Buddhist-circuit

The eastern region in Uttar Pradesh is often described as `the cradle of Buddhism'. Uttar Pradesh has the distinction of having in its folds places associated with Buddha's life. This circuit called the Buddhist circuit is dotted with monuments and relics, legends and history that epitomise the birth, decline and finally the resurrection of Buddhism.

Places which are described as `the cradle of Buddhism'

________________________________________ Sarnath Kushinagar Piprahwa Sankisa Shravasti Kaushambhi

Sarnath

Situated 10 km from Varanasi is the site where Buddha gave his first sermon to five disciples, preaching the middle path for attaining 'Nirvana'. Realising the sanctity of the site, emperor Ashoka, in the 3rd century B.C. built some of the finest monuments and legacies. It is visited by lakhs of tourists every year.

Main Festivals

Buddha Purnima (May) Kartik Purnima (Oct-Nov) By Air

The nearest airport is at Babatpur which is30 km away. Commercial flights connect Varanasi to Kathmandu, Delhi, Agra and Mumbai.

By Train

Sarnath is well connected by train to other destinations of the state.

By Road

Sarnath, 10 km from Varanasi and is well connected by road to other destinations of the state. Taxis, Auto-rickshaws (rates negotiable) and Local Buses are available for local transport.

Places of Interest

Chaukhandi Stupa

'Choukhandi' stupa, raised by Mughal emperor Akbar in 1555 A.D., is believed to be the place where Buddha met his five disciples. It is a lofty mound of brick - work whose square edifice is surrounded by an octagonal tower. Originally said to be built by Emperor Ashoka.

Dhamek Stupa

The 34 m high 'Dhamek' stupa stands as a remarkable structure. This is believed to be the spot where Buddha preached his first sermon. It is the most remarkable structure of Sarnath, cylindrical in shape is 28 m in diameter at the base and 43.6 m in height, built party of stone and partly of

brick. The stone facing the lower part is adorned with delicate floral carvings of Gupta origin.

Mulagandha Kuti Vihar

This modern temple has been erected by the Mahabodhi Society. It has excellent Frescoes made by Kosetsu Nosu, Japan's foremost painter and is a rich repository of Buddhist literature. The ancient Mulagandha Kuti Temple is among the brick ruins of Sarnath. A 'Bodhi' tree growing on the campus is believed to be the offspring of one under which Buddha had attained enlightenment.

Sarnath Museum

Sarnath yielded a rich collection of Buddhist sculptures comprising numerous Buddha and Bodhisattva images. Considered amongst the finest specimens of Buddhist art, these have been housed at the museum, adjacent to the site. The museum is open from 10 am to 5 pm, and closed on Fridays. Apart from the above the other objects of Interest at Sarnath are the

Dharmrajika Stupa, magnificent Lion capital, India's National Emblem at Sarnath Museum, the Saddharmachakra Vihar's at excavated ruins.

Kaushambhi

Kaushambhi was the capital of 'Vatsa janpad' ruled by 'Udyana' during the time of Buddha. The ruins of an ancient fort are testimony to its antiquity. It was when Lord Buddha visited this city that Kaushambi attained true prominence. He came in the 6th and 9th years after his enlightenment and delivered several sermons, elevating it to a centre of learning for Buddhists. A large number of architectural relics and ruins, sculptures and figurines, coins and other finds highlight the reverence the city held for devout in times gone by. The site also yielded a large number of punch marked and cast coins along with unique terracotta sculptures which can be viewed in the Allahabad museum. Kaushambi is 54 km from Allahabad which is the nearest rail/road terminal. Nearest domestic airport is at Varanasi.

Shravasti or Sravasti

Shravasti or Sravasti is intimately associated with the life of Buddha. The town located near the Rapti River in northeastern Uttar Pradesh is said to be have been founded by the mythological king Sravast. In Buddhist times (6th century BC-6th century AD), Shravasti was capital of the kingdom of Kosala and was important both as a prosperous trading centre and for its religious associations. Buddha is believed to have spent 24 monsoons in the city. It is said that Buddha sat on a lotus with a thousand petals and multiplied his image a million times. A divine sight that silenced his critics. Age-old stupas, majestic monasteries and several temples near the village of Sahet-Mahet, highlight Buddha's association with Shravasti. . The city has been identified with the twin villages of Saheth and Maheth northwest of Balrampur. Today it is surrounded by a great rampart of earth and brick. Excavation has been undertaken by the Archaeological Survey of India. Jain devotee visit Sravasti, during the month of kartik(Oct - Nov) the bithday of Lord Sambhavnath, when a largeJjain mela is held. Buddha Purnima the day of the birth of Lord Buddha is celebrated at all Buddhist temples at Shravasti in a big way. The air/rail terminal is at Lucknow (134 km). Rail travel is possible up to Balrampur from where one can reach Shravasti by bus or car (29 km away). Shravasti at a glance

Area 2019 sq km Population 10220 (1991 census) Altitude Season Clothing Summer Winter Language Festivals Cottons Woolens Hindi, English Buddh Purnima Mela (April-May) and Jain Mela Private Taxis, Taxi, Tonga, Ekka 185 m above sea level October - February / March

Local Transport STD Code 05250

Places of Interest

Maheth This covers an area of about 400 acres, and has been identified with the remains of the city proper. Excavations have exposed the massive gates of the city, ramparts and also the ruins of other structures which testify to the

prosperity of ancient Sravasti. The Sobhanath Temple is located here. Pakki Kuti and Kacchi Kuti were probably Buddhist shrines before they were converted into Brahmanical temples.

Sobhanath Temple Believed to be the birthplace of Jain Tirthankar Sambhavnath. It is revered by Jain pilgrims.

Saheth Saheth, covers an area of 32 acres, and lies about a quarter of a mile to the southwest of Maheth. This was the site of the Jetavana monastery. Jetavana Monastery was erected in a garden outside the walls of the city and presented to the Buddha by a wealthy banker, Anathapinaka. It became an important place of pilgrimage, adorned with numerous shrines, stupas and monasteries. The stupas belong mostly to the Kushana period, while the temples are in the Gupta style. The remains date from the Mauryan era (3rd century BC ) to the 12th century AD. One of the earliest stupas. probably dating to the 3rd century BC contained relics of the Buddha. A colossal statue of the Buddha was also found here which is now preserved in the

Indian Museum, Calcutta . The Emperor Ashoka visited Jetavana, and the Chinese pilgrim Hiuen- Tsang mentions two Ashokan pillars at Sravasti.

Other important Buddhist monasteries were the Rajakarama and the Purvarama. An exquisite garden here has the famous 'Anandabodhi' tree - an offspring of one said to be planted by Buddha's main disciple Ananda. Swarnagandha Kuti is also worth visiting.

Places of Interest around Shravasti

Devi Patan Temple 28 Km. One of the most important Shaktipeeth in the entire region, it is revered by Hindu devotees of India and Nepal.

Kushinagar Kushinagar, one of the principal centre of Buddhist pilgrimage, is the place where Lord Buddha left his corporeal self and attained Mahaparinirvana. The credit for bringing this ancient site to light goes to General A. Cunningham and A.C.I. Carlyl, who, after excavating the site in 1861, established its antiquity for the first time. Later, between 1904 and 1912,

several excavations conducted by the Archaeological Survey of India at Kushinagar confirmed its identity. The monuments of Kushinagar are situated in three distinct groups comprising the main site of the Nirvana Temple, the central stupa and surrounding monasteries, the Mathakuar shrine to the southwest, and the Ramabhar Stupa a kilometer to the east. . Kushinagar at a glance Area 6 sq km Population 28.9 Lac.(2001 census) Altitude Season Clothing Summer Winters Language Light cotton Woollen Hindi, English Cycle-rickshaw 400 m above sea level October-April

Local Transport

STD Code <05564/td> Important Festival Buddh Poornima (April - May)

How to reach

By Train Nearest railway station is Gorakhpur : 51 km, which is the headquarters of Northeastern Railways and linked to important destinations. Kushinagar does not has a Railway Station, one has to go to Gorakhpur from where Kushinagar can be reached by road.

By Road

Situated on National Highway No. 28, with frequent bus services, Kushinagar is well connected with other parts of the state. Distance from Kushinagar to : Gorakhpur 51 km Lumbini Kapilastu Sravasti Sarnath 173 km 148 km 254 km 266 km.

Places of Interest

Nirvana Stupa

This huge brickwork stupa, exposed by Carlyl in 1876, stands at a height of 2.74 m. A copper vessel was unearthed at this site. It bore an inscription in ancient Brahmi, which stated that Lord Buddha's remains had been deposited here.

Nirvana Temple

This houses the over 6 m long statue of reclining Buddha. The image was unearthed during the excavations of 1876. Carved from Chunar sandstone, the statue represents the dying Buddha reclining on his right side. An inscription below dates the statue to the fifth century AD.

Mathakuar Shrine

This shrine lies about 400 yards from the Parinirvana stupa. A black stone image of the Buddha in the bhumi sparsha mudra was recovered here. The last sermon by Lord Buddha was given here.

Ramabhar Stupa

Chaukhandi Stupa

About 1 km away, this large stupa rises to a height of 49 ft. It marks the site where the Lord Buddha was cremated. In ancient Buddhist texts this stupa has been referred to as Mukut-Bandhan Vihar.

Chinese Temple

Here the special attraction is a beautiful statue of Lord Buddha.

Japanese Temple

A beautiful Ashta Dhatu (eight metals) statue of Lord Buddha which came from Japan can be seen here.

Kushinagar Museum

The Buddha Museum contains finds from excavations at the site. Timings : 10:30 am. to 4:30 pm. Weekly off: Monday.

Other places of interest include Pawanagar (Fazilnagar) and the Sun Temple at Turkpatti.

Places of Interest around Kushinagar

Gorakhpur

51 km. At Gorakhpur is the Rahul Sankrtyayan Museum, which has an excellent collection of thanka paintings and relics of the Buddha. Water Sports Complex at Ramgarhtal Planetarium and the Gorakhnath Temple in the city are also well worth a visit.

Lumbini

Situated in Nepal at a distance of 122 km from Gorakhpur, Lumbini is the birthplace of Lord Buddha. Buses ply till the border from where the remaining 26 km has to be covered by private vehicles.

Kapilvastu or Piprahwa

Kapilvastu or Piprahwa has an important place in the life of Buddha. Kapilvastu was the ancient capital of the Sakya clan whose ruler was the father of the Buddha, for which reason the Buddha is also referred to as the Sakyamuni. The Sakya domain was one of the sixteen independent principalities of the 6th century BC. Prince Gautam, as the Buddha was then known, left his palace in Kapilvastu at the age of 29, and revisited it 12 years later, long after he had attained enlightenment. Today, Kapilvastu Comprises of Several villages, chief among them being Piprahwa and Ganvaria. A large stupa stands at the ancient site which is said to have housed the bone relics of the Buddha. The presence of these relics are testified by an ancient Brahmi inscription discovered at Piprahwa. The ruins of the palace are spread over a large area. Identified today with ancient Kapilvastu, modem Piprahwa lies at a distance of 20 km from Siddharthnagar. Piprahwa lies between two important Buddhist destinations - Lumbini (birth place of

Buddha in Nepal) and Srawasti (where Buddha spent 27 monsoons). The travelling time by road between Lumbini to Piprahwa is about six hours. The ruins of the old city from where Buddhism started has several stupas. From the main stupa have been recovered stone caskets containing relics believed to be that of the Buddha. Kapilvastu Buddha Mahotsava (29 Dec. to 31 Dec.) is celebrated with great enthusiasm. A fair is also organised at udhpoornima. Kapilvastu or Piprahwa at a glance Area 06 sq km Population 3900 (2001 census) Altitude Season Clothing Summer Winter Language Cottons Woolens Hindi, English Tempo/Tonga/Rickshaw 100 m above sea level October-April

Local Transport STD Code 05544

How to reach

By Train

The nearest railway station Naugarh on the Gonda-Gorakhpur loop line is 23 km away. Also Siddharth Nagar (Naugarh) railway station is 20 km away from Kapilvastu.

By Road

Taxis and buses are available to reach Piprahwa which is 110 km away from Gorakhpur. Distance from Kapilvastu to : Gorakhpur 97 km Kushinagar 148 km Varanasi Lumbini Sravasti Lucknow 312 km 86 km 147 km 308 km

Places of Interest

Stupa Complex

This is the main archaeological site which was discovered during excavations in 1973-74. The seals and inscriptions over the lid of the pot discovered read "Om Deoputra Vihare Kapilvastu Bhikschu Mahasanghasa" and "Om Deoputra Vihare Kapilvastu Bhikschu Sanghasa". The title Deoputra refers to Kanishka, a great patron of Buddhism who built the biggest Vihara at Kapilvastu and renovated the main stupa here.

Palace Site

Excavations carried out by Dr. K.M. Srivastava indicated the ruins of the palace of King Shuddhodhan, the father of Prince Gautam (Lord Buddha). It is said to be the place where Lord Buddha spent the first 29 years of his life.

Lumbini

86 km., situated across the border in Nepal, Lumbini is the birthplace of Lord Buddha. Buses ply till the border from where the remaining 26 km has to be covered by private vehicles.

Sankisa

Sankisa is located in the present day Basantpur village, which is situated in the ruins of an ancient fort. About 500 yards from the village, in a sacred spot, is a temple dedicated to Bisari Devi, which stands on a stupa. An Ashoka Elephant Pillar has been excavated from close to the stupa. Near the pillar, on a platform stands a temple with a statue of the Buddha. It is believed that Buddha along with Brahma and Devraj Indra descended on this spot after giving sermon to his mother in heaven. From then on this site has become important for Buddhist pilgrims. Hiuen Tsang and other Chinese travellers also mention Sankisa in their travelogues.

How to Reach:

Nearest civil airport is Agra (207 km away) Sankisa is 10 km away from Pakhna railway station

Sankisa is 45 km away from Farrukhabad, a road/rail terminal

SARNATH

Buddhists wordwide look upon India as the land of the Buddha and a visit to this country means a pilgrimage to those places sacred to the memory of the Enlightened One. After the Bouddha attanined enlightenment in Bodh Gaya he came to sarnath. Here in the Deer Park, he delivered his first sermon, or in religious language, set in motion the wheel of Law (maha- Dharmachakra Pravartan). On the day before his death Buddha included Sarnath along with

Lumbini, Bodh Gaya and Kushinagar as the four places he thought to be sacred to his followers. The Emperor Ashoka, who spread the Buddhas message of love and compassion throughout his vast empire, visited Sarnath around 234BC,and erected a stupa here. Several Buddhist structures were raised at Sarnath between the 3rd century BC and the 11th century AD, and today it presents the most expansive ruins amongst places on the Buddhist trail. Sarnath is 10 km from the holy city of Varanasi, and is an exceedingly tranqiuil place. The ruins, the museum and temple are all within walking distance. Area Altitude Season Clothing (Winter) Language Festivals Local Transport 2.80 Sq. Km. 80.71 Mtrs. Above Sea Level. October- March (Summer), Cottons, Woolen Hindia, English Buddha Purnima

(Full

Moon,

April

May),

Anniversary Of First Sermon (Full Moon, JulyAugust) Buses / Cycle Rickshaws / Rickshaws / Taxis

ACCESSIBILITY
AIR The nearest airport is Babatpur : 30 km. RAIL Sarnath is directly connected by Varanasi- Gorakhpur Exp 0549 / 0550 and

Varanasi Bhatni- Varanasi Exp 0551/ 0552. See Varanasi also. ROAD Sarnath 10 km from Varanasi, is well connected by road.

PLACES OF INTEREST

CHAUKHANDI

STUPA

Chaukhandi is the first monument one encounters as one enters Sanath. It is a lofty mound of brick work whose square endifice is surrounded by a octagonal tower. Originally said to built by Emperor Ashoka. DHAMEK STUPA The most remarkable structure at Sarnath, is the cylindrical Dhamek Stupa, 28 mts in diameter at the base and 43.6 mts in height, built partly of stone and partly of brick. The stone facing the lower part is adorned with delicate floral carvings of Gupta origin. MULAGANDHA KUTI VIHAR This mordern temple has been erected by the Mahabodhi Society. It has excellent frescoes by Kosetsu

Nosu japans foremost painter and is a rich repository of Buddhist literature. The ancient Mulagandha Kuti temple is among the brick ruins of Sarnath.

SARNATH MUSEUM

Sarnath

yielded

rich

collection

of

sculptures comprising numerous Buddha and Bodhisattva images. Considerde amongst the finest specimens of Buddhist art, these have been housed at the museum, adjiacent to the site. The museum is open from 10 am to 5 pm, and closed on Fridays. Apart from the above the other objects of lnterest at Sarnath are the Dharmrajika Stup, magnificent Lion capital, Indias National

Emblem at Sarnath museum, the Saddharmachakra Vihars at excavated ruins.

ACCOMMODATION
Forest Rest House, Sarnath. Mahabodhi Dharamshala, Sarnath. Jain Dharamshala, Sarnath. UP TOURISM ACCOMMODATION Tourist Bungalow, UPSTDC, Sarnath.

RESTAURANTS
Anand Restaurant, Sarnath. Rangoli Garden, Sarnath. Mrigdav Restaurant, Sarnath

BANK
State Bank of India, Ashapur, Sarnath Canara Bank Central Bank, Ashapur

POST & TELEGRAPH

HOSPITALS
Govt. Hospitals, Sarnath Dr. Baijnath Hospital, Sarnath

TOURIST INFORMATION OFFICES

KUSHINAGAR

Kushinagar is another principal centre of Buddhism, worth a sincere admiration, is the place where Lord Buddha passed away at this place near the Hiranyavati River and was cremated at the Ramabhar stupa. It was once a celebrated center of the Malla kingdom. Many of its stupas and viharas date back to 230 BC-AD 413. when its prosperity was at the peak. In 543 BC, on a full moon night of Magh the legend delivered lecture to his Sangha and declared that he is going to leave the mortal world soon enough.

The excavations led by general Cunningham has revealed some antique artifacts and structures related to all sects of Buddhism. Kushinagar also expresses the common thread of all sects of Buddhism through its magnificent Viharas, Chaityas, temples and Tibetan monasteries. In ancient times, the town was also known as Kushinara and Kasia. Ask For Kushinagar Travel Detail

Location Kushinagar is situated at a distance of 53 km west of Gorakhpur, in Uttar Pradesh, in the northern part of India.

Attractions

Nirvana Stupa and temple - This stupa made of bricks, excavated by Carlleyl in 1867, stands at a height of 2.74 meter. The excavations leading to the finding of the copper vessel and the Brahmi inscription on it proving the matter that Buddhas ashes were buried in the pace, made this place a suddenly important destination for all Buddhists devotees. Besides, the huge reclining statue of Buddha in the temple is also very attractive.

Mahaparinirvana temple - This is more than 6 meters long statue of reclining Buddha. The image was unearthed during the excavations of 1876. Carved from Chunar sandstone, the statue represents the dying Buddha reclining on his right side. Ask For Kushinagar Travel Detail

Wat Thai temple - The unique temple, built to celebrate the victory of King Bhumibol's great accession of the throne, and the subsequent Golden Jubilee, is worth a watch, especially because of the innumerable trees that were planted here.Besides, there's the Chinese temple, the Meditation Park and an International Buddha trust, and the Birla temple to add charm to roaming around in the city.

Ramabhar Stupa - About 1.5 km away from Mahaparinirvana Temple, this large Stupa rises to a height of 49 ft. It marks the site where the Lord Buddha was cremated. In ancient Buddhist texts, this Stupa has been referred to as 'Mukut-Bandhan Vihar'.

Japanese temple - A beautiful eight metals statue of the Buddha, which was brought from from Japan, can be visited here.

Excursions

Gorakhpur - Gorakhpur is an important Hindu destination, due to the numerous temples, including the Gorakhnath temple, the Vishnu temple, gita Vatika, Gita press, and the Arogya Mandir. Besides, there are important institutions of other religions such as the Imambara. The planetarium and the circuit house are also worth a visit.

Lumbini - This immensely important Buddhist pilgrimage, the birthplace of Lord Buddha, is in Nepal, at a distance of 122 km from Gorakhpur, houses some of the most important artifacts of literature and art related to the life of Lord Buddha.

How to get there Air - Gorakhpur is the nearest airport, at a distance of 44 kms from the place. Kasia airstrip-5 Kms, Amausi airport Lucknow-252 Kms, Babatpur Airport in Varanasi-286 Kms.

Rail - The nearest railway station, a convenient one, is Gorakhpur, which is linked to important railway stations.

Road - The national highway numbered 28 connects the place with other important destinations of the state.

Where to stay ( Hotels -|- Temples/Monasteries ) There are accommodation facilities available, in the Dharmashalas and other charitable trusts. In Kushinagar, there's Hotel LOTUS NIKKO IS 55 kms from Gorakhpur railway station. International Guesthouse, Hindu brila Buddha Dharmashala, Nepalese Dharmashala etc are good places to stay. The UP Tourism accommodation, the Pathik Niwas is also quite good.

n January 1898, Mr W. C. Peppe, manager of the Birdpur Estate in northeastern Basti District, U. P., announced the discovery of soapstone reliccaskets and jewellery inside a stupa near Piprahwa, a small village on this estate. An inscription on one of these caskets appeared to indicate that bone relics, supposedly found with these items, were those of the Buddha. Since this inscription also referred to the Buddhas Sakyan kinsmen, these relics were thus generally considered to be those which were accorded to the Sakyas of Kapilavastu, following the Buddhas cremation. The following year (1899) these bone relics were presented by the (British) Government of India to the King of Siam, who in turn accorded portions to the Sanghas of Burma and Ceylon.

DR FUHRERS LETTERS TO U MA When Peppe formally announced his finds to the local Collector on 20th January, 1898, his letter disclosed that he had been in contact with the Government archaeologist, Dr Alois Anton Fuhrer, who was then excavating at Sagarwa, just a few miles away across the Indo-Nepalese border. 1. A fortnight later, a letter was despatched from the Government of Burma to Fuhrers employer, the Government of the North-Western Provinces. 2. This revealed that Fuhrer had been conducting a secret trade in bogus Buddha-

relics with a Burmese monk, U Ma, between September 1896, up to, and during, Peppes excavations in 1898. 3. Fuhrers letters to U Ma have never seen the public light of day, and a brief summary of their contents reads as follows:

22nd September, 1896: Fuhrer mentions sending U Ma some Buddha-

relics from Sravasti.

19th November 1896: Fuhrer states that The relics of Tathagata, sent

off yesterday, were found in the stupa erected by the Sakyas of Kapilavastu over the corporeal relics (saririka-dhatus) of the Lord. These relics were found by me during an excavation of 1886, and are placed in the same relic casket of soapstone in which they were found. The four votive tablets of Buddha surrounded the relic casket. The ancient inscription found on the spot with the relics will follow, as I wish to prepare a transcript and translation of the same for you.

This letter was sent to U Ma a year before the Piprahwa finds. These spurious relics of the Buddha, purportedly those claimed by the Sakyas of Kapilavastu after the Buddhas cremation, together with a soapstone relic-

casket, and an ancient inscription, are all, of course, details which are identical to those of the Piprahwa finds of 1898. From this, it will be seen that Fuhrer (with whom Peppe had been in contact) had thus fraudulently staged the Piprahwa finds a year before Peppes supposedly unique discoveries.

6th March 1897: Fuhrer refers to further sacred relics of Buddha,

which he will keep until U Mas proposed visit to India.

23rd June 1897: Fuhrer mentions a precious tooth relic of Lord

Buddha which he will send to U Ma.

29th August 1897: Fuhrer says that he will despatch at once a real and

authentic tooth relic of the Buddha Bhagavat along with many other relics of Lord Buddha.

21st September 1897: Fuhrer sends U Ma a molar tooth of Lord

Buddha Gaudama Sakyamuni. It was found by me in a stupa at Kapilavatthu, where King Suddhodana lived. That it is genuine there can be no doubt. Says that the other relics will follow shortly.

30th September 1897: Fuhrer despatches a bogus Asokan inscription

allegedly found at Sravasti, and says that he is sending more relics of Sakyamuni after some time.

13th December 1897: Fuhrer mentions that he will return a silver box

which U Ma had sent him, together with yet further relics of Gotama Buddha. Says that he is now at Kapilavastu, in the Nepal Tarai, where he has so far found three relic caskets with dhatus nail-parings, hairs, and bones of the Lord Buddha Sakyamuni. All of these precious relics I will send you at the end of March.

16th February 1898: (i.e. a fortnight after the arrival of the Burmese

letter exposing Fuhrers deceptions, and three weeks after Peppes announcement of his supposed finds). Having received an indignant letter and telegram from U Ma (who finally realised that he had been duped) Fuhrer writes to him from Camp Kapilavastu, i.e. Sagarwa. Fuhrer states that he can quite understand that the Buddhadanta that I sent you a short while ago is looked upon with suspicion by non-Buddhists, as it is quite different from any ordinary human tooth (it was subsequently shown to be

apparently that of a horse). He goes on : But you will know that Bhagavat Buddha was no ordinary being, as he was eighteen cubits in height (about 27 feet) as your sacred writings state. His teeth would therefore not have been shaped like othersKapilavastu, where the tooth was found in an ancient relic mound, is now a jungle, and overgrown with forestI shall send you a copy of an ancient inscription which was found by me along with the tooth. It says This sacred tooth relic of Lord Buddha is the gift of Upagupta. As you know, Upagupta was the teacher of Asoka, the great Buddhist emperor of India. In Asokas time, about 250 BC, this identical tooth was believed to be a relic of Buddha Sakyamuni. My own opinion is that the tooth in question was a genuine relic of Buddha.

From these letters, we see that Fuhrer had thus been conducting a secret trade in sham relics of the Buddha both before, and during, the similar supposed finds at Piprahwa. We shall note that these bogus items included those relics of the Buddha that were claimed by the Sakyas of Kapilavastu after the Buddhas cremation precisely the same stupendous claim which was made for the Piprahwa relics together with a soapstone casket and ancient inscriptions in Asokan Brahmi characters, details also identical to those of the Piprahwa finds. And since Peppe had been in contact with this

notorious forger and cheat just before announcing his supposed finds, we shall surely conclude that Fuhrers earlier deceptions were thus merely a dry run, as it were, for the events at Piprahwa itself.

Moreover, in his subsequent Progress Report, Fuhrer claimed that at Sagarwa he had discovered the inscribed relic-casket and stupa of Mahanaman (the successor to the Buddhas father at Kapilavastu) together with the relic caskets of seventeen Sakya heroes, their names - all of which he carefully listed - being supposedly inscribed upon these caskets in preAsoka characters. 4. A few months later, however, the full extent of

Fuhrers U Ma deceptions was finally revealed, and V. A. Smith was appointed to investigate Fuhrers office at the Lucknow Museum. 5. Smith denounced all of Fuhrers Nepalese Sakyan inscriptions as impudent forgeries, and Fuhrer himself was summarily dismissed shortly thereafter. 6. The following year (1899) Drs Hoey and Waddell visited the Nepalese Tarai, and discovered that Fuhrer had also lied and lied on a grand scale concerning his discoveries at other Nepalese sites, Hoey remarking that one is appalled at the audacity of invention here displayed. 7

To sum up then : in early 1898, we have two supposed discoveries, those of Sagarwa and Piprahwa respectively. Both of these discoveries were made within the same month, by two parties a few miles from and in contact with each other, and one of these parties was a notorious forger of inscriptions. Both parties purported to have discovered unique, inscribed, pre-Asokan, Sakyan relic-caskets from Kapilavastu, items which have never been found either before or since. Fuhrers Sagarwa claims were then exposed as fraudulent, whilst Peppes Piprahwa finds had been fraudulently duplicated by Fuhrer a year earlier.

But why then were Fuhrers claims unmasked, whilst those of Peppe were not? As we have noted, it was the Government of Burma which had

exposed the U Ma forgeries, whilst subsequent events, and the official letters relating to these, supply the answer to the Peppe question also. In his letter to the Government of India on Piprahwa, the local Commissioner, William Hoey, drew attention to the presence in India at this time of a crown prince of Siam, Jinavaravansa, who had then assumed the robe of a Buddhist monk. 8. This gentleman quickly got downwind on this supposed find of Buddharelics at Piprahwa, and promptly expressed a keen desire for them to be made over to Siam. Having drawn attention to Jinavaravansas request,

Hoey then recommended that the Government of India should manifest its goodwill towards surrounding Buddhist countries by acceding to this request (pointing out that Siam was also a country bordering on Burma, a recently-acquired British possession) whilst V. A. Smith, now ActingSecretary to the North-Western Provinces Government, declared that intense interest will be aroused in the Buddhist world, and all Buddhist countries will desire to share in relics of such exceptional sanctity.

JUST TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE By the 1890s, Britain and France had successfully taken large slices of territory from Siam, and in a desperate attempt to preserve his countrys independence Siams king, Chulalongkorn, was obliged to play off one imperial power against the other. During this period, the king also cultivated a close and personal friendship with the Russian leader Tsar Nicholas, a fact which gave Britain considerable cause for alarm, particularly as both the

French and Russians were offering to train up the Siamese armies around this time. In furtherance of his diplomatic aims, the Siamese king set forth on a nine-month Grand European Tour in 1897. He was accorded a full royal welcome by the monarchies, presidents, and heads of state of Italy (where he met the Pope) Switzerland, Austria, Hungary, Russia, Sweden, Denmark, Holland, Belgium, Spain, Portugal, and France. Having arrived for a twomonth stay in Britain - his son was then receiving his education at Harrow, a well-known English public school he was officially welcomed by the Prince of Wales, and was also presented to Queen Victoria, who was by then the Empress of India. Immediately upon his return to Siam, the Buddhas relics were supposedly discovered at Piprahwa and presented to the king, who was also accorded recognition as the leader of the Buddhist world by the British Empire. This opportunity to manifest its goodwill was thus, for the Government of India, an opportunity that was simply too good to be missed, and this cynical piece of imperial realpolitik was allowed to go ahead with consequences that have seriously benighted Buddhist studies ever since. Is it any wonder then, that those unnamed sceptics mentioned by Rhys Davids (see my opening quotation) would dismiss this tiresome imperial stunt as just too good to be true shortly thereafter? 10.

THE BONE RELICS OF 1898 Writing of the Piprahwa stupa in 1904, Dr Theodor Bloch, Superintendent of the Eastern Circle of the Archaeological Survey of India, declared that one may be permitted to maintain some doubts in regard to the theory that the latter monument contained the relic share of the Buddha received by the Sakyas. The bones found at that place, which have been presented to the King of Siam, and which I saw in Calcutta, according to my opinion were not human bones at all. 11. Bloch was then Superintendent of the

Archaeological Department of the Indian Museum, Calcutta, and would doubtless have relied not only on his own archaeological expertise before making this extraordinary allegation, but also that of his zoological colleagues at the Museum, which was then considered to be the greatest museum in Asia.

Peppe himself retained a tooth from the alleged Piprahwa finds.12. This tooth was taken by the author, Charles Allen, to the Natural History Museum in London, where palaeontologists declared it to be the molar tooth of a pig. In his latest book, The Buddha and Dr Fuhrer, Allen (who supports the authenticity of the Peppe claims) attempts to explain away the distinctly awkward presence of this tooth by claiming that it came from a broken

casket found by Peppe near the summit of the stupa. 13. There is not the slightest evidence for this assertion : Peppe himself states only that this casket was full of clay and embedded in this clay were some beads, crystals, gold ornaments, cut stars etc. 14. Moreover, we have already noted Blochs observation that the bone relics from Piprahwa did not appear to be of human origin. Since portions of these items are now enshrined at the Wat Saket Temple (Thailand) the Shwe Dagon Pagoda (Rangoon) Anuradhapura (Ceylon) and in the Nittaiji Temple in Japan, this raises the appalling spectre that for over a century the Buddhist world may have been venerating the remains of some ancient pig.

As for the precise location of the bone relics when they were allegedly found within the Piprahwa stupa itself, the existing accounts present startling contradictions. The first published reference to these items appeared in the Pioneer newspaper a few days after Peppes official announcement, and apparently came from Peppe himself. 15. This stated that all of the caskets contained jewellery and quantities of bones in good preservation (so good, in fact, that Peppe later declared that they might have been picked up a few days ago, a curious observation to make upon bones which had supposedly survived a blazing funeral pyre 2500 years earlier). 16. Smith and Fuhrer

however (both of whom had visited Peppe to examine the finds) stated that these sacred fragments had been enshrined in a decayed wooden vessel which was also found within the coffer. 17. Since the bones were finally handed to the Siamese together with these decayed wooden fragments, this would presumably confirm this wooden casket as their original location, though this then raises further awkward questions about their real identity in consequence.

THE PEPPE CASKETS AND THEIR INSCRIPTION The four steatite caskets of 1898 from Piprahwa (Fig. 1) are virtually identical in appearance to caskets which were interred in the 2nd century BCE at stupas in the Sanchi area. These caskets are shown in Alexander Cunninghams Bhilsa Topes, a book which was utilised by Fuhrer for other deceptions. 18. The steatite of which the Piprahwa caskets are made is still being worked in India today, I shall add ; I recently bought a couple of incense-holders made of exactly the same material, which were made in Varanasi.

During a visit to the Indian Museum, Calcutta, in 1994, I carefully examined the inscribed Piprahwa casket, and noted features not mentioned in any

report. A photograph taken in situ at Piprahwa in 1898 shows a curious feature on the centre of the lid, and also reveals that a large piece was then unaccountably missing from the base (Fig. 2). My examination revealed that the former was a piece of sealing-wax (since transferred to the inside) which had originally been stuck on to prevent a large crack from running further, while a subsequent repair to the base an inset piece looked to be a pretty botched affair also. All of which reveals that this casket had been badly damaged from the start that it had originally been broken in fact again, a fact not noted in any report. But is it likely, one is prompted to ask, that the Buddhas relics would have been enshrined in this damaged casket, as claimed? Or is this the broken casket which was reportedly found by Peppe near the top of the stupa, and which was similar in shape to those found below? 19. This casket - the first of the alleged finds - apparently vanished into thin air thereafter : it is not found in the Indian Museum collection, or on their Accessions List (which I also examined), it was not mentioned in Smiths detailed JRAS list of the finds, and no drawing or photograph was ever made of it either. So whatever happened to this casket? Did it become the inscribed casket which was also broken, as we have noted - and did Fuhrer himself forge the inscription upon it? Is the Piprahwa inscription simply another Fuhrer forgery? Fuhrer certainly had the

palaeographical knowledge to perform this, particularly as he was then in touch with Buhler (who may also have unwittingly provided him with emendations to the inscription, according to the published accounts). 20

Charles Allens book contains a photograph of the earliest-known copy of the Piprahwa inscription, which was sent by Peppe to Smith. This inscription was, in fact, very carelessly engraved upon the casket, and shows startling irregularities in some of its characters. Since Peppe wouldnt have had the slightest knowledge of this ancient and forgotten script, he should, of course, have faithfully reproduced these mistakes when he made his copy of it, but he didnt : his copy shows perfectly-drawn Asokan Brahmi characters (Figs. 3 and 4). Moreover, Smiths transliteration of Peppes copy completely omits the two final characters yanam - of the all-important word sakiyanam, showing the alleged Sakyan association with these relics. Allen attempts to explain this astonishing omission by saying that Smith had evidently regarded these two characters as random scratches, but they are quite clearly depicted in Peppes copy, and were presumably added to it later on (which also accounts for their being placed above the line of the others). 21. This explains why none of the January 1898 letters between Peppe, Smith and Fuhrer (which are cited by Allen) make any reference at all to this

all-important Sakyan connection, and shows that the inscription was, in fact, engraved upon the casket in various stages around this time doubtless by Fuhrer - Buhlers later emendations included.

THE SAGARWA JEWELLERY We have already noted that Peppe was in contact with Fuhrer while the latter was excavating at Sagarwa, across the nearby Nepalese border. The difficulties surrounding precisely what was discovered by Fuhrer at Sagarwa, and the subsequent fate of those items, would now appear to be quite insurmountable. All of the jewellery, caskets, and other items found at Sagarwa promptly disappeared, and the Nepalese authorities have assured me that they have no idea of their present whereabouts either. Smith and Peppe, curiously, rode up unannounced on January 28th, whilst Fuhrer was excavating Mound Number Five, and Smith noted seeing a few gold stars, similar to those subsequently found at Piprahwa (though Smiths use of the word subsequently is inexplicable here, since Peppe had announced his finds a week before this visit). Mound Number Four at Sagarwa (which was excavated just before this visit) was later declared by P.C. Mukherji to have been very rich in yielding relics (i.e. jewellery) but only a naga and six relics of sorts were shown in Mukherjis report, hardly a very rich yield.

So was all this missing Sagarwa jewellery utilized for the supposed finds at Piprahwa, one wonders? We have already noted Smiths comment on the similarity of the Sagarwa items to those of Piprahwa, and having spoken to the Curator at Fuhrers former museum at Lucknow, I was informed that the curiously-marked bricks from Sagarwa would appear to lie uncatalogued at this location. The Peppe collection includes specimens of eight-petalled lotuses in gold leaf, and lotus seed-pods with tiny holes drilled in them to represent seeds. One of the drawings of the Sagarwa items made by Fuhrers draughtsman shows an eight-petalled lotus in gold leaf, with tiny holes drilled into its centre to represent seeds, whilst the Sagarwa bricks showed 21 eight-petalled lotuses carved into their surfaces also.

THE LEGALITY OF THE PEPPE COLLECTION The question also arises as to whether Peppes collection of jewellery from Piprahwa was legally retained by him thereafter. V. A. Smith assured the Government of India that Mr Peppe has generously placed all the items discovered at the disposal of Government, subject to the retention by him, on behalf of the proprietors of the estate, of a reasonable number of duplicates of the smaller objects (Smith also referring to a few duplicates in his JRAS article, The Piprahwa Stupa). 22. Since Peppe, however, retained

not merely a few duplicates of the jewellery, but around one-third of the actual jewellery itself about 360 pieces - it is evident that Smiths assurance that Peppe would place all the objects at the disposal of Government (a legal obligation anyway, according to Smith) was not met, and the question thus arises as to whether Peppe legitimately retained these items thereafter, particularly as they were then removed from India after Independence. 23. One also wonders why Smith, then Acting Secretary to the North-Western Provinces Government, found it necessary to lie about those duplicates to the Government of India.

LATER FINDS AT PIPRAHWA In 1962, Debala Mitra, then Superintendent of the Eastern Circle of the Archaeological Survey of India, was invited by the Nepalese authorities to conduct a survey of the sites in the Nepalese Tarai, with a view to their development for pilgrimage purposes. Her subsequent report (1969) was highly critical of these sites however, and when the Nepalese refused to publish her findings, Mitra summarised them as an appendix entitled Kapilavastu - to her Buddhist Monuments book, published in India (1971). In this, she declared that the 1898 inscription provided a strong presumption for Piprahwa being the site of Kapilavastu, and added that

intensive excavation in the monasteries at Piprahwa is likely to reveal some monastic seals or sealings, which if found will prove the identity of Kapilavastu with Piprahwa or otherwise. 24

An Indian archaeologist, K. M. Srivastava (also from the Eastern circle of the ASI) promptly commenced further excavations at Piprahwa, and claimed to have discovered a primary mud stupa below the one excavated by Peppe. This supposedly yielded yet more soapstone vessels (none of which bore inscriptions) containing bones. According to Srivastava, the indiscriminate destruction caused by Peppes excavation meant that the bone relics found in 1898 could not reliably be shown to be those of the Buddha, and the inscription on the 1898 casket somehow pointed to the bones supposedly found lower down, which were thus the real relics of the Buddha in consequence. He also claimed to have discovered - precisely as Debala Mitra had predicted - thirty-five clay sealings bearing the word Kapilavastu in monastic remains at the site (though neither Peppe nor P. C. Mukherji had found a single specimen of such sealings when they excavated at these selfsame remains in 1898). 25. Having delivered a sharply critical review of Srivastavas claims however, the eminent archaeologist and historian, Herbert Hrtel, stated that To declare that the bones in one of the

reliquaries in the lower chambers are those of the Buddha is not provable, and therefore not tenable. In our opinion, it is high time to set a token of scientific correctness in this extremely important matter. 26

During my 1994 visit to the Indian Museum, I found an elaborate wooden model of a stupa displayed, in appearance similar to the great stupas at Sanchi and Amaravati (Fig. 5). This purported to be a model of the Piprahwa stupa itself, and inside it was a wooden copy of the inscribed casket, displaying two pieces of bone. The accompanying caption declared that these were relics of the Lordwhich were found in 1972 at Piprahwa, Basti District, U.P., supposed to be ancient Kapilavastu, the capital of the Sakyas, the clan of Sakyamuni Buddha, and stated that the Piprahwa stupa was encircled by railings, having gateways at four cardinal points, embellished with beautiful sculptures of the Buddha and contemporary life. When I enquired who was responsible for this item, I was informed that it was Mr Srivastava. However, as I was able to verify by a visit to the Piprahwa stupa, none of these railings, gateways, or beautiful sculptures of the Buddha and contemporary life exist at the actual site itself (Fig. 6). I then visited the National Museum in Delhi, where I discovered two of Mr Srivastavas soapstone caskets containing yet further relics of the Lord (and

ostentatiously displaying lumps of clay on the caskets themselves, thus proving, presumably, that they had been properly unearthed as claimed). Having examined these items as closely as I was permitted the Museum guard levelled a loaded rifle at me when I got too close I then paid a visit to the Curator of Buddhist Antiquities, J. E. Dawson, and mentioned the 1898 bequest to Siam, when supposed relics of the Buddha were also found. He had no knowledge of this however, and promptly began telephoning around the Museum, urging staff to report to his office. Pretty soon the room was full, and he asked me to repeat this information, of which no-one else present appeared to have any knowledge. During the ensuing discussion I mentioned that Krishna Rijal, then Nepals leading archaeologist, had also told me of a commission which had been set up, under Rajiv Gandhi, to investigate the authenticity of Mr Srivastavas Buddha-relics, but which had never published its conclusions thereafter. This immediately prompted one of the staff to call out They are false! an outburst which shocked everyone into silence. I asked him to repeat this assertion, which he did. I then asked him how he knew this, and he replied that an Indian professor had told him. And how does he know? I enquired. Because he was on the commission! came the prompt reply.

SANKISA

Sankisa is related to many Myths pertaining to Lord Buddha, especially his descending from the heaven after death makes it an ideal destination for Buddhist pilgrims. The place is as interesting as the stories related to Buddha, charming, quite and enchanting. Known as Sankasya in Ramayana, this village has been an important centre in the geography of India from earlier times. Huen Tsang named this city as Kapittha in his travelogue and described it as a nice place to visit. The place is renowned for the stone statues found here during the excavations.

Location Sankisa is located in Farukhabad district of Uttar Pradesh, at a distance of 40 Km from Kannauj.

Attractions The village is mainly famous for the archaeological and historical importance. There is a small temple of Maya Devi where, she is worshipped as a goddess of fertlity. Buddhist sculptures dating back to Mahayana age is also found on some walls at the site.

The remains of Asokan Pillar is also worth a visit, while the pillar with an elephant in lieu of the usual lion is also matter of attraction for many a tourists. This elephant is said to be the representation of the white elephant which mayadevi had dreamt at the time of conception of Siddhartha (Lord Buddha).

The excavations by ASI (Archaological Society of India) has lead to the finding of many items of ancient age contemporary to Buddha, Asoka and some other well-known preacher of Buddhiism. Some of these items are exquisite and represents high grade of art. The scriptures, terra cotta figures, bronze coins and stone dishes remain the centre of attraction for the visiting folk to have a glimpse back into the far left times.

The Shiva linga is also quite exotic and attracts Hindu religious devotees. The Shravan Mela held every year draws a lot of tourists.

Excursions Kannauj : An ancient town in India, having its place in many important books such as the Mahabharata, this place is well known for the Brahminical relations. Ruled over by Hindu king Harsha Vardhana, this city had seen the golden period of Hindu architecture. Many of the sculptures have been excavated recently and the various statues, among them the ekmukhi (one faceted) with the head of Lord Shiva's wife, are special. The place is also a well-known Perfume production place right from the days of Harsha.

Ask For Sankisa Travel Detail

Kanpur : Kanpur is a well-known and admired city in India. It is also a destination for the scholars from early Hindu civilization days of India. There are a whole agmut of places to visit in Kanpur, the prominent among them being Shri Radhakirishna temple, Phool Bagh, Jajmau, The Glass temple, The All soul's Cathedral, Nawabganj Bird sanctuary and the Allen forest Zoo.

How to reach Air : The kanpur airport is nearest to Sankisa, from which, trains and buses run regularly.

Rail : The nearest railhead is Pakhna, at a distance of 12 Km.

Road : Sankisa is connected to the major cities of the state by good motorable roads.

Where to stay Staying can be most enjoyed at Kanpur. The Landmark is a fine hotel

SHRAVASTI
Shravasti is a newly created district of Uttar Pradesh (India) carved out from districts of Gonda and Bahraich . Besides these two districts, Shravasti shares its border with district Balrampur. Bhinga, the District Headquarter of Shrawasti, from the state capital, Lucknow.
Geographical Area Population Literacy Parliamentary constituency Assembly Constituencies Tehsil Community Bhinga,Ikauna,Charda,Behraich Bhinga,Ikauna Hariharpur 1126.00 K.m2 923380 19.27% Behraich

is approximately 150 k.m away

Development Blocks Rani,Sirsia,Gilola,Jamunaha,Ikona No.of Panchayats 72 No of Villages Inhabited-683, Uninhabited-19

Shravasti, the northeastern town of Uttar Pradesh, is located near river Rapti. This town is closely associated with the life of Lord Buddha.

It is being said that the mythological king Sravast founded this town. Shravasti was the capital of Kosala Kingdom during 6th century BC to 6th century AD. This prosperous trading center was well known for its religious associations. The 'Sobhanath' temple is believed to be the birthplace of Jain Tirthankar 'Sambhavanath' making Shravasti an important center for the Jainas.

As mentioned in the Bruhatkalpa and various kalpas of the fourteenth century the name of the city was Mahid. There are subsequent mentions showing that the name of this city was SahetMahet. It is also mentioned that a vast fort covered this city in which there were many temples having idols of Devkulikas.

Buddha is believed to have spent 24 monsoons in this city. Age-old

stupas, majestic monasteries and several temples near the village of "Sahet-Mahet" establish Buddha's association with Shravasti. Moreover, Shravasti is the holy land of all the four Kalyanakas Chayan, Birth, Diksa and Attainment of omniscience of Bhagawan Samabhavanath. Today a great rampart of earth and brick surrounds this city. During excavation in Sahet-Mahet near Shravasti City, many ancient idols and inscriptions were found. They are now kept in museums of Mathura and Lucknow. At present, the archaeological department of the Indian Govt. is doing excavation to perform allied research. The ancient city of Shravasti, venerated by Buddhist and Jains alike, is at present a collection of ruins called SAHET - MAHET. This twin name is applied to two distinct groups of remains, Sahet and Mahet.Sahet is the site of the famous Buddhist monastery known as JETAVANA VIHAR, which lay outside the limits of the Shravasti city. The latter is identified with modern Mahet. The ruins at Sahet consist mainly of plinths and foundation of monasteries and stupas, all

Buddhist. The other site i.e., Mahet situated at about 500m from the site denotes the ancient city proper.

Very little is known of the city of Shravasti until it rose to fame owing to its association with Buddha and Mahavira in sixth century B.C. At the time of Buddha, Presanajit was the king of Shravasti.The site of Sahet is said to be the park of prince Jeta, son of Presanajit, hence named Jetavan. Sudatta (also known as Ananthapindika), a wealthy merchant of Shravasti, bought this park from prince Jeta by paying enough gold pieces that could cover the park. This episode is found in a sculpture of second century B.C. A Jetavana scene is also found on an early Amaravati stele. The earliest structural activities at Sahet are attributed mainly to Suddatta, Prince Jeta and his father King Presanajit.

In the third rainy season after his enlightenment, Lord Buddha visited Jetavana and since then he regularly made his sojourn to the monastery spending here 24 rainy seasons in all.

One of the interesting episodes in an off-told story of Buddha at Shravasti was the conversion of a robber named Angulimala. After the age of Buddha and Mahavira, the history of Shravasti is obscure till we come to the period of Ashoka in the third century B.C. .The material prosperity of Shravasti was at its height during Ashoka's period. Ashoka is credited with the erection of two pillars, each 21m high, in addition to the construction of several monasteries and stupas. The monasteries and shrines of Jetavana were renovated during the early centuries of the Christian era under the patronage of Kushanas. During the period of Gupthas, the Buddhist establishment at Jetavana was prosperous as before.

In the early fifth century FA-HIEN visited this place. In the reign of king Harsha (AD 606 - 647) Hiuen - Tsang visited Shravasti and found it a wild ruin. There is evidence to show that some Buddhist establishments survived in Jetavana down to the middle of the Twelfth century mainly due to the patronage of the Gahadavala kings of Kannauj. The history of Shravasti thereafter is quite unknown. The ruins of Shravasti remaind long forgottenuntil they were brought to light and identified with Shravasti by Alexander Cunninghum in 1863. Successive excavations have yielded the remains of several stupas, temples and monsteries,etc

KAUSHAMBI

Kaushambi: Scene of Important events in the Buddha's career Kaushambi, in Uttar Pradesh, was visited by Buddha in the 6th and 9th years after his enlightenment. He delivered several sermons here, elevating it to a center of learning for Buddhists. Today one can see the ruins of an Ashokan Pillar, an old fort and the Ghositaram Monastery. The archaeological excavations here have yielded a large number of sculptures and figurines, coins, punch-marked and cast coins and terra-cotta sculptures which show the reverence the city was held in by the devout, in times gone by. All these religious finds of historical and archaeological importance can be viewed at the Allahabad Museum.

However the area occupied by this district has a very glorious past. In Ancient India, Hundreds of years before the christ born, Kaushambi was the capital of Chedi-vatsa janapada, one of the prominent janapadas into which the Indo-Aryan people were divided. As some of these janapadas figure prominently in the Brahmanas and Upanisads, it is not unlikely that the antiquity of Kaushambi goes back to the period of the Brahamanas. The Satapatha Brahamana mentions a person called Proti Kaushambeya, a native

of Kaushambi. This hoary antiquity of the city is confirmed by the Mahabharata and the Ramayana, the former ascribing its foundation to Kusamba, the third son of the Chedi King Uparica Vasu and the latter to Kusamba, the son of Kusa.

Location District Kaushambi is situated in the west of Allahabad district. In the North of the district Pratapgarh, in the south Chitrakoot, In the east Allahabad, in the west Fatehpur districts are located. The total geographical area of the district is 2012.8 sq. km.

History During Buddha's time Kaushambi was one of the six most important and prosperous towns of India. It was a nerve center of ancient Indian communications as the principal routes from north to south and east to west met at the city. It was a terminus of river traffic and an important emporium of Madhyadesa. The city retained its importance at least up to the sixth century A.D.,as it was visited by the Chinese pilgrims Fa-Hien and YuanChwang.

The ruins of the well-known site of Kaushambi (25o20' 30"N., 81o23'12"E.) are situated on the left blank of the river Yamuna at a distance of 51.2 km from Allahabad in a south-westerly direction. The remains of the ancient city viewed from a distance give the impression of an imposing hillock, which, when approached nearer, reveals itself as a chain of rolling mounds, standing high above the surrounding plains, girdled on the south by the Yamuna. The Vindhyan range across the horizon at not a great distance beyond the river Yamuna provides the southern frame of the Panorama.

Pilgrimage Attractions of Kaushambi District Kaushambi is rich in historical places. History of all times demistify the importance of the district. Kara, Prabhasgiri and Kaushambi are the main historical centers. The district is full of temples in which Sheetla temple of Kara Dham and the Jain temple of Prabhosa are the main attraction. Sheetla Temple of Kara The historical and religious importance of Kara is very old. This place is situated in the north-west of Allahabad about 69 km away. There are so many temples in Kara in which Sheetla Mata temple, Chhetrapal Bhairav temple, Hanuman temple and Kaleshwar Mahadev temple are famous.

The temple of ma Sheetla is situated on the bank of Ganga river. It is known as the major shaktipeeth from all the 51 shaktipeeths of Goddess. In the idol, Sheetla Devi is sitting on gardhabha (ass). Followers of all the religions worship in this temple. It is said that by the worship of Goddess Sheetla on the ashtami of Krishnapaksha of the month of chetra they get rid of evil powers.

This place has been a religious pilgrimage since at least 1000 A.D. Kara was also an important township in the kingdoms of medieval kings of the northern India. and even today one can see the remains of the fort of king Jaichand, the lasr hindu king of Kannauj.

Kara is also the birth place of the famous saint Malookdas(1631 - 1739 A.D.). The Aashram and Samadhi of saint is there. He was also a follower of Goddess Kara. The famous Sikh guru Teg Bahadur had come to Kara to discourse on various topics with Saint Malookdas. Prabhasgiri(Prabhosa) Prabhasgiri or Prabhosa is famous as a religious historical place on the bank of Yamuna river at the Manjhanpur Tehsil about 50km away in the north of

Allahabad. It is also said that Shri Krishna died at this place by the arrow of Jaratkumar in the suspicion of deer.

In the earlier days there was a big Jain temple on a very big hill. After the demolition of this another jain temple was constructed in 1824A.D.. A cave which is 9 feet long and 7 feet wide is also there. In this cave the records are found in the brahmi lipi of second century before Gupta dynasty. Till now this place is the center of faith of all the followers of the Jainism. This was the place where the sixth teerthankara of Jains Bhagwan PadmaPrabhu lived most of his life. Kaushambi Sir Leonard Wooley in his famous report had suggested Kaushambi as one of the two important sites in the Ganga valley, the excavation of which, according to him, would unravel the early history of the Indian people. It was a memorable event in the History of Indian Archaeology when first of March, 1948, Sir Mortimer, authorised the University of Allahabad to excavate Kaushambi with G.R.Sharma as Director.

The excavations have been conducted in the following areas: near the Ashokan pillar which laid bare a part of the residential area of the city, the

Ghositarama monastry, the defences near the Eastern Gateway and the tower at the north-eastern corner, the Stone Fortress Palace. Durga Devi Temple of Manjhanpur This temple is situated about 1km away in the south-west of Manjhanpur town area. In this temple there is an idol of black stone of Goddess Durga and Lord Shiva. It is believed that these idols are of the time of Buddha. On the occasion of Navaratri there is a large crowd to worship Goddess Durga. Kamasin Devi Temple This temple is situated on the bank of a pond about 10km away in the west of Manjhanpur in the village of Gambheerapurab . According to the local tradition Kamasin Devi fulfils all the desires of her followers. Local people have a great faith on the devine powers of this temple. Shri Ram Temple Bajha This place is situated about 30km away from Allahabad on the Allahabad Kanpur road . This place resides in the Chayal tehsil area. A huge temple of Lord Shri Ram is situated at this place. This temple was constructed around 20 years ago. Neighbouring Places of Interest There are numerous places of interest round about Kaushambi like Allahabad, Kanpur, Varanasi, Chitrakoot and Vindhayavasini.

How to Reach The district head quarter Manjhanpur is around 55km away from Allahabad. From Allahabad to reach Mooratganj on the G.T.Road towards Kanpur. From Mooratganj take a left diversion reach Bharwari and proceed on the Mooratganj Mahewa Ghaat road to Manjhanpur.

If you are coming from Kanpur then take a right turn at Saini reach Sirathu and proceed on the Sirathu Sarai Akil road to Manjhanpur.

Apart from Allahabad and Kanpur other railway heads within the district are Sirathu and Bharwari.