LORD BUDDHA & BUDDHIST PILGRIMAGE SITES IN INDIA

BUDDHISM OFFERS FOUR MAJOR SITES OF PILGRIMAGE: THE BUDDHA'S BIRTHPLACE AT KAPILAVASTU, THE SITE WHERE HE ATTAINED ENLIGHTENMENT BODH GAYA, WHERE HE FIRST PREACHED AT BENARAS, AND WHERE HE ACHIEVED PARINIRVANA AT KUSINAGARA.
SOME BUDDHIST PILGRIMAGE SITES IN INDIA ARE LISTED BELOW:
•BODH GAYA, BIHAR - THE SITE OF THE ENLIGHTENMENT OF GAUTAMA BUDDHA

•SARNATH, OUTSIDE VARANASI, UTTAR PRADESH - THE SITE OF THE FIRST SERMON

•KUSHINAGAR, UTTAR PRADESH - THE SITE OF THE BUDDHA'S PARANIBBANA

THESE ARE THREE OF THE FOUR HOLIEST SITES IN BUDDHISM. THE FOURTH, LUMBINI, THE BIRTHPLACE OF THE BUDDHA, IS NOW IN SOUTHERN NEPAL.

•PATNA, BIHAR - FORMERLY KNOWN AS PATALIPUTRA, IT WAS THE SEAT OF THE MAURYAN EMPIRE AND A SIGNIFICANT BUDDHIST CENTRE
•RAJGIR, BIHAR - FORMERLY KNOWN AS RAJAGAHA, IT WAS THE CAPITAL OF MAGADHA, RULED BY KING BIMBISARA, ONE OF THE MOST PROMINENT MONARCHS AND SUPPORTERS DURING THE LIFETIME OF THE BUDDHA
•NALANDA, BIHAR - SITE OF AN ANCIENT BUDDHIST UNIVERSITY, DESTROYED BY BAKHTIYAR KHALJI DURING ISLAMIC ATTACKS
•SRAVASTI, UTTAR PRADESH - FORMERLY KNOWN AS SAVATTHI, IT WAS THE CAPITAL OF KOSALA, RULED BY KING PASENADI, ONE OF THE MOST PROMINENT MONARCHS AND SUPPORTERS DURING THE LIFETIME OF THE BUDDHA
•VAISHALI, BIHAR - SEAT OF A REPUBLICAN STATE OF THE LICHCHAVIS, PROMINENT SUPPORTERS OF THE BUDDHA. SITE OF THE SECOND BUDDHIST COUNCIL