Tracing Buddha’s footsteps for Rs.55, 000
They are the Char Dham of Buddhist faith. In the Mahaparinirvana Sutra, the Buddha tells his followers that they can attain a noble rebirth by going on pilgrimage to the places where he was born (Lumbini), gained enlightenment (Bodhgaya), first taught (Sarnath) and attained Nirvana (Kushinagar). These four destinations are difficult to visit in one tour, unless you have discovered the little-known Indian Railways’ Buddhist Circuit Tourist Special train (earlier known as Mahaparinirvana Yatra). This eight-day train journey through destinations not on the average tourist’s map can be a memorable one even for the secular traveller. This journey into ancient India in an exclusive air-conditioned train is an altogether novel experience.
The train can be described as a no-frills Maharaja Express, the much-coveted luxury train that costs almost 20 times more. In the Buddhist Circuit train you can opt for AC 3-Tier, AC 2-Tier, First Class or First Class coupe depending on your budget and be assured of a comfortable journey, complete with good food, attendants and clean washrooms with hot water supply. Trips are scheduled between September and March every year, so you don’t have to worry about the heat and dust of central India, as there is much to see and wonder in this eight-day tour.
Let’s start at the beginning.
Bodhgaya
Gaya railway station is the first stop, some 990 km from Delhi. After a sumptuous breakfast and a 15 km bus ride, you reach Bodhgaya. The main attraction is the Mahabodhi temple, the site of the Bodhi tree under which the Buddha meditated in 500 BC. Emperor Ashoka built a temple at the site two centuries later, but it was replaced with a new one. The current temple dates back to 5th century AD—it was destroyed by Arab invaders and rediscovered in 1880s by British archaeologist Alexander Cunningham. A Peepul tree, believed to be direct descendant of the eternal Bodhi tree, is just as awe inspiring as the temple’s vault coated with 290 kg gold plates.
Do take some time out to soak in the unique global atmosphere of Bodhgaya, described as the navel of the earth in the Jatakas. It is called the United Nations of Buddhism as several countries including Bhutan, China, Japan, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Tibet and Vietnam have set up their monasteries here. The most notable is the 80 ft Buddha statue built by the Japanese and consecrated in 1989 by the Dalai Lama.
Rajgir and Nalanda
The next day takes you deep into ancient India. Nalanda, a university that was established some 1,500 years before Cambridge, lies close to the ancient capital of Magadha— Rajgir. The 80 km bus ride from Gaya to Nalanda is an educative experience of the present-day Bihar; with its impoverished villages and poor state of roads, but on reaching Rajgir you are transported to another era—a glorious one at that. Not much remains of the ancient university where at one point in time more than 1500 teachers taught several thousand students, but even the traces are awe inspiring, particularly Temple 3. This hub of Buddhist and Hindu learning that flourished in the Gupta Period was decimated by Turkish invader Bakhtiar Khilji in the 13th century. The famous library that housed thousands of manuscripts on grammar, logic, literature, astrology, astronomy and medicine were destroyed. But a walk through the remains of 11 monasteries and six temples will give you a sense of the intellectual achievements, artistic refinement and cultural depth that India and its people had attained several centuries ago.
Rajgir, the adjoining town, where the Buddha is said to have spent many a rainy season (travel was not just impractical but also considered inauspicious during these months), also has quite a few tourist sites including Bimbisar’s Jail, Jarasandh’s Akhara, Gridakuta hill, Sonabhandara cave and the Jain temples on five peaks.
Varanasi and Sarnath
Fourth day of the tour brings you to one of the most popular destinations: Varanasi. The first stop is Sarnath’s deer park, some 13 km from Varanasi, where Buddha gave his first sermon. This is the place from where India’s national emblem of Sarnath lions comes from. Apart from the Ashoka-era stupa and Buddhist temple, a visit to the museum is a must.
The famous Kashi Vishwanath temple is not in the Buddha Circuit itinerary, so you can plan to go there in the afternoon; but arguably the best of Varanasi—the evening Ganga aarti—is part of the package. It promises to be one of the most memorable experiences of your life.
Kushinagar
Next morning you travel to Gorakhpur from where you head to Kushinagar, 58 km away, by bus. This is where Buddha attained Mahaparinirvana in 543 BC. The gold-encased sleeping Buddha statue is enshrined at a temple amidst remains of a vihara dating back to 3rd century BC. At the cremation stupa, an expert guide can bring alive the dramatic events surrounding Buddha’s death and the division of his relics. Among the temples built by Buddhist sects from abroad, the Thai temple is the most prominent.
You spend the night in Kushinagar.
Lumbini
Buddha’s place of birth is situated in Nepal, 161 km away. A seven-hour bus journey will take you across the border. The tour operator takes care of visa formalities—minimal, if you are an Indian citizen. A drive through Nepal countryside takes you to a temple complex that stretches 5 km (You can take a boat to traverse the huge garden estate). The exact place of birth is inside the Mayadevi temple, and outside is an Ashoka pillar declaring that no taxes will be levied in the region of Buddha’s birth. It was this 3rd century pillar that led to the rediscovery of Lumbini in 1896. A 110-km bus drive will take you to Gorakhpur station, from where you will embark on another train journey.
Sravasti
In this ancient capital of Kosala kingdom, the Buddha spent the longest part of his life. You reach this pilgrim spot by a 65-km bus ride from Gonda railway station. Jetavana, a monastery outside Sravasti, was where the Buddha gave the majority of his discourses. It houses his hut, Gandhakuti, the Anandabodhi tree and the twin miracle stupa. It was in Sravasti that the Buddha reformed dacoit Angulimal, and a stupa marks the place. It’s the many associations and stories related to Buddha that makes this forgotten town special. It was once a flourishing trade capital that rivalled even Rajgir; it remains an important dot on the Circuit nonetheless.
Agra
The eighth and the last day of the trip is as touristy as it gets considering a visit to the Taj Mahal is scheduled. An anachronism on the Buddha Circuit, the Agra stop is a draw for its mostly foreign clientele. This is how you come a full circle in the Buddha Circuit—part train, part bus, and mostly comfortable; the journey is special not just with the various modes of travel, but also for the ancient destinations it covers. This year, it is more special: Indian Railways has a “companion free” offer for Indian nationals!