SRAVASTI
SRAVASTI: Sravasti, the capital of the ancient kingdom of Kosala, has the honour for sheltering Buddha for 24 rainy seasons in the Jetvana Gardens.
The city believed to be founded by the mythological king Sravast, has age-old stupas, majestic monasteries and several temples. Buddha is said to have performed some miracles here.
This holy place also has the famous Anand Bodhi tree, an offspring of the one, said to have been planted by Buddha’s main disciple
Air: Nearest airport is Lucknow, 151 km away.
Rail: Balrampur railway station, 19 km away.
Road: The most convenient way to reach Sravasti is via Lucknow
SANCHI
SANCHI: Sanchi, 52 km from Bhopal and 10 km from Vidisha railway station, is a serene hill crowned by a group of stupas, monasteries, temples and pillars dating from 3rd Century BC to the 12th Century AD. The glory that was Sanchi, an ancient seat of Buddhist learning and place of pilgrimage, can still be experienced in its complex structures where many Buddhist legends found expression in the rich sculpture.
Sanchi is little more than a small village at the foot of the hill on which the site is located. The Buddhist sites of Sanchi were included on the World heritage List in 1989.
The Buddha is not represented through figures at Sanchi, but through symbols, as was the tradition in the early period of Buddhism. The lotus represents the Buddha’s birth, the tree signifies his enlightenment, the wheel represents his first sermon and the stupa represents his nirvana or salvation. The footprints and the throne denote the Buddha’s presence.