| Talking about the tour to Buddhist destinations, the | | | | Vikramsila : Vikramsila is the town situated in the |
| name that supercedes others is that of India. All the | | | | state of Bihar. It is also one of the popular Buddhists |
| Buddhists destinations in India are associated with the | | | | tourists destination in India. The place has the direct |
| important events of the Buddha's life, visited by | | | | relation with Lord Buddha. The Vikramsila University |
| Buddha or later covered into the great Buddhist | | | | was founded in the 8th century AD and became the |
| centers. Visitors coming to India must visit these | | | | intellectual center for the Tantric Buddhism. The |
| destination to get the religious experience of the | | | | University was built under the patronage of |
| history and significance of Buddhism. | | | | Dharmapala, a Pala King. Also known as Paramsaugata |
| Nalanda: Nalanda 62 km from the Bodhgaya in Bihar, | | | | meaning the chief worshiper of the Lord Budddha. |
| was established in the 5th century AD. Nalanda is | | | | Amravati : Amravati is situated in the Indian state od |
| popular as the ancient university with the rich library. | | | | Andhra Pradesh. It is an excavation site of an ancient |
| Lord Buddha had visited the Nalanda several times | | | | Buddhist stupa. It is also famous for the 2000 years |
| during his life time. He stayed here at the Pavarika | | | | old ruins of the Buddhist settlement. It is the sacred |
| mango groove which was later purchased by the | | | | pilgrim center for the Buddhist all over the world. Te |
| merchants and gifted to the Buddha. But the place | | | | envoy of the Emperor Ashoka, spread Buddhism in |
| became famous as the center of the Buddhist | | | | this area and laid the foundation of the Great Stupa |
| learning during the 5th -12th century AD. It is the first | | | | at Amravati. The grand carvings depict the scenes of |
| International university with strength of 2,000 | | | | everyday life of Buddha. |
| teachers and 10,000 monks students from all over | | | | Don : Soon after the cremation of Buddha, a dispute |
| the Buddhist world. | | | | arose among the disciples of Buddhaon the issue of |
| Sanchi : Sanchi is 9 km from Vidisha in Madhya | | | | the division of the ashes. Eventually a Brahmin Dona, |
| Pradesh. It is scattered with numerous Buddhist | | | | was given the task to divide the ashes of Buddha, |
| structures like pillars and stupas. Sanchi is listed as the | | | | which he did to the satisfaction of all the eight |
| World Heritage Site. Sanchi was the ancient seat | | | | disciples. As a reward he was given the vessels of |
| learning and the place of pilgrimage. The Buddha is | | | | the ashes, which he had divided. He therfore decided |
| not represented as the figures in Sanchi, but through | | | | to enshrine this vessel in the stupa. |
| the symbols, as was the tradition in the early period | | | | Ellora : There are 34 Buddhist caves at Ellora, |
| of the Buddhism. The place holds the decay of the | | | | conveying the nobility, grace and serenity of Buddha. |
| Buddhist art and architecture for a period of about | | | | The ruins of the ancient Buddhist school are still there |
| thirteen hundred years. | | | | in the Ellora caves. The sculptures at Ellora represent |
| Ajanta : The Ajanta caves at the distance of 100 km | | | | the life of Buddha. Ellora caves have been listed in the |
| from the district of Aurangabad in the state of | | | | World Heritage Site. |
| Maharashtra. It was discovered in the 19th century | | | | Bodhgaya : Prience Gautama attained enlightenment in |
| and depict the story of Buddhism. Ajanta has 29 | | | | this sacred place under the famous Bodhi tree some |
| caves that were all built as secluded retreats for the | | | | 25,000 years ago and came to be known as the |
| Buddhists monks. The sculptures and paintings of the | | | | Lord Buddha. I is regarded as the major Buddhist |
| caves reflect the life of Buddha. The flying Apsara | | | | pilgrimage center in India. |
| and the image of the preaching Buddha in cave 17 | | | | Lumbini : Lumbini is the sacred birthplace pf Lord |
| are the two great works in Ajanta. The caves | | | | Buddha. It is cuddled in the foothills of the great |
| serves as the residence of the Buddha monks for | | | | Himalayas near the Indo Nepal Border. It is the place |
| more than 800 years. It is now declared as theWorld | | | | which should be visited by the person in devotion. |
| Heriatge Site by the UNESCO. | | | | Lumbini is the important Buddhist pilgrimage center. |