Kushinagar is situated in Deoria district of eastern Uttar Pradesh. After a life dedicated to preaching mankind to alleviate their sufferings and the path of attaining salvation, Lord Buddha had died at Kushinagar on his way from Rajgir to Sravasti. The event is called Parinirvana in Buddhist parlance. His last words before death were that all composite things decay. Kushinagar has been a pilgrimage destination since many hundred years. It was also the capital of the kingdom of the Mallas, one of the 16 Janapadas during the ancient period. It may be mentioned that many of its stupas and viharas of the place date back to 230 BC-AD 413 when the prosperity of Kushinagar was at its peak.
Attractions in the City
» Mahaparinirvana Temple : The most important place to visit here is the Mahaparinirvana temple. The reclining statue of Buddha displayed here is famous all over the world. The magnificent statue is 20-feet-long and is seated on a brick platform. There are ruins of as many as eight monasteries around the temple. Some of these monasteries like the Makutabandhara Vihara are believed to have been built by Malla kings to preserve the relics of the Buddha. These monasteries have been silent spectators to the rise and fall of many dynasties and the spread of Buddhism in the place.
» Muktabandhana Stupa : The Muktabandhana Vihara is believed to have been built by the Mallas just after the Buddha’s death. It is important to note that the stupa has been built right over the sacred relics of the Buddha himself. Also known as the Ramabhar Stupa, it is a 50 ft tall structure. As the Stupa is believed to be the place of cremation of the Buddha, devotees throng the Stupa all round the year to seek divine blessings.
