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| DAY BY DAY ITINERARY |
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| Day 01: |
Arrive Bodhgaya from Home. On arrival met by representative at the airport and transfer to hotel. Evening at leisure. Dinner and overnight at hotel. |
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| Day 02: |
Bodhgaya: Bodhgaya in the state of Bihar , reckoned as the most important Buddhist pilgrimage centre, is the place where Lord Sakyamuni (Gautam Buddha) entered into meditation after being moved by the sufferings of mankind. Morning sightseeing tour of Bodhgaya visiting Mahabodi Temple . The magnificent Maha Bodhi temple in Bodhgaya is an architectural amalgamation of many cultures.
Dinner and overnight at hotel. |
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| Day 03: |
Bodhgaya –Nalanda-Rajghir (70 KM): Morning after breakfast drive from Bodhgaya to Rajghir via Nalanda. Rajgir was once the ancient capital of the powerful Kingdom of Maghada . From the out-skirts of Rajgir, a historic road leads to Gridhakuta or vultures peak where the Buddha preached. Here the first Buddhist Council was held after the Lord's Mahaparinirvana.
We also visit Nalanda an ancient university in India. The Chinese pilgrim-monk Xuanzang gives several explanations of the name Nalanda. One is that it was named after the Nāga who lived in a tank in the middle of the mango grove. Another - and accepted by him - is that the Bodhisatta once had his capital here and gave "alms without intermission," hence the name. It is located about 55 miles south east of Patna, and was a Buddhist center of learning from 427 CE to 1197 CE partly under the Pala Empire. It has been called "one of the first great universities in recorded history.
Dinner and overnight at hotel. |
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| Day 04: |
Rajghir-Kushinagar (Via Vaishali): Monring after breakfast at the hotel Drive from Rajghir to Kushinagar east of Gorakhpur is clebrated as the place where the Buddha died at the age of 80 and was cremated and passed into Parinirvana. This place is one of four major Buddhist pilgrimage sites. Monasteries established after the Buddha’s death flourished here until the 13th century. In the main site, the core of the Main Stupa possibly dates from Ashoka’s time with the Parinirvana Temple. The restored 6 m recumbent sandstone figure of the dying Buddha in a shrine in front , may have been brought from Mathura by the monk Haribala during King Kumargupta’s reigon (413—455 AD). Excavations were begun here by the archaeological syrvey of India in 1904—05, following clues left by the Chinese
Enrout we visit pass the Vaishali which was a capital city of the Licchavis and the Vajjian Confederacy. At the time of the Buddha, Vesali was a very large city, rich and prosperous, crowded with people and with abundant food. There were seven thousand seven hundred and seven pleasure grounds and an equal number of lotus ponds.
Dinner and overnight at hotel. |
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| Day 05: |
Kushinagar-Lumbini (130 KM): Morning after breakfast at the hotel drive from Kushinagar to Lumbini. Lumbini is located in Rupandehi District, Lumbini Zone of Nepal. It the place where Mayadevi gave birth to Siddhartha Gautama, Lumbini is located 25 km east of the municipality of Kapilavastu, the place where the Buddha grew up and lived up to the age of 29. Kapilvastu is the name of place as well as the neighboring district. Lumbini has various Buddhist temples including the Mayadevi temple and many which are presently (2007) under construction. There is also the Puskarini pond and remains of Kapilvastu palace in Lumbini. There are other sites near Lumbini where, according to Buddhist tradition, previous Buddhas were born and achieved enlightenment and died.
Dinner and overnight at hotel. |
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| Day 06: |
Lumbini-Sravasti (Via Kapilavastu) (210 KM) : Drive from Lumbini to Sravasti. The Chinese Pilgrim Hiouen Thsang found the old city in ruins, but recorded the sites of various buildings, Of the ancient Savatthi the city walls are still standing. Within these, the remains of 3 ancient buildings can be visited: Angulimala's stupa, Anathapindika's stupa, and an old temple dedicated to a Jain Tirthankara. Outside of Savatthi is located the stupa where the Twin Miracle (Pali:Yamaka Patihara) took place. The site of Jetavana monastery is the main pilgrim destination, with meditation and chanting mainly done at the Gandhakuti (Buddha's hut) and the Anandabodhi tree. Buddhist monasteries from the following countries have been constructed at Sravasti: Thailand, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Tibet and China.
Dinner and overnight at hotel. |
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| Day 07: |
Sravasti –Varanasi (350 KM) : After having breakfast in the morning, you will again leave for a sightseeing tour of the city. The tour will include a visit to Benaras Hindu University (BHU), the Archaeological Museum, Bharat Kala Bhavan and Ramnagar Fort. Varanasi also known as Benares is a also famous Hindu holy city situated on the banks of the river Ganges (Ganga). It is one of the oldest continually inhabited cities in the world, dating back thousands of years and contemporaneous with the Sumer civilisation. The city is called Kashi, "the luminous" in the Rigveda. It is often also referred to as "city of temples and learning.
Dinner and overnight at hotel. |
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| Day 08: |
Varanasi-Delhi. Transfer to aiport, fly Varanasi – Delhi. On arrival in Delhi, met by representative and transfer to hotel. Evneing at leisure. Overnight hotel at Delhi. |
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| Day 09: |
Delhi Sightseeing-Home: Morning visit the historical sights of Delhi also including the parliament house, National museum and India Gate. Evening transfer to the International airport. Fly Delhi-Home. |
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