Buddhist pilgrimages in India

Buddhism has more than 300 million followers around the world, which makes it the fourth religion (or philosophy) after Christianism, Islam and Hinduism. The history of Buddhism begins around the 5th century BC when Siddharta Gautama, prince of the kingdom of Shakya, received a spiritual awakening under a ficus tree. Siddharta Gautama then became the ‘Buddha Samyaksam’ or ‘the One who is fully enlightened.’ Until his nirvana, Buddha visited several cities in the north of India spreading his message from the middle way.

Bodhgaya, the land of Buddha’s Enlightenment

At the age of 29, Siddharta Gautama, Prince of Kapilavastu, abandoned his material and worldly life to find the truth of existence. Under a ficus tree, Siddharta Gautama became the ‘Buddha’, ‘the one who knows’ or ‘the one who is awake’. Buddhism, or the philosophy of the middle way, thus began in Bodhgaya, in the state of Bihar. It now has more than 300 million followers from all over the world. Bodhgaya along with Kushinagar, Lumbini and Sarnath is one of the four holiest Buddhist pilgrimages…

In the footsteps of Lord Buddha in India

This pilgrimage takes us from the birth of Prince Siddharta Gautama to Lumbini (Nepal) to the Buddha’s Nirvana in Kushinagar, passing through the city of his awakening (Bodhgaya) as well as where he lived and made several important sermons…