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    IMRB International

    ATTRACTIVENESS OF BUDGET HOTELS AT

    BUDDHIST PILGRIMAGE PLACES IN INDIA

    October 2010

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    Preface

    Thailand and India have been maintaining close ties for several centuries, be it historic,

    cultural or economic. Civilizations of two countries and their linkages are reflected in religion,

    language, art & architecture, dance, drama and literature. Indian traders, priests and missionaries have

    visited Thailand since long time ago. Similarly, there are many Thai scholars and monks who have

    studied Indian and Sanskrit language in Indian universities. Movements of people from all walks of

    life for exchanging ideas and strengthening social, cultural & business cooperation have taken place

    over the centuries in both directions.

    The first ever Buddhism into the area now known as Thailand was propagated by King Asoka

    in 218 B.E. (Buddhist Era). After the successful establishment of the third council, King Asoka had

    sent monks in other parts of current-day Thailand to spread the Buddhas teachings. Subsequently,

    King Kanishaka the Great ensured spread of Mahayana Buddhism in Thailand and sent monks to

    spread the religion in Central Asia. Theravada Buddhism, the current form of Thai Buddhism, came

    into existence during the period of Anuruddha the Great, King of Bukama.

    The shared link of Buddhism is reflected in the regular pilgrimages by Thais to places of

    Buddhist interest in India. Over the years the two countries have come even closer through mutual

    political goodwill and closer people-to-people contacts, which are complemented by a rapidly

    expanding economic and business partnership. The tourism industry receives significant benefits from

    Thai-India cooperation to liberalize trade, investment, and transportation at the bilateral level

    (Thailands Look West and Indias Look East Policies) and under regional frameworks such as

    ASEAN-India Dialogue Partnership, Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and

    Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC), and Mekong-Ganga Cooperation (MGC). The number of Indian

    outbound business and leisure tourists traveling to Thailand has touched the figure of 600,000 in 2009

    (in comparison to 300,000 in 2004). The figure is likely to reach 1 million by 2013. Similarly, tourist

    arrivals from Thailand also witnessed upward movement. During the year 2009 more than 60,000

    Thai tourists visited India. The same was only 2,700 in 2004. A significant core of this figure consists

    of tourists who come to India on pilgrimage to visit Buddhist holy sites.

    Government of Indias proactive role to promote tourism in general and Buddhist circuit

    tourism in particular, coupled with the open-sky policy, has resulted in a sharp rise in Thai tourists

    heading towards India. Growing number of Thai pilgrim tourists heading towards Buddhist Circuit

    calls for providing basic facilities to service their needs in terms of stay, food, medical facilities at a

    reasonable cost. Setting up of budget hotels/restaurants by potential Thai investors in the Buddhist

    circuit for tourists coming from Thailand and other neighbouring countries to service their

    requirements may usher a new era in promoting Thai investments in India. Sensing the potential of

    attracting Thai investment to capture emerging opportunities in Buddhist circuit tourism, the Royal

    Thai Embassy, New Delhi has commissioned Business and Industrial Research Division (BIRD) of

    IMRB International to undertake a study for evaluating the feasibility and attractiveness of setting up

    Budget Hotels (2 to 3 star category) in towns and cities that host Buddhist pilgrimage sites in the state

    of Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim.

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    Table of Contents

    1 TERMS OF REFERENCE AND RESEARCH APPROACH .......................................... 8

    1.1 Terms of Reference ................................................................................................................ 8

    1.2 Research Approach and Information Sources .................................................................... 8

    1.2.1 Secondary and Database Search .............................................................. 8

    1.2.2 Primary Research Unstructured Business Interviews ........................... 8

    1.2.3 Primary Research Semi-structured Interviews ...................................... 9

    2 INDIA: DESTINATION FOR BUDDHIST PILGRIMAGE TOURISM ...................... 11

    2.1 Overview of Buddhist Circuit ............................................................................................. 11

    2.2 Spread of Buddhism in Asia ............................................................................................... 11

    BUDDHIST CIRCUIT IN INDIA ...................................................................................... 13

    2.3 Buddhist Circuit in India: Geographical Spread ............................................................. 13

    2.4 Buddhist Circuit in Bihar ................................................................................................... 15

    2.4.1 Vaishali .................................................................................................. 15

    2.4.2 Rajgir...................................................................................................... 17

    2.4.3 Bodhgaya ............................................................................................... 18

    2.4.4 Nalanda .................................................................................................. 20

    2.5 Buddhist Circuit in Uttar Pradesh ..................................................................................... 22

    2.5.1 Kapilvastu .............................................................................................. 22

    2.5.2 Sarnath ................................................................................................... 23

    2.5.3 Sravasti ................................................................................................... 24

    2.5.4 Sankisa ................................................................................................... 25

    2.5.5 Kaushambi ............................................................................................. 25

    2.5.6 Kushinagar ............................................................................................. 25

    2.5.7 Varanasi ................................................................................................. 26

    2.5.8 Lumbini (Nepal)..................................................................................... 27

    2.6 Buddhist Pilgrimage Sites in Orissa................................................................................... 29

    2.7 Other Buddhist Excursions Sites........................................................................................ 29

    2.8 Popular Routes to Cover Buddhist Pilgrimage Sites ........................................................ 32

    2.8.1 Road Distance among the important sites .............................................. 33

    3 UNDERSTANDING TRAVELER DYNAMICS .............................................................. 36

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    3.1 Taking a deep dive into destinations .................................................................................. 36

    3.2 Tourist Inflows in the Buddhist Circuit States ................................................................. 39

    3.3 Inflow of Travelers across Buddhist Circuit ..................................................................... 40

    3.3.1 Overall.................................................................................................... 40

    3.3.2 Seasonality ............................................................................................. 42

    3.3.3 Country Wise ......................................................................................... 43

    3.4 Profile and Preferences of Foreign Travelers ................................................................... 44

    3.4.1 By Nature of Travel ............................................................................... 44

    3.4.2 By capacities to spend ............................................................................ 45

    3.4.3 Other salient points with respect to Traveler preferences and behavior 45

    3.5 Traveler Need Gaps and Pain Points ................................................................................. 49

    4 NATURE OF HOTEL INDUSTRY ACROSS THE BUDDHIST CIRCUIT ................ 52

    4.1 Competitive Landscape ....................................................................................................... 52

    4.2 Location-wise Availability of Hotels .................................................................................. 55

    4.3 Business Dynamics ............................................................................................................... 56

    4.3.1 Role of Stakeholders in the Chain ......................................................... 56

    4.3.2 Hotel price/tariffs ................................................................................... 57

    4.3.3 Occupancy rates ..................................................................................... 57

    4.3.4 Growth drivers ....................................................................................... 58

    4.3.5 Key Business Risks ................................................................................ 61

    4.4 Case for mid end budget hotel chain targeting Thai tourist............................................ 63

    4.5 Fund requirements for setting up a Hotel across destinations of primary and

    secondary importance ................................................................................................................. 64

    4.6 Attractiveness of locations for establishing hotels across Buddhist circuit .................... 66

    4.7 Locations for establishing Rest areas................................................................................. 69

    4.8 Key problems in setting up hotel/restaurant across the Buddhist circuit ...................... 70

    4.9 Possibilities of Collaboration .............................................................................................. 70

    5 POTENTIAL IN TAWANG AND RUMTEK .................................................................. 72

    5.1 TAWANG (Arunachal Pradesh) ........................................................................................ 72

    5.1.1 Major Routes to Cover Arunachal Pradesh ........................................... 73

    5.1.2 Tourist arrivals in Arunachal Pradesh .................................................... 74

    5.1.3 Profile of the Tourists ............................................................................ 77

    5.1.4 Major Barriers for Low Tourist Turnout ............................................... 79

    5.1.5 Future Scenario ...................................................................................... 80

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    5.2 RUMTEK (Sikkim) ............................................................................................................. 81

    5.2.1 Rumtek Monastery ................................................................................. 81

    5.2.2 Tourist Arrival in Sikkim ....................................................................... 83

    5.2.3 Profile of the Tourists in Sikkim ............................................................ 83

    5.2.4 Rumtek Visitors and Hotel Facilities ..................................................... 84

    5.2.5 Opportunity for setting up Budget Hotel in Rumtek ............................. 85

    6 TOURISM DEVELOPMENT AND INVESTMENT POLICIES .................................. 87

    6.1 National Tourism Policy Government of India ............................................................. 87

    6.1.1 Guidelines for 11th Plan Scheme ........................................................... 87

    6.1.2 Scheme for Infrastructure Development: For Buddhist Circuits ........... 88

    6.1.3 Infrastructure Development in Bihar & UP ........................................... 88

    Tourism Policy of Bihar Special reference to Buddhist Circuit .......................................... 88

    6.2 Tourism Policy of Uttar Pradesh Special reference to Buddhist Circuit .................... 90

    6.2.1 Salient Features of Uttar Pradesh state Tourism Policy ......................... 90

    6.2.2 Plans for Developing U.P. Buddhist Circuit .......................................... 90

    6.2.3 New Hotel Policy by Government of Uttar Pradesh .............................. 91

    7 GUIDELINES FOR APPROVAL OF HOTELS AND RESTAURANTS ..................... 94

    7.1 Guidelines for approval of hotels at project stage and classification &

    reclassification of hotels .............................................................................................................. 94

    7.2 GUIDELINES FOR APPROVAL OF STAND ALONE RESTAURANTS .................. 95

    7.2.1 General Terms, Conditions and Application Format for Approval of Restaurants

    95

    8 GOVERNMENT INCENTIVES FOR INVESTMENT IN HOTELS............................ 99

    8.1 Central Government Subsidy Scheme for setting up 1, 2 and 3 Star categories hotel

    projects ......................................................................................................................................... 99

    8.1.1 Interest Subsidy Scheme ........................................................................ 99

    8.1.2 Capital Subsidy Scheme ...................................................................... 100

    8.2 State Level Incentives from Uttar Pradesh ..................................................................... 101

    9 INVESTMENT IN TOURISM INFRASTRUCTURE .................................................. 102

    9.1 Major Steps in Setting up Hotels and Rest Room Facilities by Foreign Investors

    across Buddhist Circuit ............................................................................................................ 102

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    9.2 Government Bodies and Officials to be contacted for the investment in the Hotel

    Infrastructure ............................................................................................................................ 103

    9.3 Approval / Clearances Required for New Tourism Infrastructure Projects ............... 105

    10 FOREIGN INVESTMENTS IN INDIA - ROUTES AND FACILITATING

    AUTHORITIES ........................................................................................................................ 106

    10.1 Government Policy on Foreign Equity Investment ........................................................ 106

    10.1.1 Automatic Route .................................................................................. 106

    10.1.2 FIPB Route........................................................................................... 107

    10.2 Foreign Direct Investment in Specific Sectors ................................................................ 108

    10.2.1 Hotels and Tourism .............................................................................. 108

    10.2.2 Civil Aviation & Airports .................................................................... 108

    10.3 Acquisition of Immovable Property in India .................................................................. 109

    10.3.1 India: Property Fees and taxes ............................................................. 110

    10.3.2 Repatriation of Profits / Sale Proceeds ................................................ 110

    11 AIR CONNECTIVITY AND INITIATIVES TO PROMOTE BUDDHIST

    CIRCUITS ................................................................................................................................. 112

    11.1 Air Connectivity ................................................................................................................. 112

    11.1.1 Air Connectivity between Bangkok and major Indian Cities .............. 112

    11.1.2 Air Connectivity between Bangkok and Major Asian Cities............... 114

    11.2 Initiatives to Promote Buddhist Tourism ........................................................................ 115

    11.2.1 Buddhist Tourism in Orissa ................................................................. 115

    11.2.2 Bihar Tourism Initiatives ..................................................................... 115

    11.2.3 Financial Assistance from JBIC for Buddhist Circuit development in Uttar

    Pradesh 115

    11.2.6 Mahaparinirvan Express: Buddhist Circuit Special Train ................... 116

    12 REGIONAL TOURISM COOPERATION .................................................................... 118

    12.1 ............................................................................................................. ASEAN-India 118

    12.2 Mekong Ganga Cooperation (MGC) ............................................................................ 119

    12.3 BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi Sectoral Technical and Economic

    Cooperation) .............................................................................................................................. 121

    13 CONCLUSIONS ................................................................................................................ 123

    13.1 Location, Infrastructure across Buddhist Circuit .......................................................... 123

    13.2 Traveler Inflow, Profile and Need gaps ........................................................................... 125

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    13.3 Incentives and Policies Enabling Infrastructure Development in Buddhist Circuits . 127

    13.4 Hotel Industry Scenario in Buddhist circuit ................................................................... 128

    14 RECOMMENDATIONS .................................................................................................. 129

    14.1 For Investors ...................................................................................................................... 129

    15 ANNEXURE....................................................................................................................... 131

    Planned Outlay for 11th

    Five year Plan ................................................................................... 158

    Tourism Policy for Uttar Pradesh ........................................................................................... 161

    Salient Points of Uttar Pradesh state Tourism Policy ......................................... 161

    New Hotel Policy by Government of Uttar Pradesh .......................................... 165

    Indicative List1 of Respondents Contacted in the Primary Interviews phase ..................... 182

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    1 TERMS OF REFERENCE AND RESEARCH APPROACH

    1.1 Terms of Reference

    This study is aimed at addressing the following objectives:-

    1. To understand the Indian Central and State specific Government policy, laws,

    regulations for Hindu and Buddhist religious cities for tourism under ASEAN

    India, Mekong Ganga, BIMSTEC framework;

    2. To gauge the attractiveness of budget hotels and tourism infrastructure across

    identified sites;

    3. To understand the triggers and barriers for setting up the hotel and other amenities

    in the identified Buddhist circuits;

    4. To understand the location preference, facilities and pricing for the identified hotel

    concept;

    5. To understand the need-gaps and pain points across Buddhist circuit from service

    providers, i.e. airlines and tour operators.

    1.2 Research Approach and Information Sources

    The three pronged approach comprising of secondary / database search, unstructured business

    interviews and semi-structured interviews is used to address the study objectives. The details

    of the study modules are as under:-

    1.2.1 Secondary and Database Search

    Extensive secondary and database search has been done for both forming and validating the

    study hypotheses pertaining to identified information collectibles. The following databases

    subscribed by BIRD, IMRB International have been used for this study:-

    ISI Emerging Market (www.securities.com)

    ETIG (ET Intelligence Group)

    1.2.2 Primary Research Unstructured Business Interviews

    Unstructured business interviews (UBIs) have been conducted at various levels to address the

    study requirement and gauge the attractiveness of budget hotels under the scope of the study.

    The details of UBIs conducted are as under:-

    http://www.securities.com/

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    Stakeholders / Entities Buddhist Circuit across UP,

    Bihar and Nepal cluster

    NE - Tawang,

    Rumtek and Kolkata

    Hotel Owners / Managers 28 3

    Tour Operators 8 1

    Travelers / Tour Guides 2 Thai Group, 2 Vietnam

    Groups, 1 Singapore Group,

    Many individual travellers for

    SE Asia and Europe

    2

    Interactions with Monks 8 2

    Government Officials

    Tourist Offices / Airlines

    6 4

    Sub total 50 55 12

    Total 62 - 67

    Consideration for the business interviews conducted

    Interviews with hotel are conducted with general manager-level person who can

    comment on occupancy levels and seasonality for their hotel property and for the city

    in general.

    Interviews with tourist are done at tourist hotspots / near pilgrimage sites, hotel

    lobbies and coffee joints.

    Ministry and government body interviews across states include respective state

    ministry and government officials.

    Traveler interviews in tier-2 cities include the mix of corporate and leisure travelers

    depending upon the traveler profile for respective cities.

    1.2.3 Primary Research Semi-structured Interviews

    57 semi structured interviews were conducted with group leaders of international groups

    across the identified Buddhist circuits. The breakup of these interviews is as under:-

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    Buddhist Group Representatives

    from : Sample Size

    1

    Thailand 22

    Sri Lanka 18

    Others (Taiwan, Indonesia, Korea,

    Vietnam, Myanmar etc) 19

    Interactions with Monks 8

    Total 57

    1 These interviews were conducted by experienced IMRB field staff, trained by the Researcher in Charge of the

    study. All the interviews were conducted with the group leaders, i.e. the person-in-charge of the groups visiting

    the Buddhist Circuit. All interviews were conducted in English language.

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    2 INDIA: DESTINATION FOR BUDDHIST PILGRIMAGE

    TOURISM

    2.1 Overview of Buddhist Circuit

    Introduction

    India and Nepal are home to the Buddhisms most holy sites. The Buddha was born as Prince

    Siddhartha Gautama in 566 BC in Lumbini garden in present day Nepal. In the years to

    come, Prince Siddhartha would become dissatisfied with the state of human existence and

    decided to go on a spiritual search for a way to release from the cycle of births and deaths.

    His spiritual journey took him around the area of present day Indias states of Bihar and Uttar

    Pradesh.

    In 531 BC, Prince Siddhartha sat below a pipal tree, later known as Bodhi tree, for his

    meditation. In present day Bodhagaya in Bihar, he meditated with single-minded

    determination for 49 days under the Bodhi tree and attained enlightenment. From then

    onwards he was the Buddha and preached first sermon at Sarnath, near Varanasi.

    By the time the Buddha attained Mahaparinirvana (final extinction) in Kushinagar, the

    teaching he propagated had large number of followers in Northern Part of India, especially

    among warrior and merchant classes. A few months after the Mahaparinirvana, a gathering of

    monks, popularly known as the First Buddhist Council, took place at Saptaparni caves near

    Rajgir followed by the second & third Buddhist Council hundred years later at Vaishali and

    Pataliputra respectively.

    2.2 Spread of Buddhism in Asia

    Over two thousand years ago, Buddhism began to spread southwards from its place of origin

    in northern India to Sri Lanka, Burma, Thailand, Indo-China and other South East Asian

    countries. It also moved northwards into the Himalayan kingdoms (Sikkim, Bhutan, Nepal),

    Tibet, Mongolia and other parts of Central Asia, and also into China, Korea and Japan.

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    There are two major divisions of Buddhism - Theravada and Mahayana. Theravada

    Buddhism prospered in Southeast Asia, and Mahayana Buddhism is followed under the

    Chinese and Tibetan traditions. The figure below shows the spread of Buddhism to various

    countries in Asia including South East Asia:

    Historically there has been, therefore, a strong linkage between India and the countries where

    Buddhism flourished. Followers of Buddhism from these countries particularly from South

    and South-East Asia have been traveling to India, the origin of Buddhism, to visit holy sites

    which are associated with Lord Buddhas life. Travelers from different Buddhist countries

    visiting Buddhist Circuits have been rising significantly over the years.

    Several initiatives are underway between India and South & South East Asian Countries to

    improve connectivity among Buddhist countries and India. Foremost among them are the

    establishment of Tran-Asia Railway, revival of the Silk Route, development of Tamu-

    Kalemyo-Kalewa road in Myanmar for physical movement of goods and people through

    Moreh trading post in Manipur State of India, the reopening of the Nathu La for better

    connectivity between India and China, as well as increased air connectivity among the

    participating countries in open-sky policy.

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    Forging of alliances through improved physical connectivity will not only lead to stronger

    trade and political ties but also encourage increased intra-regional movement of the people

    for religious purpose. This will create an ideal background for expanding travel associated

    with Buddhist pilgrimage. Over the next few years, India can expect to receive substantially

    more Buddhist pilgrims coming from countries like Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos,

    Vietnam, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Japan, South Korea, and China.

    BUDDHIST CIRCUIT IN INDIA

    2.3 Buddhist Circuit in India: Geographical Spread

    The geographical spread of the major Buddhist pilgrim places is shown in the exhibit below:-

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    Region wise, the location of major Buddhist pilgrim places is shown in the exhibit below:-

    Sacred Sites

    These are the sites which are part of Dharma Yatra and were associated with the life of

    Buddha.

    Lumbini, Bodh Gaya, Sarnath, Kushinagar, Nalanda, Rajgir, Sravasti and Vaishali

    Other Buddhist Historical Sites

    Sanchi, Ajanta & Elora, Nagarjunakonda, Orissa sites, Tawang, Rumtek, Leh,

    Dharamsala, Tabo

    Major Buddhist Sites

    Every place on the Buddhist circuit has a history steeped in myth and meaning; every

    monument stands testimony to faith fused into reality. However, for pilgrims who are looking

    to discover the Lord Buddha who had attained all knowledge the main sites of interest would

    be:

    North East & North East West South

    Ladakh Nalanda Ajanta Caves Nagarjunakonda

    Tabo Vaishali Junnar Caves

    Kapilavastu Rajgir Bhaja Caves

    Sarnath Bodhgaya Kanheri Caves

    Sankisa Gaya Karla Caves

    Kaushambi Sikkim (Rumtek)

    Sravasti Tawang

    Sanchi Orissa Sites

    Dharamsala

    In addition to these, Lumbini falls under Nepal

    http://www.kushinagar.com/buddhist_circuit/south_india.htm#NAGARJUNAhttp://www.kushinagar.com/buddhist_circuit/north_india.htm#ladakhhttp://www.kushinagar.com/buddhist_circuit/south_india.htm#NAGARJUNA

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    Lumbini : (In present day Nepal) the birthplace of Lord Buddha.

    Bodh Gaya : (In neighbouring state, Bihar) Where he attained enlightenment.

    Sarnath : Where he held his first public discourse.

    Kushinagar : Where he attained Mahaparinirvana (Demise).

    Kapilvastu : Where Prince Siddharth grew up as a child.

    Kaushambi : Where Buddha delivered many a sermons.

    Sankisa : Where he descended after addressing his mother in Heaven.

    Sravasti : His favorite monsoon retreat.

    2.4 Buddhist Circuit in Bihar

    Tourist Map of Bihar including Buddhist Circuit is exhibited as under:-

    2.4.1 Vaishali

    Vaishali today is a small village surrounded by banana and mango groves as well as rice

    fields. Lord Buddha visited Vaishali frequently and at Kolhua, close to Vaishali, preached his

    last sermon. To commemorate the event, Emperor Ashoka, in the third century B.C. erected

    one of his famous lion pillars here. A hundred years after the Mahaparinirvana of the Buddha

    - Vaishali hosted the second great Buddhist council. Two stupas were erected to

    commemorate this event. On the outskirts of Vaishali grand double storied Buddhist

    monastery is located. Buddha often discoursed here. He extended spiritual enfranchisement to

    BIHAR

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    women by admitting them to the Holy Order which was founded here. Lord Buddha preached

    his last sermon here.

    A life size-pillar beside a brick stupa at Kolhua commemorates Buddha's last sermon and

    announcement of his approaching Nirvana. Vaishali museum houses some of the

    archaeological remains discovered here. Facing the museum is the Abhishek Pushkarni which

    was holy to Lichchhavis. On one side of the lake is newly built Vishwa Shanti Stupa, a sixth

    in the series to be erected in India. Close to the museum is the shaded stupa which is

    supposed to have housed the casket relic with the ashes of Buddha.

    The following places can be visited by visitors to Vaishali:-

    Ashoka Pillar: Emperor Ashoka built The Lion Pillar at Kolhua

    Bawan Pokhar Temple: An old temple built in the Pala period stands on the northern

    bank of Bawan Pokhar and enshrines beautiful images of several Hindu gods

    Buddha Stupa-I: The exterior of this stupa which is now in a dilapidated condition

    has a plain surface. One eighth of the sacred ashes of the lord Buddha were enshrined

    here in a stone casket

    Buddha Stupa-II: Excavation at this site in 1958 led to the discovery of another

    casket containing the ashes of the Lord Buddha.

    Abhiskek Pushkarn (Coronation tank): It contains water that was believed to be

    sacred in the old days

    Shanti Stupa: On the south bank of the coronation tank, built by Buddha Vihar

    Society.

    Kundalpur: Birth place of Lord Mahavira

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    2.4.2 Rajgir

    Rajgir, very close to Nalanda, is one of the most important tourist places in India. Being

    located in a valley, it was the capital of the Magadh Mahajanpad (State) before the formation

    of Patliputra. This place has been associated with Lord Buddha and Buddhism. Buddha spent

    many years in Rajgir and delivered sermons. The teachings of Buddha were penned down at

    Rajgir and it was also the venue for the first Buddhist Council. The Jivekarmavan monastery

    was the favorite residence for Buddha. Even Bimbisar gave Venuvan Vihar to Buddha for his

    residence. It is said that it was at Rajgir that Jivaka the physician treated Buddha after he was

    injured by his cousin Devdatta.

    Today Rajgir has come up as one of the most important pilgrimage for the Buddhist. Not

    only as a place for worship, Rajgir has come up as health and winter resort with its warm

    water ponds. These ponds are said to contain some medicinal properties which help in the

    cure of many skin diseases. The added attraction of Rajgir is the Ropeway which takes one

    uphill to the Shanti Stupa and Monasteries built by the Japanese Devotees on top of the

    Ratnagiri hills.

    The following places can be visited by the visitors to Rajgir:

    Jivakameavan Gardens: Seat of the Royal Physician's dispensary where Lord

    Buddha was once brought to have wound dressed by Jivaka, the royal physician

    during the reign of Ajatshatru and Bimbisara.

    Ajatshatru Fort: Built by Ajatshatru (6th century B.C.), the king of Magadha during

    the Buddha's time.

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    Shanti Stupa: The Vishwa Shanti Stupa is located on a 400 meter high hill. The stupa

    is built in marble and on the four corners of the stupa are four glimmering statues of

    Buddha.

    Venu Vana: Site of the monastery Venuvana Vihar built by king Bimbisara for Lord

    Buddha to reside. This was the king's first offering to Lord Buddha.

    Karanda Tank: It is the tank in which Buddha used to bathe.

    Gridhakuta:This was the place where the lord Buddha set in a motion his second

    wheel of law for three months even during the rainy season, preached many inspiring

    sermons to his disciples

    2.4.3 Bodhgaya

    Bodhgaya is the most important and sacred Buddhist pilgrimage center in the world. It was

    here under a banyan tree, the Bodhi Tree, Gautama attained supreme knowledge to become

    Buddha, the Enlightened One. Buddhism as a religion was really born here and evolved here

    through his preaching and the example of his lifestyle of great simplicity, renunciation and

    empathy for every living thing.

    There is a magnificent Mahabodhi temple and the Tree from the original sapling still stands

    in the temple premises. The temple is an architectural amalgamation of many centuries,

    cultures and heritages. While its architecture has a distinct stamp of the Gupta era, it has later

    ages inscriptions describing visits of pilgrims from Sri Lanka, Myanmar and China between

    7th and 10th century AD. It is perhaps still the same temple Hieuen Tsang visited in 7th

    century. Set among the vibrant lawns, the magnificent 52 metre high sandstone temple is

    surrounded by the Bodhi tree, beautifully carved votive stupas, chaityas and many images of

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    Buddha. It attracts tens of thousands of believers from all over the world. As the place of the

    Buddhas Enlightment, Bodh Gaya is the spiritual home of Buddhists.

    Inside the temple, in the main sanctum, there is a colossal image of the Buddha in sitting

    posture touching the earth by his right hand. In this posture the Buddha accomplished the

    supreme enlightenment. The statue is of black stone but it has been guilded by the devotees.

    The entire courtyard of the temple is studded with large number of votive stupas. These

    stupas are of all sizes built during the past 2500 years ago. Most of them are extremely

    elegant in structural beauty. The ancient railings, which surround the temple, are of the first

    century BC and are among the very interesting monuments of the century.

    Seven spots within the precincts of the Mahabodhi Temple are especially sacred because it

    was at these spots that Lord Buddha spent a week each, meditating, after his Enlightenment.

    Visitors tread these grounds reverentially and carefully because of their association with the

    Great Master.

    The following other places can be visited by the visitors to Bodhgaya:

    Animesh Lochan Chaitya: Lord Buddha spent one week here looking towards the

    great Bodhi tree out of gratitude, without twinkling his eyes.

    Bodhi Tree: The present Bodhi Tree is probably the fourth succession of the original

    tree under which the Buddha had attained enlightenment.

    Chankramana: This marks the sacred spot of the Buddha's meditative

    perambulations during the third week after enlightenment.

    Ratnagarh: The Buddha spent one week here, where it is believed that five colors

    came out of his body.

    Other Treasures of Bodhgaya:

    o 80 ft Statue of the Buddha, Lotus Tank,

    o Buddha Kund,

    o Rajayatana, Brahm Yoni,

    Monasteries: Chinese Temple & Monastery, Burmese Temple, Buddhist Monastery

    of Bhutan, International Buddhist House & Japanese Temple, Thai Temple &

    Monastery, Tibetan Monastery, and Archaeological Museum.

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    2.4.4 Nalanda

    Nalanda, founded in the 5th century AD, is famous as the ancient seat of learning. The ruins

    of the world's most ancient university lies here which is 62 km from Bodhgaya and 90 km

    south of Patna. Though the Buddha visited Nalanda several times during his lifetime, this

    famous center of Buddhist learning shot to fame much later, during 5th-12th centuries. Hieun

    Tsang stayed here in the 7th century AD and left detailed description of the excellence of

    education system and purity of monastic life practiced here. He also gave a vivid account of

    both the ambiance and architecture of this unique university of ancient times. In this first

    residential international university of the world, 2,000 teachers and 10,000 monks students

    from all over the Buddhist world lived and studied here. The Gupta kings patronized these

    monasteries, built in old Kushan architectural style, in a row of cells around a courtyard.

    Emperor Ashoka and Harshavardhana were some of its most celebrated patrons who built

    temples, monasteries and viharas here. Recent excavations have unearthed elaborate

    structures here. An International Center for Buddhist Studies was established here in 1951.

    The following places can be visited by the visitors to Nalanda:-

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    Nalanda University Ruins Archaeological Complex: The total area of the

    excavation is about 14 hectares. All the edifices are of the red brick and the gardens

    are beautiful. The buildings are divided by a central walk way that goes south to

    north. The monasteries or "Viharas" are east of this central alley and the temple or

    "Chaiyas" to the west.

    Nalanda Archaeological Museum: Opposite the entrance to the ruins of the

    university and houses, there is a small but beautiful collection of Buddhist and Hindu

    bronzes and a number of undamaged statues of the Lord Buddha that were found in

    the area.

    Nava Nalanda Mahavihara: Nava Nalanda Mahavihara is devoted to study and

    research of Pali Literature and Buddhism. This is a new institute, where students from

    foreign countries also study.

    Hieun Tsang Memorial Hall: A new construction in memory of the great Chinese

    traveler, Hieun Tsang.

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    2.5 Buddhist Circuit in Uttar Pradesh

    The map of Map of Buddhist Circuit in Uttar Pradesh is exhibited as under:-

    2.5.1 Kapilvastu

    Once the capital city of the mighty Sakya clan, it was in Kapilvastu where prince Siddhartha

    (later Lord Buddha) spent first thirty years of his life. Kapilvastu was the seat of King

    Suddhodhana. The site has been excavated between 1971 and 1977 and identified with the

    present day township of Piprahwa. One and a half kilometer away from Piprahwa lie the two

    excavated mounds. The bigger one, with a thick walled structure was supposedly

    Suddhodhana's palace. The second is identified as the ruins of Piprahwa Stupa, erected by

    Sakya rulers. While excavating this site an inscribed seal was discovered, which read 'Om

    Devaputra Vihare Kapilvastu Bhikku Sanghas' (This is the Devaputra Vihara of the

    Kapilvastu Bhikshu Sangha). There also lies a small Sri Lankan monastery, the Mahindra

    Mahavihara in the vicinity of these ruins. Meandering their way through Kapilvastu, the

    devotes feel transferred thousands of years back to an era when young Prince Siddhartha,

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    having seen the pains of life, renounced all worldly riches and pleasures in search of the path

    which leads to cessation of suffering and salvation for which he proceeded to Bodhgaya.

    2.5.2 Sarnath

    After his edification Lord Buddha himself chose Sarnath, for deliverance of his first historic

    sermon. He chose Sarnath, due to its immediacy to the world renowned city of Varanasi, the

    then hub of scholarly and cultural activities. Being about 240 km. from Bodhgaya and there

    being no means of transportation in those days, did not deter Buddha from proceeding to

    Sarnath.

    About 10 km. from the holy city of Varanasi, Sarnath is the place where more than 2,500

    years ago Buddha delivered his first sermon after attaining enlightenment. The five disciples

    who followed him there were surprised to see the mesmerizing, glowing countenance of

    Buddha, who was now ready to address his disciples. This moment in history is known as

    Dharamachakra Pravartan, which set the Sangha tradition. An imposing conical structure, 34

    meters in height, called Dhamekh stupa signifies the "seat of the holy Buddha." There are

    also the ruins of Dharmarajika Stupa, besides the original Mulgandhakuti Temple, which

    according to Hieun Tsang was about 61 mtr. high. That is the place where Buddha rested and

    meditated in Sarnath.

    After converting to Buddhism, Emperor Ashoka visited Sarnath in 273-232 B.C. and erected

    a smooth glistening stone pillar here, to mark the foundation of the Buddhist Sangha. The

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    Lion Capital on top of this pillar is now India's National Emblem. Then there is the

    Chaukhandi Stupa, which was a terraced temple during the Gupta period (4th to 6th century)

    but later in 1588 A.D., Govardhan, the son of Raja Todarmal, built an octagonal tower to

    commemorate the visit of Humayun, the Mughal emperor. His descendant Akbar, finally

    raised the present stupa in 1555 A.D. All three stupas-- Dharmarajika, Chaukhandi and

    Dhamek--are outstanding in their architectural features. A journey to Sarnath would be

    incomplete without a visit to the library at Mula Gandha Kuti Vihara, which houses some

    amazing frescoes done by Koset Nosu. The Sarnath Museum, not far from the site, also

    houses some of the finest specimens of Buddhist sculpture.

    2.5.3 Sravasti

    After attaining Enlightenment Lord Buddha was constantly mobile spreading his message of

    humanity, Universal brotherhood and salvation amongst the different segments of the society.

    This service to humanity would stop for a brief period in the monsoons. This period too,

    however, would be used by Lord Buddha to meditate and preach, on choosing an ambient

    place. It was during this process that Lord Buddha turned towards Sravasti, 134km. from

    Lucknow. During Buddha's time, Sravasti was one of the big towns in the entire Indo-

    gangetic plain. The town played host to Lord Buddha for 27 years and was his annual rainy

    season retreat. Believed to be founded by the mythological king Sravast (hence names after

    him), the site holds ruins of many ancient Stupas, majestic monasteries and beautiful temples.

    This place also has an Anand Bodhi tree, an offspring of the original Bodhi tree, planted by

    Buddha's main disciple Anand.

    This site of Mahet is spread over an area of 400 acres. The two main attractions here are the

    Pakki Kuti and the Kachchi Kuti. Sahet, spread over an area of 32 acres and a little distance

    away from Mahet, was the site where Anathpindak, a wealthy merchant, constructed the

    Jetavana Vihar. The remnants of several temples, stupas and viharas have been found here.

    Likewise the huge World Peace Bell is another attraction, which was established with the

    help of the Japanese. The motive was to convey the message of humanity of Lord Buddha

    through the bell's toll. There are also the Thai-Sri Lankan-Myanmar-Chinese-Korean

    Buddhist Temples, the Shobhnath Temple, Swarna Gandha Kuti, the Ananda Bodhi Tree and

    the Angulimal Cave.

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    2.5.4 Sankisa

    Sankisa is identified with the present village of Basantpur in Farrukhabad district of Uttar

    Pradesh. Situated on the banks of river Kali, Sankisa is most easily accessible from Agra

    which is 175 km away on the Agra-Mainpuri road. The nearest railhead is Pakhna which is

    11.5 km away. Sankisa is the place where the Buddha descended from heaven along with

    Lord Brahma and Devraj Indra after giving a discourse to his mother, Mayadevi. Emperor

    Ashoka erected a pillar here with an elephant capital to mark this holy spot.

    2.5.5 Kaushambi

    In his bid to spread his message Lord Buddha also visited Kaushambi, 60km. from

    Allahabad, counted one amongst the most prosperous cities of those times. It was the Capital

    city of the then Vatsa Janpada, with Udayan as the king. This place is believed to have been

    visited by Lord Buddha in the 6th and 9th year after attaining enlightenment. He delivered

    several sermons here, elevating it to a centre of higher learning for the Buddhists.

    Excavations have revealed ruins of an Ashokan Pillar, an old fort and the Ghositaram

    Monastery, besides a huge number of sculptures and figurines, cast coins and terracotta,

    objects.

    2.5.6 Kushinagar

    Earlier known as Kusinara, Kushinagar lies 53 km west of Gorakhpur. The place is venerated

    as the site of the Buddha's Mahaparinirvana (his death) on a full moon day. The exact spot is

    marked by the cremation stupa-the Rambhar Stupa. Legend has it that after cremation,

    Buddha's ashes were divided into eight equal parts and distributed among his eight disciples

    who later built these stupas in his memory. A temple dedicated to this event-the

    Mahaparinirvana temple, stands amidst a serene grove of Sal trees. The huge statue of the

    reclining Buddha, excavated in 1876 at the temple site, presents one of the most stunning

    sights for the devout. It is believed to have been installed here by a monk, Haribala, who

    ferried it from Mathura, during the reign of King Kumar Gupta in 5th Century A.D.

    There are stupas all over Kushinagar, including the relic stupa-Mukutbandhana and the

    Chaitayas and Viharas built by royal patrons in the Gupta period. It was several years later

    that Chinese travelers Fa Hien, Hiuen Tsang and I. Tsing visited Kushinagar and gave a

    graphic account of the place, which by the had fallen to bad times. The existing historical

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    sites at Kushinagar can be divided into three Categories: the Mahaparinirvana Temple, which

    houses the statue of the reclining Buddha, the Mata Kunwar Shrine, which houses a 10th

    Century blue schist image of Buddha, and the Rambhar Stupa, which is supposed to be the

    spot where Lord Buddha was cremated. For a long time Kushinagar remained lost in the

    jungles till the British rediscovered it in 1880. Most of the religious structures were

    constructed between 3rd century BC and the 5th century AD. Extensive excavations have

    revealed the presence of a large community of monks living in Kushinagar as late as 11th

    Century A.D., while it was an important centre of learning during the reign of the Mauryan

    Emperor Ashoka.

    The best feature of Khushinagar is that it is a meeting point of various nationalities and

    culture. On one side stands a former Chinese temple, which has been converted into an

    international meditation centre. Next to it stands a large Burmese temple. Then there is a

    small Tibetan monastery with stupas constructed in distinct Tibetan style.

    2.5.7 Varanasi

    Varanasi stands on the west bank of the holy river Ganga and is at a distance of 678 km fro

    Kolkata and 764 km fro Delhi. Sarnath is just 15 km away from Varanasi. Over 2500 years

    ago Lord Busddha travelled 200 kms from Bodh Gaya to reach the ghats of Varanasi or Kashi

    as it was then called. The Buddha shared his already attained spiritual knowledge with five

    Hindu ascetics whom he found at Rishipattana, the Dear Park near Kashi. They became

    Buddhas first followers and the first members of Sangha.

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    Varanasi is regarded as holy place for Hindus. They believe bathing in Ganga which takes

    away all sins committed so far. The panorama of Ghats is one of the most beautiful images

    of Varanasi. At the heart of the city is Kashi Vishwanath temple, the holiest shrine of Lord

    Shiva.

    2.5.8 Lumbini (Nepal)

    Being just 27 kilometers away and conveniently connected by road from Sonauli, in the state

    of Uttar Pradesh, India is obviously 'The Gateway to Lumbini'.

    On the full-moon day of May, the year 623 B.C. at the Lumbini Park, near Kapilvastu, a

    noble Prince was born. He was named Siddhartha Gautam, meaning "wish fulfilled." An

    Ashokan Pillar, built in 249 B.C., marks the exact spot where Buddha was born.

    Fa-Hien mentioned this site several hundred years later in his travelogues but was

    unfortunately not able to locate it. Faded from public memory, the original site got lost

    somewhere in the deep forest. It was located again in 1980, almost 1,500 years after Fa-

    Hien's visit and traced to a small village in Nepal. Rudiments of a broken Ashokan Pillar, an

    old monastery, and statues of Buddha's mother Maya Devi, all helped in establishing the true

    identity of Lumbini.

    On the south of this temple lies the bathing pool, Puskarni, where the Queen is believed to

    have taken a bath before the delivery. A Nepalese Buddhist temple was built sometime in

    1956, followed by a Tibetan monastery of the Sakya order in 1975, which has a beautiful

    shrine, adorned with the traditional Buddhist Murals. One can spot young monks studying

    Buddha's teachings at this Shrine in their attempt to preserve some vestiges of the lost

    Tibetan traditions.

    The following are the major places that can be visited by the visitors to Lumbini (Nepal):-

    Sagarhawa

    Identified by Archaeologists as the "Palace of Massacre of the Shakyas", the ruins of an

    ancient water tank were excavated n the forest of Sagarhawa. It lies to the north-west of

    Niglihawa.

    Gotihawa

    Located to the south-west of Tilaurkot, the place is known for an Ashokan Pillar (Whose

    upper part, capital is missing) and a huge stupa. According to the legends, the place is also

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    associated with Kanakmuni Buddha and Krakuchhanda Buddha. They arrived before Gautam

    Buddha.

    Aroarakot

    This place once had a walled rectangular fortress. The citadel was Buddha's natal town. Lying

    to the north-east of Niglihawa, here you can find remains of ancient moat and brick

    fortifications reminding you of its glorious place.

    Buddhist Temple

    The monastery of the Buddhist temple is built inside the surrounding complex of Lumbini in

    the manner of modern Buddhist shrines in Nepal. The prayer-hall contains a big image of

    Lord Shakyamuni Buddha in the medieval style. Colorful artistic murals decorate the large

    walls.

    The Ashoka Pillar

    Discovered by the now famous German archaeologist Dr. Fuhrer, the pillar is the first

    epigraphic evidence relating to the life history of Lord Buddha and is also the most visible

    land-mark of the auspicious garden. The historic importance of the pillar is evidenced by the

    inscription engraved on the pillar (in Brahmi characters). It is said that the Hindu Indian

    Emperor Ashok-the Great, who got converted, visited the site in the twentieth year of his

    accession to the throne and as a homage to the pure birth-place erected the pillar. The

    inscription on the pillar roughly translates as "King Piyadesi the beloved of the Gods, having

    been anointed 20 years, came himself and worshipped saying--Here Buddha Sakyamuni was

    born. He caused to make a stone (capital) representing a horse and he caused (this) stone

    pillar to be erected. Because here the worshipful one was born the village of Lumbini has

    been made free of taxes and recipient of wealth."

    Image of Maya Devi

    In additional to the Ashokan Pillar, the other shrine of importance is the bas-relief image of

    Maha Mayadevi-the Queen of King Suddhodan. Enshrined in a small pagoda-like structure,

    the image shows Mayadevi, the mother of Prince Siddhartha Gautama. She is seen supporting

    herself by holding on with her right hand to a branch of a Sal tree, with the newly born infant

    Buddha standing upright on a lotus pedestal on an oval halo. Two other celestial figures are

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    depicted in an act of pouring holy water and lotuses bestowed from heaven. Earlier the image

    was placed in the famous white temple of Mayadevi besides the pillar-now totally dismantled

    to make way for the excavations which revealed the Sanctum Sanctorum, the spot where

    Lord Buddha was born.

    2.6 Buddhist Pilgrimage Sites in Orissa

    The Buddhist heritage in Orissa, though not as popular in the tourist circuit, is remarkable for

    its architectureal wealth. The Kalinga war, which transformed Emperor Ashoka into a devout

    Buddhist was fought on the banks of the river Daya near the temple city of Bhubaneshwar,

    the capital of Orissa.

    Ashoka's rock edicts - Ashoka's rock edicts, dating from 260 BC, at Dhauli, 8 kms

    from Bhubaneshwar, stand testimony to his conversion to the gentle faith of the

    Buddha. These two 'Kalinga Edicts' differ from other Ashoka edicts which expound

    Buddhist principles.

    Caves of Udayagiri and Khandagiri - Dating from 2nd century BC, located on two

    separate hillocks separated by a road. At Udayagiri is the famous Hati Gumpha

    (elephant cave) of King Kharavela.

    Ratnagiri, Udaigiri and Lalitagiri - Ratnagiri was a great centre of Vajrayana

    Buddhist till the 12th century and the Mahavihara of Ratnagiri played a great role in

    the development of the Kalachakratantra during the 10th century.

    In Udaigiri, 5 kms from Ratnagiri, the remains of a sprawling monastery has been

    recently excavated, that can be reached through a long stairway.. Lalitagiri is situated

    on a small hill and has a large number of votive stupas and the remains of a chaitya

    hall.

    2.7 Other Buddhist Excursions Sites

    Dharamsala (Himachal Pradesh)

    Located in Kangra district of Himachal Pradesh this hill station with its magnificent view of

    the Dhauladhar range of the Himalayas is the seat of His Holiness, the XIVth Dalai Lama and

    the headquarters of the Tibetan government-in-exile. The town has a large Tibetan refugee

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    settlement. The Dalai Lama's temple, Namgyal monastery, houses giant stucco statues of the

    Buddha, Avalokiteshwara and Padmasambhava. Dharamsala also boasts of the Library of

    Tibetan Works and Archives, the beautiful monastery of the Nechung Oracle where one can

    witness daily services, the Men-tsee-khang, the Centre for Tibetan Medicine etc

    Tabo (Spiti Valley, Himachal Pradesh)

    Tabo is located at a hight of 3050 metres in the magnificently isolated Spiti valley in

    Himachal Pradesh. Founded in 996 AD by the great scholar, Rinchen Zangpo, as an

    institution for advanced learning, Tabo celebrated its 1000th anniversary in 1996.

    The monastery has some rare tangkhas and clay statues of the Buddha painted in the

    Kashmiri style. Not easily accessible and even today, the weather permits trekking for only a

    limited period in the year.

    Leh (Ladakh)

    The famous Buddhist gompas (monasteries) are the hallmark of Leh. Hemis, the largest of

    these gompas, founded in the 17th century, has as excellent library and is famous for housing

    the largest tangkha in India. Other gompas like Shey (15 kms from Leh), Spituk (8 kms from

    Leh), Thikse (17 kms south of Leh) are also easily accessible. However, their annual festivals

    are held during the winter months. Stok Gompa and the Stok Palace Museum (10 kms south

    of Leh) are musts for visitors to Leh because of the rare collection of paintings and tangkhas.

    Alchi has one of the most beautiful monasteries in the Himalayan region and the 70 kms road

    journey from Leh is well worth the effort. Rinchen Zangpo founded Alchi Gompa in the 11th

    century and it has some beautiful mural paintings dating from that period.

    Rumtek and Pemagyantse (Sikkim)

    Situated in the lap of the Himalayas, the eastern Indian state of Sikkim, is famous for its

    gompas and their fascinating monastic ceremonies. Rumtek is the seat of His Holiness, the

    XVIth Gyawla Karmapa, the head of the Karma Kagyu Order of Tibetan Buddhism. The

    monastery at Pemagyantse is 140 kms west of Gangtok. Situated at an altitude of 2085

    meters, Pemagyantse presents a panoramic view of the high Himalayas. Legend has it that the

    great tantric saint, Padmasambhava or Guru Rinpoche, searching for a place to meditate, shot

    an arrow in the air. The place where the arrow landed is where Pemagyantse monastery

    stands.

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    Tawang (Arunachal Pradesh)

    Tawang monastery, situated at a height of 3400 meters, in the far west of the northeast Indian

    state of Arunachal Pradesh, is one of the largest monasteries in India. The present monastery

    was built at the site of an ancient monastery in the 17th century. The VIth Dalai Lama was

    born near here. The main attractions are a gigantic 10 meters gilded statue of the Buddha, the

    large collection of priceless manuscripts, books and tangkhas, which depict the Buddha and

    tutelary deities in different poses.

    Sanchi (Madhya Pradesh)

    The complex at Sanchi has some of the oldest and finest examples of Buddhist architecture.

    The Jataka stories about the Buddha's earlier incarnations, and episodes of the Buddha's life,

    form the main subject matter in the sculpted architraves of the Chaitya, temples, pillars and

    monasteries. They present a fascinating array of complex images narrated in a linear fashion.

    The following places can be visited by the visitors to Sanchi :-

    The Great Stupa - Emperor Ashoka built this famous stupa in the 32nd century BC.

    Ashoka Pillar - Considered to be one of the finest examples of Ashokan pillars.

    Gupta Temple - This 5th century AD temple is one of the earliest known examples of

    temple architecture in India.

    Sanchi Museum -This has a small collection of sculptures from the site (caskets,

    pottery, parts of the gateway) of which the Ashoka lion capital, a yakshi and a

    beautiful Buddha in red sandstone are noteworthy.

    Ajanta & Ellora

    Situated in Aurangabad district of Maharashtra, Ajanta has acquired world renown for its

    famed paintings. The caves of Ajanta provided the canvas for innumerable paintings created

    in beginning of the 2nd century BC, and continued for 900 years. The paintings at Ajanta

    flow into one another, forming an endless kaleidoscope of colour and motion. Although the

    Jataka tales from the main theme of the paintings also depicted are scenes from contemporary

    courtly life.

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    A visit to Ajanta is incomplete without visiting the nearby caves at Ellora. Starting from the

    7th century AD, Ellora carried on the great legacy of Ajanta and was subject to Buddhist and

    later Hindu and Jain influences.

    Nagarjunakuonda

    Buddhist religion spread to Sri Lanka and Burma from the bustling Bay of Bengal ports of

    the Andhra coast. One of India's richest Buddhist sites, Nagarjunakonda, ancient Sri Parvata,

    now lies almost entirely under the Nagarjunasagar Dam. The monasteries and chaityas were

    reconstructed on top of a hill called Nagarjunakonda , which rises from the middle of the

    lake. The island takes its name from the Buddhist monk, Nagarjuna, who lived around the

    turn of the 2nd century AD and was the exponent of the philosophy of sunyata (void).

    2.8 Popular Routes to Cover Buddhist Pilgrimage Sites

    From the point of entry into India at one of the four metros, Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai &

    Chennai, it is best for the visitors to travel to either Patna or Varanasi which are well

    connected by air and rail to all these metros and make ideal gateways for visiting the sacred

    sites. Mostly Buddhist pilgrimage group cover the Buddhas pilgrimage sites starting from

    his birth place, Lumbini, and ending the pilgrimage at the place where Buddha took nirvana,

    Kushinagara. The route for various Buddhist pilgrimage sites is pictorially shown below:-

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    However, the above route is not necessarily the only option available to the pilgrims. To

    facilitate travel by the pilgrims to sacred sites listed below the itineraries (two options) which

    would be helpful for the visitors.

    Option 1: Patna Bodh Gaya Nalanda Patna Vaishali Varanasi Kushinagar

    Lumbini Kapilvastu Sravasti Varanasi

    Option 2: Patna Bodh Gaya Nalanda Patna Vaishali Kushinagar

    Lumbini Sravasti Varanasi Sarnath Varanasi

    Varanasi & Gaya are also now connected by air with some of the overseas destinations (flight

    details provided in the later part).

    2.8.1 Road Distance among the important sites

    DISTANCE CHART(All distance are in kilometers and approximately calculated)

    Patna -

    Bodhgaya

    125 Patna -

    Nalanda

    90 Nalanda -

    Rajgir

    12 Rajgir -

    Bodhgaya

    80

    Bodhgaya-

    Varanasi

    275 Varanasi -

    Gorakhpur

    210 Gorakhpur -

    Kushinagar

    56 Gorakhpur -

    Lumbini

    125

    Lumbini - India

    Border

    25 Lumbini -

    Balrampur

    225 Balrampur -

    Sravasti

    15 Lumbini -

    Kapilvastu

    (India)

    110

    Kapilvastu

    (India) -

    Balrampur

    130 Sravasti -

    Lucknow

    175 Lucknow -

    Sankasia

    300 Sankasia - Agra 170

    Agra - Delhi 200 Kushinagar -

    Patna

    350 Patna -

    Vaishali

    70 Vaishali -

    Kushinagar

    280

    Varanasi -

    Allahabad

    130 Allahabad -

    Kaushambi

    54 Varanasi -

    Sarnath

    12 Lucknow -

    Agra

    363

    Modes for reaching the Buddhist Sacred Sites

    Vaishali

    o Air: The nearest airport is Patna (70 Kms).

    o Rail: Hajipur and Muzaffarpur are nearest railway stations

    o Road: Vaishali is well connected by road to Patna, Muzaffarpur and Hazipur

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    Rajgir

    o Air: The nearest airport is at Patna (101 kms)

    o Rail: Though Rajgir itself has a railway station yet the nearest convenient railhead is

    at Gaya .

    o Road: Rajgir is connected by road to Patna - 110 kms, Nalanda - 12 kms, Gaya - 78

    kms, Pawapuri - 38 kms, Bihar Sharif - 25 kms etc.

    Bodhgaya

    o Air: The nearest airport is at Gaya 7 Kms and Patna 135 kms.

    o Rail: The nearest railway station is Gaya (17km).

    o Road: Bodhgaya is well connected by road to Gaya (17km), Nalanda (101 km),

    Rajgir (78 km), Patna (135km), Varanasi (252 km), Calcutta (495km)

    Nalanda

    o Air: The nearest airport is at Patna (90 km.)

    o Rail: Though Rajgir (12 km) is the nearest railway station to Nalanda yet the nearest

    convenient rail head is at Gaya 95 km.

    o Road: Nalanda is connected by good road with Rajgir 12 km, Bodh Gaya 110 km,

    Gaya 95 km, Patna 90 km, Pawapuri 26 km, Bihar Sharif 13 km etc.

    Sarnath

    o Air: Varanasi is the nearest airport

    o Rail: Varanas (12 km) and Mughal Sarai (16km) are the nearest railway station which

    are in turn well connected with Patna, Kolkata, Delhi & Mumbai

    o Road: Varanasi (12 km) and Bodh Gaya via Mohania (240 km)

    Sravasti

    o Airport: Lucknow is the nearest airport (150 km)

    o Rail: Balarampur ( 19 km) is the nearest station

    o Road: Lucknow via Bahraich (151 km), Kapilavastu via Naugarh ( 147 km) and

    Varanasi via Lucknow ( 401 km)

    Kushinagar

    o Air: Varanasi (280km) is the nearest airport

    o Rail: Gorakhpur (56 km)

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    o Road: Gorakhpur (51 km), Lumbini via Gorakhpur (180 km), Kapilavastu (148 km)

    Kapilavastu

    o Air: Varanasi (312 km) is the nearest airport

    o Train: Gorakhpur is the best alternative though Siddharthanagar ( 20 km) is the

    nearest station

    o Road: Well connected with Gorakhpur ( 97km)

    Lumbini

    o Air: Varanasi (413 km) and Bhairawaha ( Nepal 13km)

    o Rail: Gorakhpur via Sonauli (123 km)

    o Road: Gorakhpur via Sonauli (123 km), Kushinagar vis Gorakhpur ( 180 km),

    Kapilavastu via Sonauli( 93 km), Sonauli(25 km)

    Sanchi

    o Air: The nearest airport is at Bhopal (72 km)

    o Rail: It lies on the rail route between Delhi and Bhopal. On the Delhi-Mumbai

    railway line, the nearest railhead is Vidisha (10 km).

    o Road: There is regular bus service from Sanchi to Bhopal.

    Dharmasala

    o Air: Nearest airport is at Gaggal (13km)

    o Rail: Pathankot is the nearest railway station with overnight trains to Delhi

    o Road: Well connected by road to Pathankot (90 kms), Chandigarh (248), Manali (253

    kms), and Shimla (317 kms). There are daily buses to Delhi (521 kms) as well.

    Tabo

    o Road Seasonal access by road to Manali and to Simla. A bus journey from Kaza, the

    headquarters of Spiti district, to Manali, takes twelve hours. Tabo is 33 kms, and a

    slow two-hour drive by bus from Kaza.

    Rumtek

    o Air:The nearest airport is at Bagdogra ( 124 kms from Gangtok)

    o Rail: The nearest railway stations are at Siliguri, 114 kms, and New Jalpaiguri, 126

    kms from Gangtok.

    o Road: Gangtok is 24 km from Rumtek by road.

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    3 UNDERSTANDING TRAVELER DYNAMICS

    3.1 Taking a deep dive into destinations

    From the perspective of tour planning and business potential, various destinations can be

    classified into four categories:

    Destinations of prime importance: These refer to four prime sacred sites i.e.

    o Lumbini: The place where lord Buddha was born (Nepal)

    o Bodhgaya: The place where Lord Buddha attained enlightenment (Bihar,

    India)

    o Sarnath: The place where Lord Buddha delivered his first sermon (U.P, India)

    o Kushinagar: The place where Lord Buddha attained Mahaparinirvana i.e.

    final exit from earth.

    These sites hold high significance for pilgrim travelers traveling across the

    Buddhist circuits. Some travelers were found to be making short trips with a

    purpose of visiting one or all of the sacred sites.

    Destinations of secondary importance: These refer to sacred sites (other than places

    of prime importance) located in the sates of Uttar Pradesh (U.P) and Bihar in India.

    These include following:

    o Bihar: Nalanda, Rajgir, Vaishali

    o Uttar Pradesh: Sravasti, Kapilavastu

    It is essential for every Buddhist to visit these four places once in his lifetime

    - A Buddhist Monk

    There are many groups who visit for short duration of 4-7 days and visit only 4

    sacred sites

    - Group guide, one of the leading tour operators

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    The historical significance of these sites has already been covered in detail in

    chapter 1 of the report. Interactions with tour operators and travelers revealed that

    these places also attract tourist interest as (i) Most of these places are located

    close to the sites of primary importance (ii) Most of these places had been

    personally visited by Lord Buddha during his life time. A significant number of

    the groups/travelers visiting Buddhist circuits were found visiting these sites

    Transit/Gateway points to the sacred sites: Most of the primary and secondary sites

    mentioned above are small cities/towns in remote areas. Few large cities/towns in

    these states act as transit/gateway points for travelers who visit Buddhist circuit

    o New Delhi: The capital of India acts as an entry/exit point for many groups

    visiting Buddhist circuits in India.

    o Varanasi: Located in U. P (15 kms away from Sarnath), Varanasi is one of

    the prime places of tourist interest owing to its religious significance in

    Hinduism. The city has a small airport with flight connectivity from key

    Buddhist countries attracting tourists in India (Sri Lanka and Thailand), as

    well as major Indian cities. Hence, it acts as entry/exit point for many groups

    visiting India from the aforementioned countries.

    o Gaya: Thai Airways international operate daily flights from Bangkok to Gaya

    for six months out of the year. The airport is conveniently located 15

    kilometers from Bodhagaya. It acts as a main entry point for Buddhist

    pilgrims from Thailand to India. Chartered flights from Buddhist countries

    such as Vietnam and Sri Lanka also operate services to Gaya airport.

    o Patna: The capital of Bihar has road connectivity with key sites in Bihar (115

    Kms from Bodgaya, 100 Kms from Rajgir, 56 kms from Vaishali). Also, the

    city has an airport having flight connectivity with key Buddhist countries and

    major cities in India. Hence, more often than not, Patna acts as a transit point.

    Mostly groups/travelers visit for 12-14 days and cover primary and secondary sites

    - Group guide, one of the leading tour operators

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    o Lucknow: Is the capital of state of U.P (151 Kms from Sravasti) and one of

    the leading Tier I cities in India. The city offers good rail and road

    connectivity with sites across Buddhist circuit, and acts as transit point for

    some groups visiting Buddhist circuit.

    o Kolkata: Is a leading metro city in eastern India and has connecting flights to

    Bodhgaya and leading Buddhist countries attracting traveler inflow. The city

    acts as an entry/exit point for many groups (especially those from Thailand)

    traveling to Buddhist circuit in UP and Bihar.

    o Kathmandu: This acts as an entry point for tourists groups that either

    commence their trip from Nepal and visit Lumbini prior to visiting sacred

    sites in India or an exit point for groups who end their religious trip in

    Lumbini.

    Excursion sites: Apart from major sites mentioned above there are few upcoming

    excursion sites spread all across India

    o North India :

    Kaushambhi (UP)

    Sankisa (UP)

    These cities are associated closely with Buddhism and increasingly

    gaining tourist interest because of proximity to key sites.

    Although instances of groups staying overnight are rare but many groups do stop

    over to have meals

    Manager, A leading hotel in Lucknow

    This year (2010) during the tourist season there were direct flights from Colombo to

    Varanasi for two days a week

    - Group guide, one of the leading tour operators

    Patna, because of its connectivity to various sites, acts as a transit point for many

    groups who stay overnight and then leave to desired destination

    - A leading hotel owner in Patna

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    o Central and West India: Sanchi (Madhya Pradesh), Ajanta and Ellora

    (Maharashtra). During interactions with tour operators and travelers, it was

    understood that few travelers currently visit these sites, as they do not fall in

    the main circuit.

    o Eastern India

    Orissa: Key sites include Udaygiri, Ratnagiri and Lalitgiri

    North East: Tawang and Rumtek

    During interactions with operators it was understood that negligible traveler

    groups visit these sites because of (i) paucity of time (ii) distance from the

    primary sites and limited connectivity (iii) security concerns (especially for

    sites in North East).

    3.2 Tourist Inflows in the Buddhist Circuit States

    The exhibit below shows the domestic and foreign tourist (leisure, business and pilgrimage)

    arrivals in the Buddhist Circuit states in the last two years:-

    According to me not more than 10% groups coming to India for

    Buddhist pilgrimage would be visiting Sanchi and Ajanta and Ellora

    Sanchi has recently started attracting some groups because of promotion

    and marketing initiatives by Tourism ministry in Madhya Pradesh

    A leading tour operator in India

    Kaushambhi and Sankisa are increasingly gaining tourist interest because

    of proximity to key sites. Tour groups need to extend their travel plans

    maximum by two days to visit these locations

    Manager, A leading hotel in Lucknow

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    (Figures in Thousands 1,000s)

    S.

    No.

    State / UT 2008 2009 GR

    2009/2008

    % Share in

    2009

    Rank in 2009

    DOM. FOR. DOM. FOR. DOM. FOR. DOM. FOR. DOM. FOR.

    1 Arunachal Pradesh

    149 3 195 4 30.7 30.6 0 0 30 30

    2 Bihar 11890 346 15686 423 31.9 22.4 2.4 3.1 11 9

    3 Orissa 6358 44 6892 46 8.4 3.9 1.1 0.3 16 19

    4 Sikkim 461 19 548 18 18.9 -7.4 0.1 0.1 25 21

    5 Uttar Pradesh

    124843 1610 134832 1533 8 -4.8 20.7 11.2 2 4

    6 Other States

    419281 12091 491886 11694

    Total 562982 14113 650039 13718 15.5 -2.8 100 100

    Source : Ministry of Tourism, Government of India

    * Estimated using all-India growth rate

    ** Estimated using tourist visits figures of sample hotels furnished by Delhi Govt.

    Revised figure of domestic tourist visits for 2008

    State wise salient features:-

    1. Uttar Pradesh It has attracted 1.533 million foreign tourists in 2009. This tourist

    inflow mainly comprises of tourists visiting Agra, Varanasi and other places falling

    under Buddhist circut. Destination wise details of tourists visiting Buddhist circuit is

    provided in the subsequent section.

    2. Bihar It has attracted 423 thousands foreign tourists in 2009. Despite the drop in the

    overall tourist inflow in India, the tourist inflow in Bihar has increased by 22.4%.

    Majority of the foreign tourist are visiting Bodhgaya. However, it is understood that

    many tourist are from adjacent country of Nepal.

    3. Orissa The inflow of foreign tourist in Orissa is due to Puri and Konark. These are

    the major Hindu religious destinations.

    4. Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim The sudden spurt is driven by the domestic tourist

    inflow into these states. The number of overseas visitors is very less and has remained

    stagnant over the last few years.

    3.3 Inflow of Travelers across Buddhist Circuit

    3.3.1 Overall

    Profile of tourists visiting the Buddhist circuit constitutes of both domestic and foreign

    travelers. Domestic travelers although traveling in huge proportions primarily includes locals

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    from nearby cities who visit for short trips (less than a day) and do not require any

    accommodation facilities1. The table below reveals that there has been substantial increase in

    number of travelers across all the destinations in the main Buddhist circuit. Bodhgaya, Rajgir

    and Kushinagar have shown substantial rise in foreign traveler inflow. Compounded annual

    growth rate (CAGR) for foreign traveler inflow in last four years is recorded highest in Rajgir

    at 101% followed by Bodhgaya at 42%. Sravasti and Kushinagar also recorded reported

    CAGR of more that 30%.

    * The number of travelers in Sarnath is substantially high as it includes large proportions of travelers from non Buddhist nations. Their prime motive for travel to India is to visit Varanasi. They visit Sarnath as an excursion site because of the close proximity and do not travel

    across the complete circuit

    Foreign Travelers across Buddhist Circuit Source: State Tourism Boards

    The reason for notable growth can be attributed to various initiatives taken by state/central

    government to improve accessibility and connectivity across the main tourist circuit. Few

    interesting responses captured during visits across the circuit are highlighted below:

    1 An exception to this is Varanasi, which attracts huge proportions of domestic travelers all across the country

    who visits for longer duration.

    Foreign Travelers Inflow at various sites across Buddhist Circuit

    2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 (E) CAGR

    UTTAR PRADESH (U.P) Sarnath* 201725 215911 241891 284510 290000 9% Kushinagar 13328 14128 26349 41638 44000 35% Kapilavastu 18888 17566 18253 18483 19000 0% Sravasti 28642 75428 75553 80757 85000 31% Kaushambhi 4279 4621 5212 5889 6500 11% Saansika 5000 6000 7200 7920 8500 14%

    Sub Total 271862 333654 374458 439197 453000 14% BIHAR Bodhgaya 37001 52917 120431 143880 150000 42% Rajgir/Nalanda 5491 10885 32572 85497 90000 101% Vaishali 8865 11461 9475 16709 17000 18%

    Sub Total 51357 75263 162478 246086 257000 50% TOTAL 323219 408917 536936 685283 710000 22%

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    3.3.2 Seasonality

    The foreign inflow of travelers across the Buddhist circuit is highly seasonal. The tourist

    inflow starts gaining momentum in mid August when travelers from Sri Lanka begin to travel

    and reaches its peak in December and January. These two months cumulatively accounted for

    approx 82% and 70% of total traveler inflow in Bodhgaya in the year 2007 and 2008

    respectively. The key reason for the same was understood to be the extremely hot weather

    conditions in India during April to August.

    2007 %age of

    total 2008

    %age of

    total

    Temperatures in

    degree Celsius

    (Approx.)

    Min Max

    Jan 55030 46.0% 48334 33.6% 8 24

    Feb 4615 3.9% 10936 7.6% 10 25

    Mar 4705 3.9% 7611 5.3% 13 32

    Apr 520 0.4% 1762 1.2% 20 38

    May 334 0.3% 665 0.5% 26 40

    Jun 343 0.3% 564 0.4% 27 45

    Jul 754 0.6% 1286 0.9% 27 42

    Aug 1127 0.9% 3687 2.6% 27 42

    Sep 1226 1.0% 2352 1.6% 27 42

    Oct 2660 2.2% 10305 7.2% 22 33

    Nov 5050 4.2% 6777 4.7% 12 30

    Dec 43259 36.2% 49601 34.5% 10 26

    Foreign Travelers in Bodhgaya (Month Wise) Source: State Tourism Board

    Signifies Medium Demand Signifies High Demand

    This year there were direct flights by Thai Airways and chartered flights by many airlines to

    Bodhgaya. This has been of great help to tourism in Buddhist circuit

    The completion of four lane highway connecting Bodhgaya and Varanasi has reduced travel

    time substantially

    Although there is room for improvement but the overall connectivity across the Buddhist

    circuit in Bihar has improved in last three years

    Tour operators in India

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    3.3.3 Country Wise

    The data available from tourism board in Bihar for country wise inflow of travelers during

    peak season (October March) for Bodhgaya reveals that inflow of travelers is spread across

    various Buddhist countries. It should be noted that among all the countries from which

    travelers travel to India China, Japan, Sri Lanka and Thailand have witnessed highest growth

    rates in terms of compounded annual growth rates (CAGR). Among the top 4 countries in

    terms of growth rates travelers, Sri Lanka scored number one in volume terms followed by

    Thailand. China, on account of ongoing Buddhist renaissance and efforts by Indian

    government to allure tourist has witnessed remarkable growth in traveler inflow at 352%

    CAGR in the last three years. Apart from top four destinations, tourists from Singapore and

    Vietnam have also picked up in the last two years and are expected to rise in medium to long

    term.

    Country 2007 2008 2009 (E) YoY

    (2008 and 2009)

    CAGR

    China 380 3480 7770 55% 352%

    Japan 890 9076 10016 9% 235%

    Sri Lanka 3437 11894 29784 60% 194%

    Thailand 5765


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