Buddha Purnima 2022: Buddha Purnima or Buddha Jayanti celebrates the birth anniversary of Gautam Buddha. An important festival of people who follow Buddhism, it is celebrated in most of East Asia. This year, this festival is celebrated on 16 May. On this occasion, let’s take a look at Buddhist pilgrimage sites in India.
Bodh Gaya, Bihar
It is considered one of the four major Buddhist pilgrimage sites. Declared as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Mahabodhi temple complex houses several sacred sites such as the Vajrasana or Diamond Throne, an 80-foot Buddha statue, the Mahabodhi Stupa, and a lotus pond. It also houses the famous Bodhi tree under which Prince Siddhartha attained enlightenment and became Gautama Buddha. The site also contains monasteries belonging to various sects of Indian Buddhism such as Bhutanese, Taiwanese, Bangladeshi, Thai and Tibetan.
Sarnath, Uttar Pradesh
Located in Varanasi, the temple complex at Sarnath is the holy site where Buddha gave his first sermon. He taught the Dhamma and formed a monastic community association here. The site is also known for famous stupas such as the Dhamek Stupa (128 feet high) and the ruins of the Ashoka Pillar. It also houses the oldest site museum of the Archaeological Survey of India which displays antiquities from the period between the 3rd century BC and the 12th century AD.
Kushinagar, Uttar Pradesh
Kushinagar is another pilgrimage site for Buddhists as it is the place where Buddha attained Mahaparinirvana or Nirvana after death. The site includes the Mahaparinirvana Temple, which houses a statue of the Buddha or ‘Dying Buddha’ carved in the 5th century. Its height is said to be more than 20 feet.
Shravasti, Uttar Pradesh
Sravasti, an ancient city, is an important Buddhist pilgrimage site as the Buddha spent most of his time after his Enlightenment. The place is believed to be the place where the Buddha performed many miracles, a place where his upper body emanated from flames and the lower half watered.
Rajgir, Bihar
Rajgir was the capital of the Magadha kingdom before Pataliputra and is known for its therapeutic hot springs. It is sacred to Buddhist followers as it was the place where Buddha resided during the rainy season. He also gave important sermons here. The place also contains a Buddhist cave of Saptaparni where the first Buddhist council was held after his death.
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