Highlights
- Visit Swyombhunath Stupa and Boudhanath Stupa in Kathmandu
- Visit Namobuddha Stupa near Dhulikhel where Mahasattwo Buddha offered in body to hungry Tigress
- Visit Lumbini Garden including Mayadevi Temple, birth place of Buddha and Puskarini Pond.
- Visit Ramgram Stupa which is the only Stupa with Original Buddha Relic.
- Tilaurakot Palace of Shakyas which Buddha left at the age of 29.
- Visit World Peace Stupa in Lumbini.
Outline Itinerary
Day 01: Kathmandu Arrival(1,350 m/4,430 ft)
Day 02: Visit Swyombhunath Stupa, Boudhanath Stupa and Namobuddha
Day 03: Fly to Bhairahawa(Lumbini) -30 minutes and visit Ramgram and Tilaurakot
Day 04: Visit Lumbini Garden
Day 05: Fly back to Kathmandu
Day 06: Departure from Kathmandu
Overview
Buddhist Pilgrimage Tour in Nepal has been designed in a way to those
travelers who are interested in Buddha’s family life, life incidents and
Buddhism. Do not get confused with Buddhist Circuit tour which covers Lumbini, Bodhgaya, Sarnath and Kushinagar. 6 Days Nepal tour includes
Kathmandu mainly Swyombhunath Stupa, Boudhanath Stupa and Namobuddha. In
Lumbini area, mainly important areas are Lumbini Garden including Mayadevi
Temple and Puskarinii Pond, Tilaurakot Palace and Ramgram Stupa in Parasi.
Swyombhunath
Stupa which is supposed to be self generated. When lotus was emerging at the
top, Manjushree made the George at Chovar to drain all the waters of big lake
to make human settlements and the Stupa was self emerged on lotus. This is more
famous among Newar Buddhism than to Tibetan Buddhism.
Boudhanath Stupa also known as Jharung Khashor as per the legends and associated with Old Poultry lady Jadzima and her four sons who started to build the Stupa. After she died, it took around 7 years to complete and for 5 days, Sun was not set. Heaven was moved after seeing the devotion of people and all 84,000 Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, Gods, Goddess and Dakinis assembled from ten directions to shower blessing and flowers on the Stupa. Then they merged in to the Stupa. Because of that, Boudhanath Stupa stands as main root of Buddhism representing minds of all Buddha’s and Bodhisattvas. That’s why, it is one of the Sacred Buddhist Pilgrimage Sites and who ever prostrate and circumambulate the Stupa with pure heart creates Good Karma and wishes fulfillment. This Stupa is very important to Tibetan Buddhism than to Newar Buddhism.
Lumbini is the place where Siddhartha Gautam was born from his mother Mayadevi on 623 BC who was going to her mother’s place to Devdaha from Tilaurakot. Now, there is a birth Marker Stone inside Mayadevi Temple. Puskarini Pond is the same pond south of Mayadevi temple where Mayadevi had bath before she gave birth to prince and purify him. The Ashoka Pillar in 3rd century by Ashoka Emperor was erected as a mark of respect after he visited Lumbini, birth place of Buddha and followed Buddhism.
Tilaurakot was the Kingdom of Sakyas. At the age of
29, Siddhartha Gautam left the Tilaurakot Palace. At the age of 35, he got enlightenment at Bodhgaya and becomes Buddha. Sarnath is the place where he gave first teachings and he got Mahaparinirvana(Death) at the age of 80 in Kushinagar. Now, birth place Lumbini lies in Nepal and rest of the 3 places lie in India.
Ramgram Stupa is another holiest place to the
Buddhism. It is the only Original Relic among 8 Relics of Gautam Buddha after
his cremation. In Kushinagar, after Buddha was cremated, his relic was
distributed to 8 Kingdoms. One of them is Ramgram. After many years later, the
great Ashoka Emperor decided to dig out all the Stupas and make 84,000 Stupas
around his kingdom. His people were succeeding to dig out 7 Stupas except
Ramgram Stupa because Naga stopped them. Just in the Stupa, there is a big
tree, if you go close and see; they are actually four different species of
trees which represent Harmony.
Namobuddha is another Sacred Buddhist Pilgrimage
which is 40 kms southeast of Kathmandu valley. This is the place where youngest Prince offered his blood and himself when he saw a hungry tigress with her newly born
babies without a moment hesitation. After-while the Prince reborn as Mahasattwo Buddha in the celestial realm of Tushita. He came down to his parents and said words of encouragements to comfort his parents saying all the stories. Parents made a small Casket made by 7 Jewels, covered his remaining bone and made the Stupa where the Casket was buried. The Stupa is 10 minutes walking down from the Cave of Hungry Tigress.