India Buddhist Circuit

The world-renowned religion of Buddhism originated in India. From here, it spread far and wide, to the other parts of the world. Many nations such as Japan, China, Korea, Thailand, Burma, and Sri Lanka, besides, of course, India, follow and practice Buddhism.

There are several Buddhist sites scattered all over India. Most of them are concentrated in the states of Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Orissa, and Andhra Pradesh.

Bihar has some of the most impressive Buddhist sites and Buddhist ruins in India. Bodh Gaya, Patna, Nalanda, Vaishali, and Rajgir are some of such sites that have several Buddhist monasteries and stupas.

Uttar Pradesh, too, has many sites that show the state's strong Buddhist links. In fact, Lord Buddha, the Enlightened or the Awakened One, spent a greater part of his life in this eastern state of India. Kapilvastu, Kushinagar, Kaushambi, Prabhosa and Sravasti are some of the chief Buddhist sites of the state.

Orissa is another state with many well-known Buddhist sites. Dhauli (Kalinga War that inspired Ashoka to adopt Buddhism was fought here), Lalitgiri (one of the oldest Buddhist settlements in the world), Ratnagiri (famous for Mahayana Sect monasteries), and Udaygiri (it has several ancient Buddhist caves) are a few of the important Buddhist spots of Orissa.

Much like Bihar, UP, and Orissa; Andhra Pradesh also has several Buddhist sites. Actually, this southern Indian state boasts of as many as 140 Buddhist sites. Nagarjuna Sagar, Amaravati, Salihundam, Dantapuram, Thotlakonda, Bavikaonda, and Sankaram are some of such sites that inspire those on the trail of Lord Buddha to visit Andhra Pradesh again and again.