Visit Kushinagar: The Sacred Land of Buddha in UP, India|Uttar Pradesh Tourism (2024)
History of Kushinagar
Kushinagar is one of the most prominent cities of Uttar Pradesh. This is also a well-known religious place of attraction for the Buddhist community. The greatest philosopher and the founder of Buddhism, Gautama Buddha, attained his salvation, and the popular belief is that his ashes are buried in the land of Kushinagar.
Kushinagar has several religious institutions and monuments associated with Buddhism, and the archaeologists have found traces of the existence of several Buddhist monasteries here in Kushinagar. Kushinagar is named after the youngest son of Lord Rama, who was born from the Kush grass, which grows extensively in the Kushinagar province and adjacent areas.
The places of worship dedicated to the community of Buddhism are majorly built under the reign of the royal dynasty of Mallas of Kushinagar. They were behind the construction of the sacred Parinirvana stupa, where Gautama Buddha’s remains were buried. The township of Kushinagar currently attracts many devotees and tourists who love to visit the marvels of the sixth century and experience Buddhism and learn more about it.
Places of Interest in Kushinagar
Almost all of the tourist attractions & places of interest in Kushinagar are certainly associated with the community or practices of Buddhism. Let’s take a quick peek at some of the areas of interest in Kushinagar.
1. Parinirvana Stupa
The Parinirvana Stupa, found in the early 6th century, is the prime attraction of Kushinagar, where the ashes of Gautama Buddha have been buried. The Stupa or Mahaparinirvana Stupa constructed above this site is renowned as the resting place of Lord Buddha.
2. Ramadhan Stupa
The Ramabhar Stupa constructed over the place where Lord Gautama Buddha achieved enlightenment. A giant dome-like structure is built above the area, an important religious place of worship for the community of Buddhists.
3. Sun Temple
If you look at some of the non-Buddhist attractions in Kushinagar, the first name you will find would be the Sun Temple. According to Hindu mythology, Sun is considered an Idol of light and is worshipped in several parts of India.
4. Kushinagar Museum
If you take out all the religious places of attraction from Kushinagar, you will most probably end with the Museum of Kushinagar as your first choice. It showcases an abundant collection of antiques and artifacts tracing back to the Buddhist period and the reign of other kings.
Photo by Manfred Sommer Image Source
Food and Cuisine to Explore in Kushinagar
There are some great restaurants and food places you should check out when you stay in Kushinagar, which are the best-rated ones in the city and a beautiful place to hang out.
1. The Tokyo ‘A Multi-Cuisine Restaurant’
One of the best multi-cuisine restaurants in the area serves the best food, along with some excellent amenities. Tokyo A is a modern restaurant with all essentials and a nice ambiance. You can find the restaurant at Buddha Marg, adjacent to the Buddha Museum.
2. Yama Cafe
Yama Cafe is one of the classically styled restaurants in Kushinagar. Their proximity to the Parinirvana Stupa and the Myanmar Stupa makes it a renowned spot for excellent food. It is also one of the oldest restaurants in Kushinagar.
3. Lumbini Pop Light Restaurant
A trip is never complete until you hit some excellent fast food centers of the place, and Lumbini Pop Light Restaurant is one such food place where you can get the best fast food and snack varieties in Kushinagar, Uttar Pradesh.
4. Sidhartha Restaurant
A merely styled restaurant located in the Anrudhwa region of Kushinagar. This place is famous for its vast space and food varieties with satisfying service performance.
Shopping In Kushinagar
Kushinagar is famous for its small shops in the alleys and small markets located in the heart of the town. Since it is a small town and all the markets are adjacent to each other, you can simply walk through the streets and alleys of the real Kushinagar.
You can find many things associated with the life of Buddha here, which is the major attraction of these markets in Kushinagar. From mini idols to other products like books on Gautama Buddha, his theories, and everything.
You can also enjoy Kushinagar’s street food cuisine when you are in the streets, going on a bargain hunt.
They also have some beautiful decors related to Lord Buddha, which you might find attractive.
Fairs and Festivals in Kushinagar
Since Kushinagar is renowned as the land of Buddha, the occasion of Buddha Purnima is celebrated here like nowhere else, remarking the three crucial phases of Lord Gautama Buddha’s life, his birth, salvation, and death.
It is one of the significant festivals in Kushinagar and a big one for Buddhists worldwide. The chanting of the Buddhist scriptures and sacred mantras performs a lot of ceremonies in the religious places of worship like monasteries of Buddhists and other institutions.
How To Reach Kushinagar?
If you plan a trip to this beautiful land of Buddha, then read on to find out more about the different modes of transportation available to reach Kushinagar.
By Road: The National Highway 28 (NH-28) establishes the connection between many of the major cities of Uttar Pradesh like Kanpur, Varanasi, the capital Lucknow, Patna, etc. Many local transport facilities are available from these major cities like Taxis and cabs to accessible public transport facilities like buses.
By Rail: The Gorakhpur railway station is the primary central railway station with connections to all other prominent cities of India, which is also the nearest station to Kushinagar. Gorakhpur central, located nearly 50 km away from Kushinagar’s township, is among the most preferred modes of transportation.
By Air: Similar to the Railways, the Airport of Gorakhpur is the most adjacent airport to Kushinagar. The airport connects the airlines to various prominent locations in India.
Conclusion
Kushinagar is a beautiful getaway place, especially after having a tight work schedule or some busy days. The peaceful ambiance here, the teachings of Buddhism, will help the tourists a lot, and this will help in learning and enhancing their daily lives.
