India is the birth place of several religions and during ancient period of Indian history, two great religions of the world, Jainism and Buddhism were born here. Buddhism is a religion that covers an array of traditions, beliefs and practices principally based on teachings, discourse and sermons of Lord Buddha. While Buddhism is practiced primarily in Asia, the two major branches, namely Theravada ("The School of the Elders") and Mahayana ("The Great Vehicle") are now found all over the world. Although Buddhism was born in India, it has traveled to places like Thailand, Sri Lanka, Laos, Cambodia, Myanmar, Bangladesh, Nepal, Korea, Japan, China, Tibet, Vietnam, Mongolia and Indonesia. Being the birth place of the religion, India houses several Buddhist pilgrimage destinations, which are visited by pilgrims from all over the world. Some of these are listed below. Lumbini - The Birth Place of Lord Buddha Situated near the Nepal-India border, Lumbini is the birth place of Lord Buddha and is an important Buddhist pilgrimage centre of India. The great Buddhist ruler Ashoka visited the site two centuries later and constructed a stupa and pillar in acknowledgment. Although it has now it is mostly cracked, these remain as important marks of the Buddha's birthplace. Lumbini is visited by pilgrims from all parts of the World throughout the year, making it an important pilgrimage destination. Bodhgaya , Bihar Bodhgaya is the place where Lord Buddha attained enlightenment. It is a small town famous for the Bodhi tree which is said to be the descendant of the tree under which Gautama Buddha attained enlightenment after three consecutive days and nights of meditation. The major attractions of Bodhgaya include Bodhi tree, Dungeshwari caves and the Mahabodhi temple complex. This is one of the most important Buddhist pilgrimage destinations as it marks the birth of a new religion, Buddhisim. Sarnath , Uttar Pradesh Situated about 13 km from Varanasi, Sarnath is the place where Lord Buddha delivered his first sermon called Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta after the attainment of enlightenment. It is one of the most visited sites among all the Buddhist pilgrimage destinations in India. This is the place where the most famous Buddhist hymn ‘Buddham Sharnam Gacchami’ originated. Sarnath houses several stupas and monasteries, which include stupas and monasteries which include Dhamek Stupa, Dharmarajika Stupa, Chaukhandi Stupa and Ashoka Pillar. Kushinagar , Uttar Pradesh Kushinagar is a district in the state of Uttar Pradesh and is one of the most revered places for the followers of Buddhism. This is the place where Lord Buddha delivered his last sermon and attained Nirvana. Rambhar, which is located in the Kushinagar district is the place where Lord Buddha was cremated, thus making it a holy place for his followers. Kusshinagar houses a number of Buddhist shrines, namely Mahaparinirvana temple, Wat Thai temple, Ramabhar Stupa and Japanese temple. Shravasti , Uttar Pradesh One of the most frequently visited places by the Buddhist pilgrims is Shravasti, which is situated in the state of Uttar Paradesh. It is the place where Buddha is said to have performed great miracles. One of the legends narrates how on throwing down the seed of a mango, a great mango tree instantly arose and another tells how Buddha stood in the air, the lower part of his body engulfed in flames, with five hundred jets of water streaming from the top of his body. This is one of the revered Buddhist pilgrimages destinations of India. Tawang , Arunachal Pradesh Tawang is a small town situated in the North-Eastern state of Arunachal Pradesh at an altitude of approximately 3,048 metres (10,000 ft). The town houses the largest monastery in India, which was founded by Merak Lama Lodre Gyatso between 1680 and 1681 in accordance with the wishes of the 5th Dalai Lama. The monastery belongs to the Gelugpa School and has a religious association with Drepung Monastery in Lhasa. The hill town is one of the most prominent Buddhist Pilgrimage centers of India. Runtek , Sikkim Buddhism is one of the major religions followed in the North-Eastern state of Sikkim and houses 75 Buddhist monasteries, the oldest dating back to the 1700. Rumtek monastery, also known as Dharmachakra Centre, is a Tibetan Buddhist monastery located in the Indian state of Sikkim near the capital Gangtok. Built by the 9th Karmapa Wangchuk Dorje during the 16th century, Rumtek served as the main seat of the Karma Kagyu lineage in Sikkim. The monastery is at present the largest in Sikkim and is home to several monks and where they perform the rituals and practices of the Karma Kagyu lineage. A Golden Stupa is present within the premises of the monastery, which contains the vestiges of the 16th Karmapa. Opposite to this shrine is a college named Karma Shri Nalanda Institute for Higher Buddhist Studies. Mcleodganj , Dharamshala , Himachal Pradesh Situated about 9 km from the city of Dharamshala in Himachal Pradesh is a small hill town named Mcleodganj. This hill station with a magnificent view of the Dhauladhar range of the Himalayas is the seat of his holiness, the Dalai Lama and the headquarters of Central Tibetan Administration, (the Tibetan government in exile). There are several monasteries have been built in the whole of Dharamshala, which makes it one of the important places for the followers of Buddhism. Tabo Monastery , Himachal Pradesh Tabo Monastery situated in the Tago village of Spiti Valley in Himachal Pradesh, was founded by the Tibetan Buddhist lotswa Rinchen Zangpo in the year 996 CE. It is one of the oldest monasteries in India that still exist. The 14[SUP]th[/SUP] Dalai Lama held the Kalachakra ceremonies in the year 1983 and 1996, respectively in this particular monastery. The monastery houses several stupas , two of these stupas dates back to 13[SUP]th[/SUP] century. This is one of the frequently visited Buddhist pilgrimage destinations of India.
These are not only Buddhist Pilgrimage but also The places to be visited in Hindu religion . I have noticed that all the religions some how come to same locations and same ideals
