RAJASTHAN TOURISM India Tour Packages Best of India Buddhist Religious Tour

Buddhist Religious Tour

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Destinations Covered : DELHI - Agra - VARANASI - BODGAYA - SARNATH - RAJGIR - KUSHINAGAR - LUMBINI - LUCKNOW

Some Journeys are made for sensual gratification, others purely for internal peace. Negotiating the Buddhist Circuit falls in the latter category. A journey through the austere Stupas and the ancient monasteries reverberating with the mystical chants of sacred Buddhist Mantras will instantly transport you to a time zone 2500 years back in history, when a prince renounced all worldly pleasures to turn into an ascetic, centuries before the birth of Christ. The story is so old, that every point on the Buddhist circuit has a history steeped in myth and meaning; every monument stands testimony to faith fused into reality, as centuries passed and people lost bits of their oral heritage. In Sanskrit the word "Bodh" means knowledge, Buddha would thus mean " One who has attained all knowledge," or one in whom their is no conflict, no suffering---in short, one, who has mastered himself. The Chinese would call him the Zen Master. If you are looking for the same 'Buddha' in you, the main sites of interest would be:-

• Lumbini: (In present day Nepal) the birthplace of Lord Buddha.

• Bodh Gaya: (In neighboring state, Bihar) Where he attained enlightenment.

• Sarnath: Where he held his first public discourse.

• Kushinagar: Where he attained Mahaparinirvana (Demise).

Day   01: New  Delhi:
Upon arrival you will be received and transferred to your hotel.  The day free to relax. Overnight at Delhi.  

Day   02: New  Delhi :
07:30 A.M: Drive straight to Agra in the morning and on arrival visit the Taj Mahal. In the evening return back to Delhi. Overnight at the hotel.  

Day   03: New  Delhi  - Varanasi:
After breakfast, transferred to the airport for flight to Varanasi. On arrival at Varanasi you will be received and transferred to your hotel. After a brief leisure proceed to Sarnath  and  see  Dharmarajika,   Chaukhandi,   and   Dharnek  Stupa; Sarnath Archaeological  Museum, Mulagandha  Kuti Vihar, Shoukhandi stupa and one or two of the national Temples. Overnight at Varanasi.  

Day  04:  Varanasi:
06:00 A.M : Proceed for the morning boat ride on the Sacred River Ganges to rituals performed by priests and devotees. Half day guided tour of Varanasi.  

Day   05:    Varanasi  - Bodhgaya:
08:30 A.M : Transferred to the railway station early in the morning to board  the train PURSHOTTAM EXP (12802) for Gaya departing at 10:20 a.m. 01:30 P.M: On arrival in Gaya you will be received and transferred to Bodhgaya. Check-in the hotel. Rest of the day at leisure.  

Day  06:  Bodhgaya :
09:00 A.M: Move out for the sightseeing of Maha Bodhi Temple and  Tree. Visit   the  Chinese Temple. In the afternoon visit Niranjana Temple, River, and Museum of Bodhgaya.

Day 07: Bodhgaya - Nalanda - Rajgir - Patna:
07:30 A.M: Early morning proceed to visit  the historical  towns  of  Nalanda. Visit Nalanda Archaeological Musuem; University ruins.  In Rajgir visit Saptkarni cave - Vaibhava hill;  Griddhakuta (Vulture's Peak)  -    peace  stupa.  Have  lunch  at Rajgir. Proceed to Patna after lunch. Overnight at Patna.  

Day   08:   Patna  -   Vaishali  -   Kushinagar:
Explore the site where Buddha  was  cremated,   Ramabhar  Stupa,  and  visit  Mahaparinirvana  Temple. Also  visit Mathakuar;  ShrineRuins  of  Makutabandhara  Vihara and Mahaparinirvana Vihara, archaeological  museum,  Wat  Thai  Kusinara  and some of the national temples; Indo-Japanese-Sri   Lakan   Center  for  Cultural  association.   Overnight  at Kushinagar.  

Day 09: Kushinagar:
09:00 A.M : Visit site of construction of the Maitreya Buddha. Re-visit Ramabhar Studpa and Mahaparinirvana Temple.  Overnight at Kushinagar.  

Day  10:  Kushinagar  - Lumbini:
07:30 A.M : Proceed after breakfast to Lumbini. Reach and sightseeing.  Visit  the  exact  spot  of  birthplace of Lord Buddha; Rummendei  Pillar   Image  of Maya Devi; and Maya Devi temple, the monastery of the Buddhist temple. Overnight at Lumbini.  
Day   11:   Lumbini   -   Shravasti:
07:30 A.M : Drive straight to Shravasti via Kapilavastu.  In Kapilavastu  visit  Shoukhandi stupa  and Shoukhandi stupa. In Sharavasti  visit Remnants  of Jetavana; Anand Bodhi Tree; Gandhakuti;  Vihara; Sahet and Mahet - Paakki Kuti and Kuchhi Kuti. Overnight in Shravasti.

Day   12:   Shravasti  -   Lucknow:
09:00 A.M : Morning at leisure and then drive straight to Lucknow. On arrival check-in your hotel.  

Day   13: Lucknow:
09:00 A.M : Morning - sightseeing tour of Lucknow, the city of the  Nawabs  and   Begums   built   in  Islamic  architecture.  The  places  to visit are Bera Imambara, Chota Imambara and the Amina Bazaar.  

Day   14:  New Delhi:
09:00 A.M : You will be transferred to the airport to board the  flight IndiGo 6E 141 departing for Delhi at 11:00 a.m.  
12:10 P.M : On   arrival   you   will   be   received   by  our representative  and transferred to your hotel. Evening free to explore the city of your own.  

Day  15:  New  Delhi:
09:00 A.M : Sight  seeing  tour of Old and New Delhi which includes  visit to Chandni Chowk, Jama Masjid, Humayun's tomb, Kutub Minar, Raj Ghat,  India  Gate,  President's  House.  In the  evening  to  shop around the illuminated streets of Connaught Place. Later you will be transferred to the International airport to board the flight for your onward journey.

The tour ends...