Kushinagar

Kushinagar town is an esteemed pilgrimage center of the Buddhists which is located in the Kushinagar district of Uttar Pradesh. It is a place holding great historic and spiritual importance. It is at this very place that Gautama Buddha attained Parinirvana (or final nirvana). Tourists from across the globe come here in search of peace.

Kushinagar has several stupas (a mound like structure containing Buddhist relics, once thought to be places of Buddhist worship, typically the remains of a saint) and viharas (a vihara is an Indian Buddhist monastery),which are almost in ruins but still have their own charm. Most of these structures date back to the period between the 3rd  and the 5th centuries. The Mauryan emperor Ashoka had contributed a great deal in the construction of this site. Tourists coming to Kushinagar can also visit the Muktabandhana Stupa, which houses the last cremated remains of Lord Buddha. It is considered the most important destination in Kushinagar. This place also has a beautiful idol of Lord Buddha, carved by a monk and restored by king Haribala during the period between 413-455 A.D.

According to archaeological recordings there were around ten monasteries at this Place. The Ramabhar Stupa is another attraction of Kushinagar. During the Buddha Purnima festival, Kushinagar draws maximum number of visitors.

There are two beautiful temples in Kushinagar: the Nirvana temple and the Mathakaut temple. It was near the Nirvana temple where Lord Buddha breathed his last. It is at Khushinagar where a black stone image of Lord Buddha was found  during excavations. It was called the 'Bhumi Sparsha Mudra'. The last sermon of Lord Buddha was given here.