Buddhist Pilgrimage and Taj Mahal Tour is a unique journey back in time conjoining the two different sides of life. One side, i.e. Buddhist Pilgrimage in the beginning teaches us to elevate from the pains and suffering of life through treading the path walked by Lord Buddha. This includes the place of Lord Buddha’s enlightenment, Bodhgaya; the place where he delivered numerous discourses, Rajgir; the place of his first sermon, Sarnath; the site of his final Mahaparinirvana, Kushinagar and the site of his birth, Lumbini.
Other side of the journey allows tourists to witness a marvel that rose out of grief of an Emperor for his wife, Taj Mahal. This is one of the great tourist attractions often considered identical to India and its inimitable architectural heritage. Visit the world heritage site, Taj Mahal and witness the marvel erected Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan to enshrine the mortal remains of Queen Mumtaz Mahal as a perfect conclusion to the Taj Mahal & Buddhist Pilgrimage Tour.
Welcome on arrival, meet and assist by our company rep. At IGI Apt. Transfer to hotel. Overnight stay at hotel
Delhi is a city of gardens and fountains, notable examples being the Roshan Ara Gardens, Mughal Gardens, and Lodhi Gardens etc.
India Gate – This 42-metre high stone arc of triumph bears the names of 85,000 Indian army soldiers who died in the campaign of WW I, the North – West Frontier operations of the same time and the 1919 Afghan fiasco.
Rashtrapati Bhavan – The official residence of the President of India stands at the opposite end of the Rajpath from India Gate. Completed in 1929, the palace-like building is a blend of Mughal and Western architectural styles, the most obvious Indian feature being the huge copper dome.
Sansad Bhavan – Sansad Bhavan or the Parliament House from outside present’sunbroken circle of high buff pillars, and a higher storey (not originally planned) that screens a central dome. It was in this building the constituent assembly sat for three years to prepare the constitution of free India. Built on three levels, it has a red sand stone foundation storey, a buff colored storey with 144 pillars and a small attic storey. Specially imported acoustic tiles were used on the walls and sound absorbing plaster on the ceiling. The Parliament library is one of the most impressive in Asia. The Parliament House has amazing constructive geometric qualities.
Early Morning transfer to New Delhi Railway station for Lucknow. On arrival Lucknow, check-in at hotel for lunch. Evening drive for city tour. Dinner & O/night stay at hotel.
After breakfast drives to Sravasti, on arrival Sravasti, check-in at hotel. After lunch visit to see Buddhist Monuments. Dinner & O/night stay at hotel.
SRAVASTI
Sravasti, the capital of the ancient kingdom of Kosala, has the honor for sheltering Buddha for 24 rainy seasons in the Jetwana Gardens. The city believed to be founded by the mythological king Sravasti, has age-old stupas, majestic monasteries and several temples. Buddha is said to have performed some miracles here. This holy place also has the famous Anand Bodhi tree, an offspring of the one, said to have been planted by Buddha’s main disciple
After breakfast depart for Lumbini en route visit Kapilvastu. On arrival Lumbini and check-in at hotel for lunch. After lunch visit Birth place of Lord Buddha. Dinner and overnight stay at hotel.
LUMBINI
Lumbini, the birthplace of the Buddha, was located in 1890 after being untraced for 1,500 years. Lumbini grove, the sacred site of Lord Buddha’s birth is today a small village in Nepal, 27 kms from Sonauli on the Indo-Nepal Border. Three hundred years after the Mahaparinirwana, Emperor Ashoka visited Lumbini and erected a pillar there. This pillar, though broken, still remains at the site. It is known as the Rummendei Pillar after the earlier name of the place (modern name Rupandhei) in Nepal.
After breakfast depart for Kushinagar. On arrival Kushinagar and check-in at hotel for lunch. After lunch visit Mahaparinirwana Temple and Ramabhar Stupa. Dinner and overnight stay at hotel.
KUSHINAGAR
Kushinagar is where the Buddha finally attained Mahaparmirvana. Amongst the ruins are the Mukutbandhan Stupa and a beautiful statue of the reclining Buddha. An inscribed relic casket was dug out of the ruins of a stupa at Piprahwa, now identified as Kapilavastu.
After breakfast depart for Vaishali. Lunch in hotel in Vaishali. On arrival Vaishali and check-in at hotel. After lunch visit to see Buddhist Monuments. Dinner and overnight stay at hotel.
After breakfast depart for Rajgir. On arrival Rajgir and check-in at hotel for lunch. After lunch visit to see Gridhakuta peack, Jeevak Hospital, Bimbisar Jail etc. Dinner and overnight stay at hotel
VAISHALI
Five after the Enlightenment in Bodh Gaya, Lord Buddha came to Vaishali, the capital of one of the first republican states in the world. Situated on the northern banks of the Ganga, Vaishali is bound by the hills of Nepal on the north and the river Gandak on the west. The Lichchavi nobility came to receive the Enlightened One with a cavalcade of elephants and chariots bedecked with gold. As the Lord set foot on the soil of Vaishali, loud thunder followed by a heavy downpour purged the plague-infected city. The Buddha preached the Ratna Sutra to those assembled, and eighty four thousand people embraced the new faith. In Vaishali for the first time women were ordained into the Sangha. The Buddha’s foster mother, Mahaprajapati Gautami, along with 500 Sakyan women made a pilgrimage by foot from Kapilvastu to Vaishali, seeking to join the Order. Three times the Lord refused their entreaties. Ultimately they shaved their heads, donned the orange robes and beseeched the Lord once again. The Enlightened One was finally persuaded to admit the women as bhikshunies or nuns.
After breakfast drive to Bodhgaya. On arrival Bodhgaya and check-in at hotel. After lunch visit Mahabodhi Temple for meditation. Dinner and overnight stay at hotel in Bodhgaya.
BODHGAYA
As the place of the Buddha’s Enlightenment, Bodhgaya is the spiritual home of Buddhists. It attracts tens of thousands of believers from all over the world. Bodhgaya situated near the river Niranjana, is one of the holiest Buddhist pilgrimage centers since it was here that Buddha attained enlightenment under the Bodhi tree. The population of this town is 22,000 and is situated at an altitude of 113 m. Maximum temperature in summer rises to 45-47 degree Celsius and minimum is 27 degree, while in winter maximum is 28 degree and minimum is 4 degree. It receives an annual rainfall of 1,860 mm. Most countries with vast Buddhist population have a temple or monastery here.
NALANDA
Nalanda was the most renowned university in ancient India. It derived its name from Na-alam-da, meaning Insatiable in Giving, one of the names by which the Lord Buddha was known. Established in the 5th century B.C. it remained a live center of learning till the 12th century A.D. when it was destroyed by the invader Bakhtiar Khilji. Lord Mahavira and the Buddha both taught here for years. Hsuan Tsang. The Chinese traveler studied here in the 7th century A.D. and there is a monument in his memory.
He was one amongst many of those from East and Southeast Asia who came here to study logic, meta-physics, medicine, prose composition and rhetoric. The University of Nalanda offered free educational and residential facilities to as many as 10,000 students and 2000 teachers, for it were supported by a number of villages. Its library, Ratna Sagar, is believed to have contained nine million volumes. It is not surprising, then, that the destruction of this university dealt a crippling blow to Buddhist education in India. The Archaeological Survey of India maintains the Nalanda Museum across the road which houses some exquisite bronzes of the 9th and 10th centuries, Pala dynasty, and other remains excavated at the site. The beautiful Thai Temple and the Nava Nalanda Mahavihara, a center for research in Pali and Buddhist studies, are 2 kms from the main site.
RAJGIR
The picturesque Rajgir, or Rajagriha as it was known in the past (literally, the abode of kings) is surrounded by the meandering river Banganga and 5 hills. During the lifetime of the Buddha this was the capital of the powerful Magadha kingdom, ruled by the virtuous King Bimbisara. The hills and caves surrounding Rajagriha were home to spiritual teachers, ranging from the materialism of the early Charavaka School to the metaphysics of Upanishad philosophers. Like many others in search of truth, Prince Siddhartha, after he renounced his royal heritage came to this city to seek the path of vation. Siddhartha overwhelmed the citizens of Rajagriha with his serenity and grace. Even the king went to meet the ascetic and was amazed to learn that he was a Kshatriya of royal descent. Bimbisara offered half his kingdom to Siddhartha but all he received was an assurance that when Siddhartha achieved his goal he would return to Rajagriha. The first Buddhist structures at Rajgir were raised when Ajatsatru built a monastery and a stupa over his share of the Buddha’s ashes.
Full day city tour or meditation in Bodhgaya. All meals will be at hotel. Overnight stay at hotel.
After breakfast drive to Varanasi en route visit Sarnath. On arrival Varanasi and check-in at hotel for Lunch. Evening visit River Ganges for Aarti. Dinner & overnight stay at hotel in Varanasi.
SARNATH
Sarnath, where the Buddha preached his first sermon in the Deer Park, contains the most impressive remains, as well as a modem temple. The Dharmarajika, Chaukhandi and Dharnek stupas are outstanding. There are also the remains of a monastery, and the beautifully polished Lion Capital of Ashoka. Sarnath contains a rich library and at the Mula gandha Kutir Vihara there are excellent frescoes by Kosetsu Nosu. The Sarnath Museum, not far from the site, contains some of the finest specimens of Buddhist sculpture. Among all centers of Buddhist worship, the Vaisakha (April-May) full moon is observed as the anniversary of three important events – the Buddha’s birth, Enlightenment and death, while the Asadh (July – August) full moon is observed.
After breakfast full day city tour and shopping. Evening transfer to Varanasi Railway station for Agra. On arrival Agra and transfer to hotel for rest and breakfast. After that visit to see TAJ MAHAL-WONDER OF THE WORLD and Agra Fort. Evening free for shopping. Dinner and overnight stay at hotel in Agra.
TAJ MAHAL
The Taj Mahal ‘Crown of the Palace’ is an ivory-white marble mausoleum on the right bank of the river Yamuna in the Indian city of Agra. It was commissioned in 1632 by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan (r. 1628–1658) to house the tomb of his favourite wife,
Mumtaz Mahal; it also houses the tomb of Shah Jahan himself. The tomb is the centrepiece of a 17-hectare (42-acre) complex, which includes a mosque and a guest house, and is set in formal gardens bounded on three sides by a crenellated wall.
Construction of the mausoleum was essentially completed in 1643, but work continued on other phases of the project for another 10 years. The Taj Mahal complex is believed to have been completed in its entirety in 1653 at a cost estimated at the time to be around ₹32 million, which in 2020 would be approximately ₹70 billion (about U.S. $1 billion). The construction project employed some 20,000 artisans under the guidance of a board of architects led by the court architect to the emperor, Ustad Ahmad Lahauri. Various types of symbolism have been employed in the Taj to reflect natural beauty and divinity.
The Taj Mahal was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983 for being “the jewel of Muslim art in India and one of the universally admired masterpieces of the world’s heritage”. It is regarded by many as the best example of Mughal architecture and a symbol of India’s rich history. The Taj Mahal attracts more than 6 million visitors a year[3] and in 2007, it was declared a winner of the New 7 Wonders of the World (2000–2007) initiative.
After breakfast drive to Delhi. On Delhi and take lunch of city restaurant, after that drive for Combined Delhi Tour. Afternoon free for leisure or shopping till departure time. Evening transfer to IGI Apt. for next destination.
