diversity of terrain and in search of that special
something, an extra punch that only India promises and
delivers. Teeming with over a billion people who voice
over a million concerns in fifteen hundred different
languages, India is where people live with variety,
thrive on diversity and are too familiar with
largeness to let it boggle them. Mud huts and mansions
face off across city streets. Lurid luxury and limp
living are inhabitants of the same lane.
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Buddhist Cultural Tour |
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Tour
Duratation |
09
Nights / 10 Days |
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Places to be covered |
Delhi
- Sravasti - Lumbini - Kushinagar - Bodhgaya -
Rajgir - Nalanda - Bodhgaya - Sarnath - Varanasi -
Delhi |
DAY 01: DELHI
Breakfast at hotel.Morning leave for Delhi on
arrival lunch at restaurant Afternoon visit
Qutab Minar India Gate , Rajghat and Shanti
Vana the cremation sites of Mahatma Gandhi and
Jawaharlal Nehru, Drive past Red Fort,
Parliament House and President House. Dinner
and overnight at hotel. Delhi is just not a
city but it is a book-- a book which narrates
the history of India. The city was built and
destroyed seven times and has been witness to
the various events which has brought India
through the history books. Seven times this
city went through the pain of being built and
rebuilt. Today as the capital of India Delhi
is the seat of administration and the
monuments which tell the saga of a bygone era
stand there. These icons are testimony to the
grandeur of past and also an attraction for
the tourists. With an area of 1483 sq. Kms,
Delhi is all set to acquire full statehood.
The charm of Delhi has attracted Emperors,
Conquerors and poor in equally. It is
correctly said that Delhi is a land of 'Dilwalas'
or for people with heart. This phrase acquires
a true colour when one goes around the lanes
of Delhi.
DAY 02: Delhi/Sravasti
Book this Tour
Breakfast at hotel. Morning transfer to
airport to connect flight for Lucknow. On
arrival leave for Sravasti. Dinner and
overnight at hotel.
Sravasti, the capital of the ancient kingdom
of Kosala, has the honour for sheltering
Buddha for 24 rainy seasons in the Jetvana
Gardens. The city believed to be founded by
the mythological king Sravast, has age-old
stupas, majestic monasteries and several
temples. Buddha is said to have performed some
miracles here. This holy place also has the
famous Anand Bodhi tree, an offspring of the
one, said to have been planted by Buddha's
main disciple
DAY 03: Sravasti/ Lumbini
Breakfast at hotel. Morning leave for Lumbini,
on arrival transfer to hotel .Lunch at hotel,
Afternoon half day city tour visiting birth
place of Lord Buddha. Dinner and overnight at
hotel.
Lumbini, the birthplace of the Buddha, was
located in 1890 after being untraced for 1,500
years. Lumbini grove, the sacred site of Lord
Buddha's birth is today a small village in
Nepal, 27 km from Sonauli on the Indo-Nepal
Border. Three hundred years after the
Mahaparinirvana, Emperor Ashoka visited
Lumbini and erected a pillar there. This
pillar, though broken, still remains at the
site. It is known as the Rummendei Pillar
after the earlier name of the place (modern
name Rupandhei) in Nepal.
DAY 04: Lumbini/ Kushinagar
Breakfast at hotel. Morning leave for
Kushinagar, on arrival transfer to hotel,
lunch at hotel. Afternoon visit Nirvana Temple
and Ramabhar Stupa. Dinner and overnight at
hotel. Kushinagar was an important centre
under Mauryan King Ashoka, a great Buddhist
follower. Most of the religious structures
here were constructed between 3rd century BC
and 5th century AD. For a long time Kushinagar
remained lost in the jungles and was unknown
to the world till 19th century when the
British rediscovered it in 1880. Extensive
excavations have indicated the presence of
large number monks here as late as 11th
century AD. A majority of tourists come to
Kushinagar during Buddha Purnima to celebrate
the birthday of Lord Buddha.
The place has a tropical climate with extreme
temperatures during summers and winters.
Winter days are pleasant with dry weather and
clear sky.
DAY 05: Kushinagar/ Rajgir
Breakfast at hotel.Morning leave for Rajgir
enroute visit Vaishali carrying box lunch. On
arrival transfer to hotel Dinner and overnight
at hotel.
Rajgir: Like many others in search of
truth, Prince Siddhartha, after he renounced
his royal heritage came to this city to seek
the path of vation. The first Buddhist
structures at Rajgir were raised when
Ajatsatni built a monastery, and a stupa over
his share of the Buddha's ashes. That
reliquary is now a mound used as a graveyard.
The Japanese much later have built the World
Peace Stupa, with its gilded images of the
Buddha. Rajgir also has the Nipponzan Myohoji,
the Japanese temple, and the Centaur Hokke
Club which offers some traditional facilities
to Japanese pilgrims.
Day 06 : Rajgir/ Nalanda /Bodhgaya
Breakfast at hotel.Morning visit Nalanda
University and Gridhkut mountain. Lunch at
hotel, afternoon leave for Bodhgaya. On
arrival transfer to hotel, dinner and
overnight at hotel.
Nalanda was the most renowned university in
ancient India. It derived its name from Na-alam-da,
meaning Insatiable in Giving, one of the names
by which the Lord Buddha was known. The
Archaeological Survey of India maintains the
Nalanda Museum across the road which houses
some exquisite bronzes of the 9th and 10th
centuries, Pala dynasty, and other remains
excavated at the site. The beautiful Thai
Temple and the Nava Nalanda Mahavihara, a
centre for research in Pali and Buddhist
studies, are 2 kms from the main site.
Day 07: Bodghgaya
Breakfast at hotel. Visit temple and Niranjana
river. Meals and overnight at hotel.
As the place of the Buddha's Enlightenment,
Bodhgaya is the spiritual home of Buhddhists.
It attracts tens of thousands of believers
from all over the world. Bodhgaya situated
near the river Niranjana, is one of the
holiest Buddhist pilgrimage centres since it
was here that Buddha attained enlightenment
under the Bodhi tree. Bodhgaya is 12 km from
Gaya, 140 km from Patna, 66 km from Rajgir and
482 km from Calcutta.
Day 08: Sarnath/Varanasi
Book this Tour
Breakfast at hotel.Morning leave for Varanasi,
en-rout visit Sarnath. On arrival transfer to
hotel. Dinner and overnight at hotel. Sarnath,
10 km from Varanasi, where the Buddha preached
his first sermon in the Deer Park, contains
the most impressive remains, as well as a
modem temple. The Dharmarajika, Chaukhandi and
Dharnek stupas are outstanding. There are also
the remains of a monastery, and the
beautifully polished Lion Capital of Ashoka.
Sarnath contains a rich library and at the
Mula gandha Kutir Vihara there are excellent
frescoes by Kosetsu Nosu. The Sarnath Museum,
not far from the site, contains some of the
finest specimens of Buddhist sculpture. At all
centers of Buddhist worship, the Vaisakha
(April-May) full moon is observed as the
anniversary of three important events - the
Buddha's birth, Enlightenment and death, while
the Asadh (July - August) full moon is
observed as the anniversary of his first
sermon.
Day 09: Varanasi
Early morning boat cruise on river Ganges.
Thousands of pilgrims throng the water's edge,
bathing, worshipping, meditating. On stone
platforms under palm leaf umbrellas, the
Pandas-Brahmin priests preside over rites and
rituals. The boat trip will cover various
ghats including the cremation sites. Because
every pious Hindu believes that to die in
Kashi (Varanasi)and to be cremated on the
banks of the Ganges is to attain release from
the cycle of birth and death. Afternoon visit
Sarnath Sarnath, 7 km from the city where
Buddha preached his first sermon more than
2500 years ago. The land of Varanasi (Kashi)
has been the ultimate pilgrimage spot for
Hindus for ages. Often referred to as Benares,
Varanasi is the oldest living city in the
world. These few lines by Mark Twain say it
all: "Benaras is older than history, older
than tradition, older even than legend and
looks twice as old as all of them put
together". Hindus believe that one who is
graced to die on the land of Varanasi would
attain salvation and freedom from the cycle of
birth and re-birth. Abode of Lord Shiva and
Parvati, the origins of Varanasi are yet
unknown. Ganges in Varanasi is believed to
have the power to wash away the sins of
mortals.
Day 10: Delhi
After break fast you will be transfer to the
home. |
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