Day
1
Flight to Delhi. Arrival in Delhi and transfer to the
hotel. Check in at the hotel.
Day
2
On
arrival, assistance and transfer to hotel.
Day
3
Full day city tour of Old & New Delhi. Morning visit
Qutub Minar built by Qutub-ud-Din Aibek in 1199, Humayun's
Tomb, India Gate (War Memorial Arch) and Lakshminarayan
Temple - a modern Hindu Temple. Also drive past President's
House, Parliament House, Government Secretariat Buildings
and Connaught Place shopping centre. Afternoon
visit Raj Ghat and Shanti Vana - the cremation sites
of Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru, Jama Masjid,
Red Fort and drive past Chandni Chowk.
Day 4
Transfer
to airport to connect flight for Patna . On arrival,
assistance and transfer to hotel. Afternoon excursion
of Vaishali - known for Buddha Stupas, Ashoka Pillar
and Bawan Pokhar Temple . This is the place where
Buddha announced his Mahaparinirvana and happens to
be the birthplace of Lord Mahavira.
Day 5
Morning
drive to Bodhgaya enroute visiting Nalanda and Rajgir.
Rajgir, the place where Buddha meditated and preached;
first Buddhist Council was held here and further is
known for Hot Springs, which have curative powers,
and is sacred to Hindus. Nalanda is known for its
Archaeological Complex and Museum. On arrival, check
in at hotel.
Day 6
Full
day visits - Bodhgaya, in the state of Bihar , reckoned
as the most important Buddhist pilgrimage center,
is the place where Lord Sakyamuni (Gautam Buddha)
entered into meditation after being moved by the sufferings
of mankind. The giant Bodhi Tree (Peepal) that we
see today is believed to have grown from the original
Bodhi Tree under which, sitting on the raised platform,
Prince Siddharth meditated and finally attained Nirvana.
Then there is Chaukramana, the jewel Walk, where it
is believed that the Buddha strolled while in deep
thought.
Also visit Shaivite Monastery and famous Jagganath
Temple .
Day 7
Drive to Varanasi and check in at hotel.
Day
8
Early
morning boat excursion on the river Ganges , a ferry
pilgrimage from ghat to ghat. People bathe early in
the morning to offer the prayers to the rising sun.
The two cremation ghats are Manikarnika & Harishchandra
where funeral pyre burns day and night. Every pious
Hindu believes that to die in Kashi and to be cremated
on banks of the Ganges is to attain release from the
cycle of birth and death.
Morning
sightseeing tour of the city visiting the Bharat Mata
Temple with a big relief map of India in marble, Durga
Temple, Tulsi Manas Mandir, Banaras Hindu University
which has an Art Gallery and the Mosque of Moghul
Emperor Aurangazeb built on the site of an ancient
Hindu Temple.
Afternoon
excursion of Sarnath - visit the buried Buddhist city
where Lord Buddha gave his first sermon, Sarnath was
a renowned school of learning from 6th century B.C.
to 12th century AD. Visit the ruins, the stupa, the
Buddhist temple and the Museum (Museum closed on Fridays).
Day 09
Drive
to Kushinagar and check in at hotel. Afternoon visits
- Kushinagar, one of the principal centres of Buddhist
pilgrimage, is the place of Mahaparinirvana. The monuments
of Kushinagar are situated in three distinct comprising
the main site of the Nirvana Temple , the central
stupa and surrounding monasteries
Day 10
Drive
to Lumbini and check in at hotel. Afternoon visits
- in the village of Lumbini in Nepal , the Queen Mahamaya
gave birth to Prince Siddhartha who later became the
Buddha. Over 2000 years ago the Emperor Ashoka set
up a commemorative pillar here. The pillar carries
the inscription - Here the Buddha was born-. Another
shrine preserves an ancient image depicting the nativity
of the Lord.
Day 11
Drive
to Kathmandu and check in at hotel.
Day 12
Visit Bodhnath, Pashpatinath and Bhadgaon. Bhadgaon
is a Newar city of 9th century. Visit the ancient
gateway, Durbar Square , royal residential quarter
of Bhupendra Malla, temple of Nytapole in pagoda style
and other temples. Bodhnath - visit the temple of
Bodhnath, the colossal 2500 years old Stupa, one of
the largest in the world.
This
Stupa has the all seeing-eyes of the Buddha by king
Mana Deva in expiation of his sins of the advice inset
with prayer wheels. Also visit the Pashupatinath Temple
which is noted for its erotic woodcarvings of the
struts.
Day 13
Morning
city and Swaymbhunath tour - visit the Durbar Square
, Hanuman Dhoka, the ancient royal residential quarter,
Mahadev and Parvati Temple and other temples. Also
visit Swayambhunath, the 2000 years old site with
5 dhyani Buddhas enshrined at the base of the Stupa.
Afternoon
visit Patan - visit the Old Newar City - the historic
Durbar Square, see the Golden Gate, the sky piercing
temple of Teleju and the statue of Yogendra Malla,
other temples and old windows and carved balconies
of wood, curio shops and bazaars.
Day
14
Morning
free. Transfer to airport to connect flight for Delhi
. On arrival, wait in the transit and later connect
flight back home.
|