World Heritage Journeys Buddha (2024)

13/06/2022

If you are close to Bhopal 🇮🇳, take a short trip to Islamnagar to see an important part of the historical narrative of the region.

In the 18th century, the city of Islamnagar was the capital of the Bhopal region. Large palaces were built or renovated in Islamnagar for the ruler Dost Mohammad Khan, his queens and extended family. Much of the two largest palaces still remain and are inside the original city walls.

At the Rani Mahal palace, you’ll find a charming garden and a large hall with colonnades used for public meetings. The design of the palace shows a fusion between Mughal and Malwa styles. 🍃

The adjacent Chaman Mahal palace is even more peaceful 🕊 with a large water garden designed with a beautiful sense of symmetry. From the far end, there are nice views across the countryside.

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ℹ️ https://visitbuddhistworldheritage.com/sanchi

📷 Looking out from the Chaman Mahal palace across the magnificent water garden. – © Michael Turtle

08/06/2022

Located near Lumbini 🇳🇵 the ancient site of Nyigrodharama, now known as Kudan, is another important historical site in the story of Buddha.

Kudan is believed to be the place where Buddha first met with his father, King Suddhodhana, after he achieved enlightenment. It became a key location in the spread of Buddha’s message as family members welcomed his mission, including his son Rahula, who was ordained here at the age of 8.

When you visit you’ll see a series of impressive stupas👀. It’s believed each of them was built to commemorate important events, including where Rahula was ordained, and the meeting of Buddha and King Suddhodhana. ☀️

ℹ️ https://visitworldheritage.com/en/buddha/lumbini

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📷. The Rahula Stupa has an octagonal Shiva temple on top of it that was built much later by Hindus. – © Michael Turtle

03/06/2022

Here’s an idea of a great place to visit near Paharpur 🇧🇩

Beautifully located amidst rice fields, Bhasu Vihara is known locally as Narapatir Dhap. It's an important part of the Buddhist heritage of Bangladesh and remains of several significant monastery buildings have been discovered.🧐

Three of the five mounds of the site have been fully excavated. They have revealed two monasteries and a shrine from either the pre-Pala period or the post-Gupta period. The large monastery has an open space in the centre and rooms for the monks surrounding it. The smaller monastery has a similar layout, with a veranda at the front.

Visiting it is one of the highlights of the region but, despite its significance, is usually quiet. It is easy to explore it by foot 🚶 and also get some lovely views of the surrounding scenery.

ℹ️ https://visitbuddhistworldheritage.com/paharpur

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📷 North side of Bhasu Vihara monastery. – © Maliha Nargis Ahmed

01/06/2022

The Museum of Man at Sanchi 🇮🇳 offers an insight into the rich indigenous cultures of the country. It has a central museum building with dozens of exhibitions spread out over three levels. But the highlight is the 40-hectare outdoor area showing the houses and other dwellings of different communities🏠

Some of the dwellings were transported from their original locations, others were constructed by artisans using traditional tools and materials brought from the home states of the communities. Inside the homes are displays of original items like tools, cooking utensils🍴, and musical instruments.

There are different regional sections in the open-air museum, including a Tribal Habitat, Desert Village, Himalayan Village, and Coastal Village. This range shows the variety in architectural styles across India to reflect environmental conditions and cultural heritage.

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ℹ️ https://visitbuddhistworldheritage.com/sanchi

📷. The Rathvas are an agriculturist tribe well known for the brightly-coloured ritual paintings against the white walls of their houses. – © Michael Turtle.

30/05/2022

If you are spending time in Kathmandu during your trip to Nepal 🇳🇵, you may be interested in visiting the Buddhist stupas of Swayambhu and Bauddhanath, two of the holiest Buddhist sites in Nepal. They can be combined with a pilgrimage to Lumbini.

These two religious complexes are the most important in the country. They are part of the 'Kathmandu Valley' World Heritage Site that consists of seven locations, including three Durbar Squares and two Hindu temples.

Swayambhunath is at least 1500 years old and is dominated by the enormous stupa at the highest point. Surrounding it are various temples and shrines that have been added over the centuries. Bauddhanath is located about eight kilometres east of downtown Kathmandu and the stupa dominates the skyline🌇. The enormous mandala not only makes it one of the city's most imposing sights, but also one of the world's largest stupas, standing 36 metres high.😯

ℹ️ https://visitworldheritage.com/en/buddha/lumbini

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📷. The complex at Swayambhunath stretches out across the hill to more shrines, a monastery, and rest areas. – © Michael Turtle

27/05/2022

Not far away from Paharpur 🇧🇩, you can explore the oldest known city of Bangladesh with its ancient citadel and places of worship.

Dating back to at least the 4th century BCE, Mahasthangarh is the earliest urban archaeological site that has been discovered in Bangladesh. Several historical sites are located within the rampart wall, including a mausoleum (Mausoleum of Shah Sultan Mahisawar Balkhi), a temple site (Bairgir Bhita), remnants of an ancient palace (Parshuram’s Palace) with an ancient well (Jiyat K***a) as well as residential blocks in the eastern rampart area.

One of the highlights of Mahasthangarh is Govinda Bhita, where remnants of two Buddhist temples can be visited. The main temple was erected in the 6th century and next to it is a slightly smaller temple, which was built in the 11th century.

ℹ️ https://visitbuddhistworldheritage.com/paharpur

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📷 Ancient canal on east side of Mahasthangarh citadel sourced from the legendary Kalidaha Sagar. – © Azmaree Afrin

25/05/2022

Less than 50 kilometres from Lumbini 🇳🇵, visitors can enjoy the Ramagrama Stupa.

The Ramagrama Stupa is said to be one of the eight places where the relics of Buddha’s body were put after his cremation. It is also the only one that has never been opened.

It is said that when Buddha died, his body was cremated and the remains were distributed to eight kingdoms. Each of these kingdoms buried the relics of Buddha in their own stupa. In the years since, all but one of them have been opened and the contents distributed across the world. The stupa that has never been opened is Ramagrama. Today, all you’ll be able to see is a grassy mound, but excavation work has determined that there is a stupa within it. Although experts have studied the site, there is an agreement to not open the stupa, to maintain its sanctity.

When you visit, you’ll also notice a large tree 🌳 rising up from the mound. In fact, if you look closely, you’ll realise there are actually four trees of different species, intertwined and living in harmony. For pilgrims, it’s an important symbol that reflects the ideal of Buddhism ☸️

ℹ️ https://visitworldheritage.com/en/buddha/lumbini

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📷 Prayer flags and other Buddhist iconography decorate the base of the large bodhi tree that grows from the mound of the Ramagrama Stupa. – © Michael Turtle

23/05/2022

If you’re spending more time around 🇮🇳, make sure to visit the Bhojeshwar Temple.

This 12th century temple is not only one of the finest in the region, but it also offers a unique insight into the construction process of the era. The origin of the town of Bhojpur can be credited to Raja Bhoj, the same man who founded Bhopal in the 11th century AD. Although Bhojpur didn’t grow in the same way Bhopal did, it does have one of the most significant heritage sites in the region – the Shiva temple of Bhojeshwar Mahadev.

The 12th century Bhojeshwar Temple is considered to be one of the finest examples of temple architecture in the region. At its core is the abstract representation of the deity Shiva, or ‘linga’, in the temple sanctum. It is 2.35 metres high with a circumference of nearly 6 metres. Above it is an ornately carved ceiling with rock-carved sculptures.

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ℹ️ https://visitbuddhistworldheritage.com/sanchi

📷 Sculptures are carved into the ceiling of the temple sanctum but the interior decorative work wasn’t completed. – © Michael Turtle

20/05/2022

Let’s return to Satyapir Bhita, the Buddhist Tara temple near the centre of Paharpur 🇧🇩, featuring numerous ritual stupas.

Satyapir Bhita (Satya Pir Bhita) is a Buddhist Tara temple, built in the 9th or 10th century in honour of an incarnation of goddess Tara known as Sitatpatra Tara. Tara is a female goddess and the counterpart of the male Bodhisattva Avolokiteshvara who is a popular deity in Vajrayana faith.

This temple is located about 270 meters east of the main Paharpur monastery 👀. The present name Satyapir Bhita (which means 'the home of Satyapir') appears to originate from the 16th or 17th century when the local population gradually converted to Islam ☪️.

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ℹ️ https://visitbuddhistworldheritage.com/paharpur

📷 Aerial view of Tara Temple alias Satya Pir er Bhita or Satya Pir’s Bhita – © Khairul Islam

18/05/2022

🎉Happy International Museum Day! 🎊 How about a visit to the Lumbini Museum 🇳🇵 to learn more about the history of the site?

In one of the interestingly shaped buildings that were part of the original 1978 Lumbini Master Plan, you’ll find the Lumbini Museum. The museum is designed to show the significance of the site as the birthplace of Buddha and offer some examples of the importance of Buddhism ☸️ more generally.

One section of the museum has examples of traditional dress and ceremonial items that are associated with the history and culture that has emanated from Lumbini.

⚠️ This museum is currently under renovation.

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ℹ️ https://visitworldheritage.com/en/buddha/lumbini

📷 The Lumbini Museum is housed in some of the original buildings designed by Kenzo Tange, the Japanese architect behind the Lumbini Master Plan. – © Michael Turtle

16/05/2022

The spread of Buddhism around 🇮🇳 led to the foundation of some vibrant communities that have left hundreds of monuments to discover.

As the Buddhist community flourished around Sanchi, new settlements of worshippers 🙏 appeared in the region. Although these settlements had a physical and spiritual link to Sanchi, they also built their own stupas and monasteries. The monuments from some of the most vibrant of these smaller communities still exist today.

The largest of the settlements that can be visited is at Satdhara. At its peak, there would have been more than 30 stupas and three monasteries here 🤩. The main stupa is almost as large as the Great Stupa of Sanchi and would have also been built during Emperor Ashoka’s lifetime. Many of the other stupas here would have been from as early as the 2nd century BC.

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ℹ️ https://visitbuddhistworldheritage.com/sanchi

📷 An excavated monastery at Satdhara that has views down to the nearby river and across the valley. – © Michael Turtle

13/05/2022

The region around Paharpur 🇧🇩 is famous for its freshly produced sweets and traditional savoury snacks. No trip here is complete without tasting some of these delicacies!

The best way to try the local food 😋 is at the market and local guides offer tours that will give you an incredible insight into daily life here. The guides will take you to the best food stalls where you can try different snacks and see how some of them are made. The tour allows to experience the incredibly warm hospitality of Bangladeshi people, while trying locally produced specialties, and the typical Bangladesh black tea ☕️.

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ℹ️ https://visitbuddhistworldheritage.com/paharpur

📷 Local handmade Goja sweets at Paharpur Bazar, Paharpur – © Roni Kabir Nurul

11/05/2022

Did you know that at 🇳🇵 there are dozens of festivals and spiritual events throughout the year? They offer the opportunity to join thousands of people in spectacular displays of devotion.

One of the most important festivals is Buddha Jayanti, also known as Buddha Purnima, which celebrates the birth of Buddha 👶. To mark this occasion in the place where it occurred makes it even more special. Buddha Jayanti is celebrated during the full moon of May and also commemorates the enlightenment and the death of Buddha. At Lumbini, a procession is held in the morning, a formal programme of cultural events takes place during the day, and at night the Mayadevi Temple is decorated with thousands of lamps 🏮.

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ℹ️ https://visitworldheritage.com/en/buddha/lumbini

📷 Buddha Jayanti is a special day for both Hindus and Buddhists in Nepal. On this day people celebrate the life of Lord Buddha; his Birth, Enlightenment and Mahaparinirvana (Death). – © Nepal Tourism Board

09/05/2022

Let’s go back to Bhopal 🇮🇳 today for a different experience.

Bhopal is known as the ‘City of Lakes’ because of its dozen or so lakes throughout the urban area – some natural and some created by dams. With so much water 💦, it’s understandable that the locals want to make the most of it. One of the most popular activities is to take a boat out onto the lake.

At Udaigiri, near the site of the incredible cave carvings and not far from Sanchi, you can also go boating on the dam 🛶. You can hire a paddle boat or take a ride on a speed boat that will race you along the water.

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ℹ️ https://visitbuddhistworldheritage.com/sanchi

📷 Paddle boats on the dam at Udaigiri are a relaxing way to enjoy the water near the famous cave art site. – © Michael Turtle

06/05/2022

Let’s travel back to Paharpur 🇧🇩 to admire the colours of the sunset and the breathtaking vistas.

Observing a sunset 🌇 at Somapura Mahavihara is a memorable experience. As the sun slowly sinks to earth, a rainbow of colours fills the sky 🌈. You can watch this stunning scene from the top of the main temple or from a distance, with the monastery and temple buildings in the frame.

The best hours to observe the sunset are from 16:30 – 17:30 in winter and 17:30 - 18:30 in summer. The monastery complex stays open until just after sunset to give you time to see it.

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ℹ️ https://visitbuddhistworldheritage.com/paharpur

📷 Sunset at Paharpur Buddhist Monastery. – © Roni Kabir Nurul

04/05/2022

In many of the villages surrounding # Lumbini 🇳🇵, you’ll find the indigenous Tharu people. These ethnic communities are indigenous to the southern plains of Nepal and some research suggests they are the descendants of the kingdoms that existed here when Buddha was born.

Some of the Tharu villages offer cultural tours, giving you the opportunity for an insight into their way of life. If you visit, you’ll have the chance to take part in a cooking experience 🍳, see performances of local music 🪕 and dance, and learn more about the architecture and handicrafts of the communities.

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ℹ️ https://visitworldheritage.com/en/buddha/lumbini

📷 Tharu villagers celebrating Chhata Parva – @ Hari Sharma / Lumbini Development Trust

02/05/2022

How about exploring the streets of Old Bhopal 🇮🇳 today?

The heart of the old city of Bhopal is the Chowk, where the city’s heritage comes together with grand palatial buildings and labyrinthine lanes with shops and cafes ☕. Exploring this part of the city - either with a guide or independently - offers a fascinating insight into the history of Madhya Pradesh’s capital city.

In the centre of the old city is the Jama Masjid Mosque, built between 1832 and 1857 by the first female ruler of Bhopal, Qudsia Begum. The Islamic history in this part of Bhopal and the magnificent public buildings that are left from the time of the Begum leaders are well worth exploring to see 👀 a different side to the city.

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ℹ️ https://visitbuddhistworldheritage.com/sanchi

📷 The interior of the Gauhar Mahal palace from the early 19th century, built by the first female ruler of Bhopal, Qudsia Begum. – © Michael Turtle

29/04/2022

Did you know that on the World Heritage Journeys Buddha website you can discover the main attractions, experiences and activities recommended by locals, and mysterious legends? 😯

Have a look and plan your next journey to one of the three sites featured. 🔎

🔸 The Birthplace of Lord Buddha in , Nepal 🇳🇵
ℹ️ https://visitworldheritage.com/en/buddha/lumbini

🔸 The Buddhist Monuments at , India 🇮🇳
ℹ️ https://visitbuddhistworldheritage.com/sanchi

🔸 The Ruins of the Buddhist Vihara at Paharpur, Bangladesh 🇧🇩
ℹ️ https://visitbuddhistworldheritage.com/paharpur

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📷 The stupas at Sanchi providing a dramatic backdrop and screens for the moving images and laser displays. – © C S Direckt/ MP Tourism

27/04/2022

What can you explore on the World Heritage Journeys Buddha website?

🔸 Buddhist Monuments at Sanchi 🇮🇳 🔸
Marvel at one of the greatest stupas in the world, built more than 2000 years ago by the emperor Ashoka who took Buddhism to the masses. At Sanchi, you can see the greatest tribute he built to his new faith – an enormous stupa containing relics of Buddha himself.
ℹ️ https://visitbuddhistworldheritage.com/sanchi

🔸 Lumbini, the Birthplace of the Lord Buddha 🇳🇵 🔸
The exact spot where Buddha was born is marked here in Lumbini and the site has understandably become one of the world’s most important holy sites. Join the millions of pilgrims who have made the journey over two thousand years and feel the power of the spirituality for yourself.
ℹ️ https://visitworldheritage.com/en/buddha/lumbini

🔸 Ruins of the Buddhist Vihara at Paharpur 🇧🇩 🔸
During a period of huge change in the Buddhist faith, it was at Paharpur that monks came to discuss the deepest questions of humanity. Paharpur became one of the most important intellectual centres of history and saw the rise of a new form of Buddhism.
ℹ️ https://visitbuddhistworldheritage.com/paharpur

Travel differently, travel deeper with World Heritage Journeys.

1st 📷 Pillars of the Great Stupa of Sanchi in Madhya Pradesh, India. – © Images of India / Shutterstock
2nd 📷 The Mayadevi Temple contains the Marker Stone that shows the exact spot where Buddha is said to have been born in 623 BC. – © Michael Turtle
3rd 📷 The Great Monastery of Paharpur, Somapura Mahavihara, served as an intellectual centre of Buddhism from the 7th to the 12th century CE. – © Matyas Rehak / Shutterstock

25/04/2022

Have you ever visited our website dedicated to World Heritage Journeys Buddha?

💻📱 The platform gives you access to local secrets and hidden gems of three World Heritage sites:

🔸 The Birthplace of Lord Buddha in , Nepal 🇳🇵
🔸 The Buddhist Monuments at , India 🇮🇳
🔸 The Ruins of the Buddhist Vihara at , Bangladesh 🇧🇩

But it's much more than that. How about staying longer in destinations, experiencing the local culture, and gaining a deeper knowledge and appreciation of World Heritage values?

Travel differently, travel deeper with World Heritage Journeys.

ℹ️ https://visitbuddhistworldheritage.com

📷 A fragment of the Buddha statue in the corridor of the Great Stupa of Sanchi. – © Images of India

22/04/2022

Let’s return to Paharpur 🇧🇩 to learn more about the importance of the Pala dynasty.

To begin to understand the Pala Dynasty 🤔, it's useful to look at the state of affairs when the first ruler took power. The region that is now north-eastern India and Bangladesh had been in a state of anarchy for about a century following the fall of the Post Gupta dynasty.

It wasn't until one feudal lord named Gopala managed to gain the support of other leaders that stability started to emerge. Through a democratic process, he took control of the region called Varendra, made up of north-western Bangladesh, West Bengal, and the Indian area of Bihar. He would be the founder and first ruler of the Pala Empire.

It was the dynasty's second ruler, the son of Gopala, who would have the biggest impact, though. His name was 👑 King Dharma Pala Deva (also known as Dharmapala) and he greatly expanded the territory of the empire, spreading across northern India. He is regarded as an efficient administrator and, during this period, the region flourished economically.

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ℹ️ https://visitbuddhistworldheritage.com/paharpur

📷 A portion of an illuminated manuscript from the late Pala period of the 12th century in Eastern India or Bangladesh Mahavihara Master. – © Purchase, Lila Acheson Wallace Gift, 2001

20/04/2022

Let’s go back to 🇳🇵 to uncover a significant archaeological find.

At one of Buddhism's most revered pilgrimage sites – Maya Devi Temple – archaeologists uncovered evidence that Buddha lived in the sixth century BC, 300 years earlier than some scholars had believed 😯.

⛏️🧹 The excavation at Lumbini, Nepal, long identified as the birthplace of the Buddha, revealed that a previously unknown timber shrine once stood there, its walls mirroring more recent brick temples.

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ℹ️ https://visitworldheritage.com/en/buddha/lumbini

🎥 https://bit.ly/3CIZz5m

📷 Archaeologist Robin Coningham direct excavations within the Maya Devi Temple. – © National Geographic Image Collection

18/04/2022

Let’s travel to 🇮🇳 on this International Day for Monuments and Sites 🎊, to find out more about the Edicts of Ashoka. 🔎

The Edicts of Ashoka are a collection of more than thirty inscriptions on pillars, boulders, and cave walls, made by Emperor Ashoka of the Mauryan Empire during his reign, from 268 BCE to 232 BCE. The inscriptions proclaim Ashoka's adherence to Buddhist philosophy which, as in Hinduism, is called dharma, "Law".

They describe his efforts to develop the Buddhist dharma throughout his kingdom, which spanned most of present-day India and parts of Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh. Although Buddhism and Gautama Buddha are mentioned, the edicts focus on social and moral rules rather than specific religious practices or the philosophical dimension of Buddhism. ☸️

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ℹ️ https://visitbuddhistworldheritage.com/sanchi

📷 Procession of King Ashoka on his chariot Sanchi Stupa 1 Southern Gateway. – © Anandajoti Bhikkhu / photodharma.net

15/04/2022

One of the best ways to gain deeper insight into Paharpur 🇧🇩 and its surrounding areas is visiting the 🏫.

The Paharpur Museum was built in 1957 and extensively renovated in 2016. It offers a good backdrop of the history of Paharpur and its surrounding areas 🤔.

The museum follows a cruciform shape, reflecting the shape of the main temple of the site. Inside the building is a rich archaeological collection of objects from Paharpur and the region, including terracotta plaques, ornamental bricks, stone statues, ceramics, and terracotta utensils from the pre-Pala period, the Pala period, and the Islamic period.

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ℹ️ https://visitbuddhistworldheritage.com/paharpur

📷 Wood work on the foyer wall of the museum depicting the central temple's elevation and ground plan. – © Md. Shahriar Omar Sadh

13/04/2022

At the northern end of the site 🇳🇵, the enormous World Peace Pagoda dazzles with its brightness. 💫

The large white stupa was built by Japanese Buddhists. Like other peace pagodas around the world, it is designed to unite humanity and inspire the quest for peace. The World Peace Pagoda sits on the central axis of the design of the Lumbini Master Plan. A straight line from the Mayadevi Temple to the stupa would run right down the centre of the site for 3.2 kilometres (2 miles).

True to its name, the area around the pagoda is peaceful and you’ll often find locals here, relaxing 💆 under in the shade of the trees that line the boundary. The stupa itself has stairs that lead you up to the different levels and around the structure.

From the top of the World Peace Pagoda, you can see across to the adjacent Crane Sanctuary. This protected piece of land is intended to offer a natural habitat to the Sarus Cranes 🐦 that are endemic to the region.

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ℹ️ https://visitworldheritage.com/en/buddha/lumbini

# WorldPeacePagoda

📷 The garden around the World Peace Pagoda offers a quiet place for people to rest and meditate. – © Michael Turtle

11/04/2022

Did you know that the main body of the Great Stupa at 🇮🇳 symbolises the cosmic mountain?

It is topped by a ‘harmika’ to hold the triple umbrella, or ‘chhatraveli’, which represents the three jewels of Buddhism – the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha. The high circular terrace against the base is accessible by staircases and is designed for worshippers to be able to walk around the stupa. On the ground level, there is another procession path that is surrounded by stone balustrades.

The gateways at the four cardinal points are the highlights of the structure, with a series of detailed carvings showing Buddhist symbols and important historical and religious scenes. Interestingly, Buddha is always shown in these carvings as a symbol and not as a human. He is represented on the gateways as a horse without a rider, an umbrella above an empty throne, the Bodhi tree, or as footprints. 🐎☂️🌳👣

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ℹ️ https://visitbuddhistworldheritage.com/sanchi

📷 The view of the Great Stupa from the western side, with one of the four decorated gateways. – © Michael Turtle

08/04/2022

The main temple of Paharpur 🇧🇩 rises up from the centre of the site as a physical manifestation of the new Buddhist ideas developed here.

It was the first time a Buddhist temple was designed in a cross shape and it's still an impressive sight for visitors 🤩. Around the edges of the central quadrangle are the four long walls that make up the monastery, each with dozens of rooms that monks would have lived in. With simple harmonious lines and a profusion of carved terracotta plaque decoration, the monastery represents one of the greatest artistic achievements of its time.

At the time, the monastery was known as Somapura Mahavihara. It was connected academically with other major monasteries that thrived with the support of the Pala Dynasty, including Vikramashila and Nalanda (another World Heritage Site) in Bihar, India. Scholars 📚 were able to move between the institutions, amplifying the intellectual pursuits of the monks.

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ℹ️ https://visitbuddhistworldheritage.com/paharpur

📷 Built by King Dharma Pāla Deva (770-800 AD), second king of the Pala Dynasty, in the late 8th century AD, the monastery follows a layout perfectly adapted to its religious function. – © Matyas Rehak / Shutterstock

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