Buddhist pilgrimage sites in India#Primary sites

File:Great Buddha Statue, Bodh Gaya.jpg" at Bodh Gaya]]

In religion and spirituality, a pilgrimage is a long journey or search of great moral significance. Sometimes, it is a journey to a sacred place or to a shrine of importance to a person's beliefs and faith. Members of every major religion participate in pilgrimages. A person who makes such a journey is called a pilgrim.

There are number of historical Buddhist pilgrimage sites in the Republic of India.

Places associated with the life of Buddha

=Primary sites=

Buddhism offers four primary sites of pilgrimage: Lumbini (birthplace of the Buddha), Bodh Gaya (the site where the Buddha attained enlightenment), Sarnath (the location of the Buddha’s first sermon), and Kushinagar (the location where the Buddha attained parinirvana). All of these sites are located in India except Lumbini, which is located in southern Nepal. Bodh Gaya is the holiest site of Buddhism.

File:Exterior view of the Mahabodhi Temple.jpg|"Maha Bodhi Temple" at Bodh Gaya

File:Dhamek Stupa, Sarnath.jpg|Dhamek Stupa, Sarnath

File:Ancient Buddhist monasteries near Dhamekh Stupa Monument Site, Sarnath.jpg|Ancient Buddhist Monastery at Sarnath

File:Kusinara.jpg|Parinirvana Stupa at Kushinagar

File:Stupa ruins in Kushinagar.jpg|Remains of ancient stupas in Kushinagar

=Places visited by Buddha for discourse=

Andhra Pradesh:
Nagarjunakonda in Guntur district: Seat of Mahayana
Thotlakonda and Bojjannakonda in Visakhapatnam
Bihar: The name of Bihar is derived from vihara, meaning monastery, such was the association of the area with Buddhism. In addition to these sites which were visited by the Buddha, other sites in India have become notable:
Patna – 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
Haryana: Sacred places in the order of travel by Buddha, where he gave several important discourses documented in the Pali texts. After visiting Mathura, he travelled along Grand Trunk Road in Haryana (also see Buddhist pilgrimage sites in Haryana).
From Mathura in Uttar Pradesh, Buddha travelled along Grand Trunk Road in Haryana (also see Buddhist pilgrimage sites in Haryana).
Kamashpura Aastha Pugdal Pagoda (Kumashpur) in Sonipat city, the place where Buddha gave Mahasatipatthana sutta),.[https://patthana.dhamma.org/en/dhamma-patthana/ Dhamma patthana], dhamma.org.[http://sdbst.org/Kumaspur.aspx Aastha Pugdal Pagoda at Kumaspur (Kamas Nigam in Sonepat], SDBST.
Kurukshetra Stupa on the banks of sacred Brahma Sarovar in Kurukshetra city
Topra between Kurukshetra and Yamunanagar, now has a large open air museum park housing several replica of Ashoka's edicts including largest Ashoka Chakra in the world
Srughna, now known as the Sugh Ancient Mound, on outskirts of Yamunanagar city
Chaneti Stupa, on outskirts of Yamunanagar city

Other prominent historic Buddhist sites by state

All are the historic ancient sites of learning, and the list includes very few relatively new sites which have been specifically highlighted accordingly. Most of these sites have association with Ashoka and other Buddhist kings.

=Andhra Pradesh=

=Assam=

=Bihar=

Kesaria stupa
Krimila
Nalanda
Odantapuri
Saptaparni Cave
Sujata Stupa
Vaishali
Vikramshila{{Cite web|url=https://www.thegrandindianroute.com/blogs/top-buddhist-sites-in-india/|title=Top Buddhist Sites In India To Visit|language=en-IN}}
Vulture Peak

=Goa=

=Gujarat=

Vadnagar in Mehsana district[http://www.vadnagar.blogspot.com New Buddha site found in Gujarat]

=Haryana=

In 2021, it was announced that Buddha Haryana circuit will be developed by the Centre for yatra (pilgrimage).[https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/others/cleanliness-of-tiraths-a-challenge-in-haryana-101627412369348.html Cleanliness of tiraths a challenge in Haryana], Hindustan Times, 27 July 2021.

Also see above the "places visited by Buddha for discourse" which has additional sites in Haryana.

Adi Badri, Haryana{{Cite web |url=http://thebuddhistforum.com/wp/haryana-misses-the-buddha-moment-the-tribune.html |title=Haryana misses the Buddha moment : The Tribune | the Buddhist Forum |access-date=2017-07-09 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170628025026/http://thebuddhistforum.com/wp/haryana-misses-the-buddha-moment-the-tribune.html |archive-date=2017-06-28 |url-status=dead }}
Mounds: Agroha Mound, Sugh Ancient Mound
Pillars of Ashoka: (Hisar, Fatehabad Ashokan Pillar,[https://fatehabad.nic.in/tourist-place/lat-of-feroz-shah/ Lat of Feroz Shah] Topra Kalan Edicts Museum)

=Jammu and Kashmir=

Harwan, near Mughal Shalimar Garden, dating from the fifth century
Parihaspore, 20 km northeast of Srinagar
Panderathan, near Srinagar

=Madhya Pradesh=

Bagh Caves
Sanchi, site of a large stupa built by Ashoka which also houses the relics of Sariputra and Mahamoggallana, the two chief disciples of the Buddha; reputedly the place from which Mahinda set out to proselytise Sri Lanka.

=Maharashtra=

Ajanta, site of intricate Buddhist cave paintings depicting Buddhism
karla caves site of intricate Buddhist cave paintings
Ellora, site of intricate Buddhist cave paintings
Deekshabhoomi, a new 20th century site associated with Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar{{cite book|last=Lelyveld|first=Joseph|title=Great soul Mahatma Gandhi and his struggle with India|year=2011|publisher=Alfred A. Knopf|location=New York|isbn=978-0307595362|page=[https://archive.org/details/greatsoulmahatma0000lely/page/210 210]|url=https://archive.org/details/greatsoulmahatma0000lely|url-access=registration|quote=Dhamma Chakra Pravartan Din.|edition=1st}}

=Odisha=

=Telangana=

Nelakondapalli,{{cite web|url=http://museums.ap.nic.in/b-sites.htm |title=Dept. Of Archaeology & Museums |accessdate=2012-10-24 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120209160246/http://museums.ap.nic.in/b-sites.htm |archivedate=2012-02-09 }}
Phanigiri

=Tripura=

Pilak, an archaeological site in the Santirbazar sub-division of South Tripura district

=Uttar Pradesh=

Tibetan Buddhist sites

=By state=

Arunachal Pradesh: Tawang
Sikkim: Dubdi Monastery, Enchey Monastery, Pemayangtse Monastery, Ralang Monastery, Rumtek, Tashiding Monastery, Tawang Monastery, Zang Dhok Palri Phodang
Himachal Pradesh:
Dharamsala,
McLeod Ganj at Dharamsala, the primary seat of current Dalai Lama
Palpung Sherabling Monastery at Baijnath
Tabo Monastery, Spiti Valley, Himachal Pradesh
Rewalsar Lake
Karnataka: Namdroling Monastery in Bylakuppe near Mysore
Ladakh: Leh

=Sikkim=

Dubdi Monastery, occasionally called 'Yuksom Monastery' is a Buddhist monastery of the Nyingma sect of Tibetan Buddhism near Yuksom, in the Geyzing subdivision of West Sikkim district.{{cite web|url=http://sikkiminfo.in/monasteries.htm|title=Monasteries|publisher=sikkiminfo.in|accessdate=November 21, 2009|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100213055527/http://sikkiminfo.in/monasteries.htm|archivedate=February 13, 2010}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.sikkiminfo.net/monasteries.htm|title=Monasteries in Sikkim are of three types|work=Dubdi Monastery|accessdate=2010-05-05|publisher=Sikkim Info}}
Enchey Monastery is located in Gangtok, the capital city of Sikkim in the Northeastern Indian state. It belongs to the Nyingma order of Vajrayana Buddhism.
Pemayangtse Monastery is a Buddhist monastery in Pemayangtse, near Pelling in the northeastern Indian state of Sikkim, located {{convert|140|km|mi}} west of Gangtok.{{cite web|url=http://www.buddhist-temples.com/buddhist-monastery/sikkim/pemayangtse-monastery.html|title=Pemayangtse Monastery|publisher=Buddhist Tourism|accessdate=November 7, 2009}}
Ralang Monastery is a Buddhist monastery of the Kagyu sect of Tibetan Buddhism in southern Sikkim, northeastern India. It is located six kilometres from Ravangla.{{cite web|url=

http://www.buddhist-temples.com/buddhist-monastery/sikkim/ralang-monastery.html

|title=Ralang Monastery|publisher=Buddhist-temples.com|accessdate=November 21, 2009}}

Rumtek Monastery also called the "Dharmachakra Centre", is a gompa located in the Indian state of Sikkim near the capital Gangtok. It is a focal point for the sectarian tensions within the Karma Kagyu school of Tibetan Buddhism that characterize the Karmapa controversy.
Tashiding Monastery is a Buddhist monastery of the Nyingma sect of Tibetan Buddhism in Western Sikkim, northeastern India. It is located on top of the hill rising between the Rathong chu and the Rangeet River.
Tawang Monastery in the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh is the largest monastery in India and second largest in the world after the Potala Palace in Lhasa, Tibet.
Zang Dhok Palri Phodang is a Buddhist monastery in Kalimpong in West Bengal, India. The monastery is located atop Durpin Hill, one of the two hills of the town. It was consecrated in 1976 by the visiting Dalai Lama.

File:Tawang Monastery Doorway Mandala.jpg|The Manadala at the "Kakaling", the entry gate to the Tawang Monastery

File:Main Shrine of Pemangytse Gompa with prayer flags.jpg|Pemayangtse Monastery

File:Zang Dhok Palri Phodang 01.jpg|The Zang Dhok Palri Phodang monastery atop Durpin Hill

File:PrayerWheelsRumtek.JPG|Prayer Wheels in the Rumtek Monastery

File:Window of prayer hall, Enchey.jpg|Ornately carved colourful Window of Enchey Monastery

File:Yuksom Dubdi Gompa.jpg|Dubdi Monastery

File:The golden chorten - tashiding.jpg|The Golden Chorten near Tashiding Monastery

File:Ralong monastery - top view.jpg|Ralang Monastery

{{wide image|Vikramjit-Kakati-Rumtek.jpg|800px|Rumtek Monastery, Sikkim, India}}

References

External links

;

[http://www.buddhist-temples.com/buddhist-pilgrimage.html Buddhist pilgrimage sites in India]
[http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/pilgrim/places.htm Pilgrims Guide to Buddhist India: Buddhist Sites]

Pilgrimages

Category:Pilgrimage in India

Category:Lists of pilgrimage sites in India

Category:India religion-related lists