Dambadiva Tour Packages

Prince Siddhartha Gautama was born in Lumbini, in present-day southern Nepal. What is considered the exact location of the birth is identified by a stone slab in the inner sanctum of the Maya Devi Temple, named after Siddhartha’s mother. Above the stone slab is a damaged sculpture of Queen Maya Devi holding the branch of a sala tree after giving birth to Prince Siddhartha, who stands erect on a lotus pedestal. The oldest monument at Lumbini is the Ashoka Pillar, which marks it as the birthplace of the Buddha. A little south of the pillar is the spring-fed rectangular Puskarni pond, where Maya Devi is believed to have bathed before giving birth. The Sacred Garden, developed in recent years, lies beyond the Maya Devi compound and hosts some 40 monasteries from Asian Buddhist nations. At the end of a beautiful canal- and the tree-lined avenue is the majestic World Peace Pagoda (Vishwa Shanti Stupa), built by the Nipponzan Myohoji Buddhist Order. Today, the Lumbini Sacred Garden is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a symbol of world peace.

Bodhgaya, the most important Buddhist pilgrimage site, is where Siddhartha Gautama attained full enlightenment after sitting and meditating under the Bodhi tree for 49 days. The primary points of homage here are the Bodhi tree (the current tree is a descendant of the original tree); the Vajrasana, or “diamond seat,” under the tree; and the Mahabodhi Temple, whose 52-meter spire rises up to the skies. The diamond seat, the oldest monument at Bodhgaya, is believed to have been erected by emperor Ashoka to mark the spot where the Buddha gained ultimate liberation. The Mahabodhi Temple Compound includes a number of other shrines where the Buddha spent seven weeks immediately following his experience of nirvana.

Bodhgaya, now a World Heritage Site and a thriving tourist centre, draws devotees from all over the world, who meditate, chant, offer flowers and incense, do prostrations, and engage in their respective rituals with great devotion and concentration. For many, sitting in meditation under the Bodhi tree, where the Buddha himself sat, is a profound spiritual experience.

Here the Buddha delivered his first discourse, the Dhammacakka Pavattana Sutta, which explains the four noble truths and the noble eightfold path. It was also in Sarnath that the Buddha appointed his first group of disciples (sangha) to propagate his new teaching. Among the most notable monuments at Sarnath are the Dhamek Stupa, originally built by Ashoka, and the Ashoka Pillar, whose inscription points out the necessity of unity within the sangha. The ruins of various stupas and monasteries at Sarnath bear witness to of the monastic tradition that flourished here for over 1,500 years; among the new temples is the Mulaghandhakuti Vihara, built-in 1922 by Anagarika Dharmapala. Today, hundreds of pilgrims visit the Vihara every evening to chant the Dhammacakka Pavattana Sutta, acknowledging with their voices the wisdom and compassion that began to emanate from Sarnath with the Buddha’s first sermon.

The Buddha passed away at the age of 80 in Kushinagar in eastern Uttar Pradesh. The important sites in Kushinagar are the Mahapari-Nibbana Temple, home to a superb 1,500-year-old red sandstone statue of the reclining Buddha, and the imposing Mahaparinibbana Stupa, which was built over the spot where the Buddha is said to have passed away under twin sal trees. The Buddha’s last words at Kushinagar were these: “All compounded things are subject to decay: strive with diligence” (Vaya dhamma sankhara; appamadena sampadetha). Pilgrims to Kushinagar walk in silence around the massive reclining statue of the Buddha to pay homage to the truth of impermanence and cultivate a deep sense of gratitude for the Buddha and his teaching.

Tilaurakot, in Nepal, is commonly identified as Kapilavastu, where Prince Siddhartha spent the first 29 years of his life. However, some archaeologists believe that Piprahwa, in India’s Uttar Pradesh, ten miles south of the Nepali border, is the true location of Kapilavastu.

Vaishali (Pali, Vesali) is a city of great importance in Buddhist history. Among other significant events, the Buddha admitted women into the monastic order at the Kutagarasala Vihara and delivered the famous Jewel Discourse (Ratana Sutta) to purge the city when faced with a devastating drought, famine, and plague.

The Buddha spent 25 rain retreats at Shravasti (Pali, Savatthi). Three-fourths of the Buddha’s discourses, including the well-known Lovingkindness Discourse (Karaniya Metta Sutta), was given at Jetavana Vihara here, donated by the Buddha’s great lay disciple Anathapindika.

Rajgir was the largest city in Majjhimadesa during the Buddha’s time. Among the many notable places in the area are the tranquil Vulture’s Peak (Gijjhakuta), where the Buddha meditated, and the Sattapanni Cave, where the First Council was organized after the Buddha’s passing.

The Buddha spent time in Nalanda, and his two chief disciples, Sariputta and Moggallana, also came from its vicinity. Later, the acclaimed Buddhist monastic university thrived here until its destruction by invaders at the end of the 12th century. Today there is a new Nava Nalanda university as well as a beautiful memorial honouring the 7th-century Chinese pilgrim Xuanzang (Hsüan-Tsang), whose work was indispensable for preserving India’s Buddhist heritage.

India’s golden triangle is a tourist circuit which connects the national capital Delhi, Agra and Jaipur. The Golden Triangle is so-called because of the triangular shape formed by the locations of New Delhi, Agra and Rajasthan on a map. The trips usually start in Delhi moving south to the site of Taj Mahal at Agra, then west, to the desert landscapes of Rajasthan. It is normally possible to do the trip by coach or private journey through most tour operators. The Golden Triangle is now a well-travelled route providing a good spectrum of the country’s different landscapes.

Chennai is a leading tourism hotspot of South India & known as “the Gateway to South India”. Be it glistening city lights, rugged ruins of the past or legendary temples, Chennai is blessed with all. When it comes to art, you just lay back and let Chennai flaunt its artistry that is nothing less than immaculate.

Over the years, this capital city of Tamil Nadu has brought in hi-tech infrastructure that consists of luxury hotels, exquisite restaurants, swanky bars & clubs, bustling shopping malls and rejuvenating spas. Ceyline Travels’ Chennai tour packages are the best way to explore the city and pack the best memories in your bag.

For many travellers, Kerala is South India’s most serenely beautiful state. This slender coastal strip is defined by its layered landscape: almost 600km of glorious Arabian Sea coast and beaches; a languid network of glistening backwaters; and the spice and tea covered hills of the Western Ghats, dotted with fiercely protected wildlife reserves and cool hill stations such as Munnar.

Just setting foot on this swathe of soul-soothing, palm-shaded green will slow your subcontinental stride to a blissed-out amble. Kerala is a world away from the frenzy of the rest of India, its long, fascinating backstory illuminated by historically evocative cities like Kochi (Cochin) and Thiruvananthapuram (Trivandrum).

Velankanni is a small town in the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is famous for its Roman Catholic Latin Rite Basilica of Our Lady of Good Health. Also known as the “Lourdes of the East”, nearly 2 million pilgrims visit the Basilica every year.

The origins of the church can be traced back to the mid-16th century. Three miracles were reported from the area around the Basilica – the apparition of Mary and the Christ child to a slumbering shepherd boy, the curing of a lame man and the rescue of Portuguese sailors from a violent storm. The Basilica was finally built by Portuguese sailors. Built-in the Gothic style, the Basilica contains three chapels. In 1962 it was granted the special status of a Minor Basilica by Pope John XIII.

Tirumala is one of the globe’s largest pilgrimage destinations. The holy hill of Tirumala is, on any given day, thronged with thousands of devotees who’ve journeyed to venerate Lord Venkateshwara. Around 60,000 pilgrims come each day, and darshan runs 24/7. The Tirumala Tirupathi Devasthanams efficiently administers the multitudes, employing 20,000 people to do so. Despite the crowds, a sense of order, serenity and ease mostly prevails, and a trip to the Holy Hill can be fulfilling even if you’re not a pilgrim. Queues during the annual nine-day Brahmotsavam festival can stretch for kilometres.