ESCAPE ESCAPE Photo: Parikshit Rao Photo: Parikshit Into the Sacred Groves A pilgrimage following the Buddha’s life meanders through bucolic vistas—fields stretching up to the horizon, discreet ruins that form our historical treasures, and a sense of tranquillity that lies at the heart of his philosophy.

Simar Preet Kaur groves cover the land where the first Sangha was formed near

Varanasi, while his final resting Rao Photo: Parikshit he Indo-Gangetic Plain, place rests amidst sugarcane where the Buddha spent fields. These groves form a sacred adjoining a hot, dusty, and 249 BC to commemorate his visit in search of enlightenment, tree that is considered a direct his lifetime, is criss- trail that holds infinite rewards flat village; a well-maintained, here was discovered in 1896, as which he found 500 km away descendant of the original. The crossed with a network for the dedicated seeker and the sprawling complex of monasteries was the Maya Devi Temple, which from Lumbini in a village called town remains the nerve centre Tof rivers that is as intricate as the curious wanderer alike. and temples built in traditional marks the place of Buddha’s Bodh Gaya in present-day Bihar. of the Buddhist pilgrimage trail, plants and the stories that grow If we follow the Buddha’s styles of architecture by Buddhist birth. Recent excavation work The fig tree under which he having drawn the pious into out of its rich soil. It encompasses life chronologically, at the countries from around the world, revealed the ruins of a wooden meditated for 49 days and became its aura for centuries. It is here a landscape so vast and so fertile beginning of the trail is an flanked by landscaped gardens, shrine pointing to the 6th century Golden statues of the Buddha has since come to be in Bodh Gaya that the grand that it feels only right that the unassuming village that is given all of which can be explored BC, making it evident that the Gautama Buddha, known as the Bodhi Tree. Over Kalachakra initiation ceremony peepul tree, under which the a miss by most travellers despite The Seated from atop the hard saddle of a site still holds many surprises. Padmasambhava, 200 years later, Emperor Ashoka is scheduled to be held early next Buddha gained enlightenment, being his birthplace. Lumbini, Buddha at the local bicycle equipped to kick up It is believed that Prince and Amitayus commemorated the site by year from January 14 to 25. be right here. Mustard fields as it is known, is steeped in Gupta Temple in more dust—it lies just across the Siddhartha Gautama renounced in Namdroling building the Mahabodhi Temple, Moving on to the adjoining fringe the settlement around the contradictions—a World Heritage Sanchi, Madhya Sunauli border on the Nepal side. civilisation and walked out of his Monastery, a restored structure of which state of Uttar Pradesh, we come tree, paddy fields and mango Site of supreme significance Pradesh. A pillar of Ashoka constructed in childhood home in Kapilavastu Bylakuppe. stands today beside a Bodhi to the timeless ghats of Varanasi.

50 June - July 2015 India Now Business and Economy n www.ibef.org India Now Business and Economy n www.ibef.org June-July 2015 51 ESCAPE ESCAPE

Buddhism’s many facets Sanchi Stupa Namdroling Thiksey Gompa Nalanda in Bihar to Karla Caves in in Madhya Monastery in in Ladakh for the reckon with the ruins Maharashtra to Whether it is relics or rituals, signs of Pradesh to Bylakuppe, awe-inspiring of an ancient university see rock-cut caves Buddhism’s evolution over the past experience Karnataka, 15m-high statue that sheltered where monks took two millennia are present in remote tranquillity in for a glimpse of the Maitreya 10,000 students and shelter from rain as mountains and deep caves alike in India. Buddha high one of the oldest of Tibetan flourished for long ago as 2nd Here are five places that make for a good stone structures Buddhism amidst in the trans- 800 years. century BC. introduction to the many layers of the trail. in the country. sandal groves. Himalayas. Photo: Parikshit Rao Photo: Parikshit Photo: Parikshit Rao Photo: Parikshit Photo: Parikshit Rao Photo: Parikshit

From here, a 13-km drive takes Vipassana meditation courses. The Thiksey Monastery at Leh comprises twelve levels aside to uncover remains of a Above: The Shanti you to the revered remains of the Shravasti—home to the ascending a hillside. 6.10 metre-long sandstone Stupa was built in Begin with the arts Deer Park at Sarnath, where the Jetavana Grove where the Buddha Below: The Great Drigung Kagyud Lotus Stupa at Lumbini. statue of the Reclining Buddha 1991 by Japanese Here’s our round-up of doors to begin unlocking: Buddha preached the first sermon spent 24 monsoons, is also an ideal inside the Mahaparinirvana monks to promote to his five companions. Together place for meditation. Remains Temple, which purportedly world peace in Literature: An End to Suffering: The Buddha in the World by they formed the first Sangha—a of his hut are visible to tourists marks the site where the Changspa, Leh. Pankaj Mishra chronicles the life of the Buddha and addresses community of Enlightened Ones today, though during its peak era, Buddha attained nirvana after Top right: Located the question of Buddhism’s relevance in today’s complexities. ordained by the Buddha himself. Jetavana thrived with temples death. It is built adjacent to at an height of Cinema: Kundun, directed by Martin Scorsese, tells the story of Excavations done since the late and meditation halls, with deep the Mahaparinirvana Stupa; 4116m and 7 km 18th century have unearthed woods not far in the distance. You Ramabhar Stupa nearby is his from Kaza, the Ki the 14th Dalai Lama through unforgettable imagery. remains of the Dhamekh Stupa need not work hard to imagine cremation site. Like Lumbini, Monastery is the Music: Sacred Tibetan Chant recorded by Sherab Ling built by Ashoka, along with the scene of the Buddha under a Kushinagar too has Buddhist largest monastery Monastery Monks won a Grammy in 2003 for the traditional, other temples, sculptures, and dramatic sky here; sit under the temples belonging to various in Spiti Valley. deep-throated chanting in the album. inscriptions dating back to Ananda Bodhi Tree this monsoon architectural styles, but also the 3rd century BC. Sarnath and experience time travel. like Lumbini, the intangible Art: National Museum in Delhi has a gallery dedicated to is an important excursion for Excavations were also carried charm of the place lies in its Buddhist art that spans many sects and eras, featuring stone serious pilgrims as well as neo- out in the 19th century at sacred aura, almost tangible to sculptures, bronze statues, and Thangka paintings amongst spiritualists, and is popular Kushinagar, 300 km away. Signs those willing to embrace the much else.

as a destination to undertake of centuries of neglect were swept Rao Photo: Parikshit Buddha’s teachings. 

52 June - July 2015 India Now Business and Economy n www.ibef.org India Now Business and Economy n www.ibef.org June-July 2015 53