The Land of Lord Buddha - PI-056
Come and attain Nirvana - liberation from the sufferings of life, through the Buddhist trail of Bodhgaya, Rajgir, Nalanda and Vaishali.... in the land of its origin.
Day 1: Delhi
Monday, November 25, 2024 - Tuesday, November 26, 2024
Arrive and transfer from International Airport to Hotel for overnight stay.
Day 2: Delhi - Lucknow - Sravasti
Tuesday, November 26, 2024 - Wednesday, November 27, 2024
Morning after breakfast departure transfer to airport to depart for Lucknow. Arrive and transfer to hotel for Lunch. Later proceed to Sravasti. Saravasti - Also known as Sahet-Mahet, are two different site's, the main one being Sahet and about 500 meters away is located Mahet. Saravasti was the capital of the ancient Kingdom of Kosala. Here, according to legend, the Buddha confounded his critics by conjuring a miraculous million fold self - manifestation seated on a thousand petalled lotus, as fire and water emanated from his body. Dinner and overnight at Sravasti hotel.
Day 3: Sravasti - Kushinagar
Wednesday, November 27, 2024 - Thursday, November 28, 2024
Morning after breakfast drive down to Kushinagar. On arrival check in at hotel Kushinagar followed by lunch.Today's small town of Kushinagar was once the Kingdom of the Malla dynasty in the days of Gautam Buddha. It was known as Kushinara then and is one of the most important spots on the Buddhist pilgrimage trail. It was here at the age of 80 in the 5th century B.C. that Lord Buddha breathed his last. This is also the place where Lord Buddha preached his last sermon. Dinner and overnight in Kushinagar.
Day 4: Kushinagar - Vaishali - Patna
Thursday, November 28, 2024 - Friday, November 29, 2024
After breakfast at Kushinagar drive down to Patna. Lunch in a midway restaurant between Kushinagar and Vaishali, "ZEN" in Chakiya. Named after the King Vishala the small town of Vaishali was ruled by the Licchhavi rulers. It is believed to be the earliest republic of the world having an elected body of representatives and an efficient administration, as early as 6th century BC.Lord Buddha after attaining his Nirvana, and before attaining the Mahaparinirvana, preached his last sermon here, after which he announced his Mahaprinirvana to come soon. Vaishali is also believed to be the birthplace of Lord Mahavira, the founder of the Jain religion. Dinner and Overnight in Patna.
Day 5: Patna - Nalanda - Rajgir - Bodhgaya
Friday, November 29, 2024 - Saturday, November 30, 2024
Morning after breakfast drive down to Bodhgaya. Enroute Japanese lunch in Rajgir at Hotel Hokke via Nalanda unvesity ruins. Dinner and overnight in Bodhgaya. Nalanda is the oldest known University of the world. Although Buddha visited this place many a times in his life time, the town shot to fame much later as one of the world's greatest and best Universities. The excavations undertaken at the site have unearthed a huge complex of a University founded and patronized by the Gupta emperors. This university could accommodate thousands of students and teachers coming from various parts of the country to attain knowledge and study various aspects, which included Buddhism, Vedas and Vedic texts, Logic, Grammar, Languages, Theology, Astronomy, Mathematics and also medicine. The chinese traveler Xuan Zhuang came here and stayed here as a student and as teacher later. Rajgir is 12 kms south of Nalanda on the road to Bodhgaya and is located in a verdant valley surrounded by rocky hills. It is sacred to the memory of founders of both Buddhism and Jainism. Lord Buddha spent many months of retreat during the rainy season here and used to meditate and preach on the Griddhakuta, the hill of the Vultures.An aerial ropeway provides the link with a hilltop stupa built by the Japanese. On one of the hills is the cave of Saptparni, the first Buddhist Council was held. The Saptparni cave is also the source of the Rajgir hot water springs that have curative properties and are sacred to Hindus. Dinner and overnight in Bodhgaya.
Day 6: Bodhgaya
Saturday, November 30, 2024 - Sunday, December 1, 2024
Full day sightseeing of Bodhgaya, ( Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner at Hotel ) Here under the Bodhi tree (Tree of Awakening). Shakyamuni Gautama attained supreme knowledge to become Buddha, the "Enlightened One", the propounder of one of the great religions of the world. The tree that stands todayis believed to have grown from the original Peepal tree under which Lord Buddha meditated. River Niranjana in which the Buddha bathed after attaining enlightenment flows quietly outside the tiny hamlet, where the story of Prince Siddhartha ended and the saga of the Buddha began.
Day 7: Bodhgaya - Varanasi
Sunday, December 1, 2024 - Monday, December 2, 2024
Morning after breakfast proceed to Varanasi. Upon arrival check in at hotel. Afternoon visit to Saranath- the holy shrine of the Buddhist where LORD BUDDHA preached his first sermon after he had gained Enlightenment.
Day 8: Varanasi - Delhi
Monday, December 2, 2024 - Tuesday, December 3, 2024
Morning Ghat tour. After lunch departure transfer to airport to leave for Delhi. Upon arrival at Delhi transfer from airport to Hotel.Dinner and overnight stay at hotel.
Day 9: Delhi
Tuesday, December 3, 2024 - Wednesday, December 4, 2024
Morning half-day city tour of Old Delhi visiting
Raj Ghat the Mausoleum of Mahatma Gandhi. Jama Masjid and drive past
Red Fort. You may take a tricycle tour of Chandini Chowk. Afternoon half day city tour of New Delhi visiting drive past President House,
Parliament House (House of Representatives) and
India Gate - War Memorial (stop for photography). Visit the
Qutub Minar , 72.55 meters, high Victory Tower and proceed onto
Bahai Temple (lotus temple). Also visit the
Humayun's Tomb built of red sandstone, the first substantial example of the Mughal architecture and Laxmi Narayan Temple - a modern Hindu temple built by the Birlas, leading Indian industrialists. After dinner transfer to International Airport to fly back home.
