HISTORY & GEOGRAPHY
Kushinagar is a pilgrimage center nestled in beautiful state of Uttar Pradesh. It is situated in Northern India, Few kilometers from Gorakhpur (Uttar Pradesh). This place is famous because The Great Lord Buddha attained Nirvana here. It is one of the top four famous Buddhist Pilgrimages. The other three are Lumbini (Lord Buddha’s Birthplace), Bodh Gaya (He attained Enlightenment here) and Sarnath (He gave His First Teaching here). Thousands of tourists across the globe want to see this place because it has beautiful temples, stupas and surrounding monasteries. Best time to visit this splendid place is From October to April when the weather is favorable. There are various modes of transport to reach here like by road, rail and air. The languages spoken here are Hindi, English, Urdu, Bhojpuri and many more.
TOURISM IN KUSHINAGAR
The prominent tourist attraction is Parinirvana Stupa and Temple. Scholars tell that One day Lord Buddha ate mushrooms here served by one of his devotee and feel sick. He very soon got recovered from His illness and then finally He attained Nirvana at this spot. He passed away near Hiranyavati River and was cremated at The Ramabhar Stupa. There is a 20 feet long reclining statue of Lord Buddha seated on a Brick Platform. During the excavations in 1876 this image was unearthed with some huge copper vessels as well. The Buddhists states that cremated remains of Buddha are deposited in this stupa. There are several beautiful tourist attractions like Mathakaut Temple, Japanese Temple, Wat Thai Temple, Chinese Temple, Ramabhar Stupa, Birla Temple, Sun Temple, Meditation Parks and museums.
The Mathakaut Temple is situated few meters away from MahaParinirvana Stupa. This place is famous for huge black stone image of Lord Buddha in kneel down posture as found by archeologists. This pose has a very intense meaning and symbolizes the supreme moment of Buddha’s Enlightenment. The statue has been carved to represent Lord Buddha seated under the Bodhi Tree in obeisance. Therefore this shrine and statue have a deep significance in Buddhism. The Japanese Temple is famous for its Lord Buddha’s statue made up of 8 different metals (Ashta Dhatu) brought from Japan. Wat Thai Temple is one of the biggest temples built by Thai community. It is built in typical Thai Buddhist architectural style. Chinese Temple is famous for its jaw dropping décor. Ramabhar Stupa is famous because Lord Buddha was cremated here. The statue is 50 feet high and a pond close by namely Ramabhar Jheel which completely dries up in extreme summer months. The road connects Kushinagar and Deoria. This is one of the sacred sites. Birla Temple is built by the well renowned Birla family and is truly dedicated to Lord Shiva. This temple provides accommodation to Hindu Buddhist tourist at very economical rates. The highlight is the marble statue of Lord Shiva on tiger flash cushion. The statue shows that Lord Shiva is meditating and is in Dhyan Mudra. Sun Temple is dedicated to the Sun God. The temple is famous for its two idols of the Sun God which were carved out of a special black stone (Neelmani Stone). The statue was found during excavations conducted between 4th & 5th century. Meditation Park has been recently constructed near the Nirvana temple. The place is ideal for tranquility. Beautiful flowers, tall trees, widespread green grass carpets and artificial water bodies make this place ideal for meditation and relaxation. One can rejuvenate themselves just by sitting here in this park. Kushinagar Museum is one of the major tourist places. It is located near Sri-Lankan Buddhist and Indo Japan Center. This place is so perfect for Art & History Lovers. It’s a vast storehouse of essential souvenirs like statues, artifacts excavated, carved panels and many more. A traveler can get glimpse of paintings, clay and bronze seals, architectural remains, Buddhist Thangkas & icons etc.
A MUST-VISIT PLACE
During Buddha Purnima millions of devotees and travelers come here and enjoy festivities of Kushinagar. A tour to Kushinagar reveals a lot more about the culture, art and history of Buddhism. So don’t ever miss the opportunity to visit this beautiful place. A traveler feels that here time has come to a halt.
