While some pilgrimage sites around the world have become commercial and perhaps even, diluted over time, others still exude a tranquil sense of spirituality. While some remain inaccessible, others provide comfort and awe to anyone, no matter what set of beliefs they subscribe to.
Buddhism, a bastion of inclusion, acceptance and love, has a host of holy sites both ancient and venerable. From India and Burma, to China and Indonesia, these vital abodes of worship offer supreme scenery and peerless heritage architecture. Best of all, if enlightenment has proven elusive thusfar, you may yet attain it at one of these havens of reverence. At the very least, they provide the ideal backdrop and environs from which to earn some precious karma points.
The Kapilavastu district of Nepal contains a number of Buddhist temples that draw scores of pilgrims throughout the year. The UNESCO World Heritage site of Lumbini however, is eternally sacred as the presumed birthplace of Siddhartha Gautama, who later became the Buddha Gautama. At the foothills of the Himalayas, near the border of India, points of interest in Lumbini include ancient ruins and the Mayadevi temple where the Buddha was apparently born.
The Mahabodhi Temple in Bodh Gaya is a major pilgrimage site in Buddhism for one very explicit reason. As the place where Siddhartha Gautama underwent a spiritual transformation under a Bodhi tree, Bodh Gaya is a holy city. A UNESCO World Heritage site, millions visit the temple and tree in a personal quest for nirvana every year.
Magelang, Central Java, Indonesia
A city of 120,000 in beautiful and exotic Central Java, Magelang is one of Indonesia’s veritable gems and the ideal place for pilgrims and tourists to rest on the way to Borobudur. A 9th century Mahayana Buddhist monument, Borobdubur is a magnificent shrine to Buddha. The UNESCO World Heritage site is the most popular attraction in Indonesia.
As the location where Gautama first taught the dharma, or ultimate truth about the universe, Sarnath is a precious site for devout Buddhists. The deer park just outside of the big city of Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, is a major site of worship.
Discover the best rates at hotels all over India.
A small town in Uttar Pradesh was the scene of Buddha’s death in 400 BC, give or take a few years. With about 18,000 people, Kushinagar’s principal attraction is Makutabandhana, the cremation site of Gautama Buddha.
One of the most remarkable UNESCO World Heritage sites in Southeast Asia, Laos has a splendid jewel in Luang Prabang. A blend of heritage Lao and colonial architecture, the townscape is phenomenal to explore and contains the precious Wat Xieng Thong Buddhist temple.
The military junta at the helm in Burma has been a dreadful steward of the country’s priceless architectural heritage. Nevertheless, despite the golf course and highway that run past it, Bagan is a marvelous place to visit. Buddhist or not, the ancient temple complex in the Mandalay Division is awesome to behold.
The second most ancient city in Sri Lanka, Polonnaruwa dates back to the year 1055 and is home to more than 350,000 people. The UNESCO World Heritage site contains Brahmanic monuments built by the Cholas and the ruins of a once-powerful and gorgeous garden city.
Vital in both Taoism and Buddhism, the Sacred Mountains of China present a worthwhile challenge to intrepid pilgrims. The Four Sacred Mountains that make up the Buddhist trek combine stellar vistas with ancient temple architecture.
Aggressive plans by the People’s Republic of China to grow tourism to the spiritual home of the Dalai Lama has led to accusations that the government has degraded the ancient capital of Tibet. While it would be a crime if the UNESCO World Heritage city endured the kind of debasement now common in Burma and not too long ago, in Cambodia under the Khmer Rouge, thankfully, a visit to Lhasa is still an utterly transformative experience.
Photo credits: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10
Responses to this Article
Leave a Reply