| Area : |
6.0 sq km
|
| Population :
|
13,860
(1991) |
| Languages :
|
Hindi and
English |
| Best time to
visit : |
October to
April |
Kushinagar, one of the principal
centers of Buddhist pilgrimage is the place of Mahaparinrvana. The monument
of Kushinagar are situated in three distinct comprising in the main site of
the Nirvana Temple houses over 6meter long statue of the reclining Buddha
The image was unearthed during the excavations in 1876. An inscription below
dates the statue to the 5th century BC Mathakaur shrine is black stone image
of Lord Buddha in the Bhumi Sparsha Mudra (a posture showing him touching
the earth ) was recovered here.
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.
Location
Kushinagar is situated in the north Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, 51 km
off Gorakhpur. The place, which is famous for the Mahaparinirvana (death) of
Lord Buddha, has been included in the famous Buddhist trail encompassing
Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, and Nepal.
History
Kushinagar is also known as Kasia or Kusinara. The founder of Buddhism,
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. The Mauryan emperor Ashoka added grandeur to
this place by getting the magnificent statue of Buddha carved on a single
piece of red sandstone. Fa Hien, Huen Tsang, and I-tsing, the three famous
Chinese scholar travelers to India, all visited Kushinagar.
With the decline of Buddhism, however, Kushinagar lost its importance and
suffered much neglect. It was only in the last century that Lord Alexander
Cunningham excavated many important remnants of the main site such as the
Matha Kua and Ramabhar stupa. Today, people from all over the world visit
Kushinagar. Many national and international societies and groups have
established their centers here.
Pilgrimage
Attraction of Kushinagar
- Nirvana Stupa
 This
huge brickwork stupa, exposed by Carlleyl in 1867, stands at a
height of 2.74 meter. 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. The Stupa is located in
the east of the main Nirvana Temple.
Visiting Hours : Sunrise to Sunset
- Nirvana Temple
This houses the over 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. An inscription below dates the statue to the
fifth century AD.
The temple stands on the same plinth as the Stupa behind it. As
mentioned above the ruins of this temple and the reclining Nirvana
statue inside were discovered by Carlleyl in 1876. By sinking a
vertical trench at the centre of its mound he first discovered the
great statue in a much-shattered condition lying on a broken
pedestal.
- Mathakuar Shrine
This Shrine lies about 400 yards form 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.
More than a furlong south-west of the Main Site, by the side of the
road, is the Matha-kuar shrine, wherein is installed a colossal
statue of Buddha, locally called Matha-kuar. The possible
significance of its name has already been referred to. The statue
measures 3.05 m in height and is carved out of one block of the blue
stone of the Gaya region to represent Buddha seated under the Bodhi
tree in a pose known as the bhumisparsa-mudra ('earth-touching
attitude'), which symbolically expresses the supreme moment in
Buddha's life just before his Enlightenment, when he called upon the
Earth to bear witness to the pieties performed by him in his
previous births.
- Ramabhar 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. Alias THE CREMATION STUPA Less than 1.61 km to the east of
the Matha-kuar shrine stands a mound facing the road from Kasia to
Deoria. There is a sheet of water, called Ramabhar Jhil or pond,
close to it, which dries up in summer. Whether the name Ramabhar
originally belonged to the pond or to the mound it is difficult to
say; nor can it be satisfactorily derived or its relation to the
events of Buddha's death easily explained.
- Japanese Temple
 A
beautiful Ashta Dhatu (eight metlas) statue of Lord Buddha, which
came from Japan, can be seen here. Built by the Atago Isshin World
Buddhist Cultural Association, it consists of a single circular
chamber, housing a golden image of Buddha, softly lit through small,
stained-glass window.
Visiting Hours : Sunrise to Sunset
- Kushinagar Museum
The Buddha Museum contains finds from excavations at the site. The
museum has 248 precious antiques related to coins, statues and
sculptures, architectural remains & bronze statues.
The proposal was mooted to found a museum for preserving the
archaeological wealth from the region and the present building came
into existence in 1992-93. it is located at about 1 km. Sough-East
from the Kushinagar bus stop, ½ km. From the Mahaparinirvana
temple and about 3 Km. From the Kasia bus stand. The nucleolus of
the collection represents sculptures, terracottas particularly the
Buddhist icons, architectural remains, bronzes, clay seals, banner
paintings (Thankas) and a few coins. Besides , some Hindu and Jaina
antiquities are also on view. The Stucco statue of Lord Buddha in
the meditation posture is a superb specimen. It represents zenith of
the Gandhara School of Art.
- Japanese Garden
The Children park in the front of Buddha Museum is under
construction. The park is initially under Japanese eye of
construction and will be handed over to the UP Government on
completion. The park can be partially viewed as a rock garden.
Visiting Hours : Sunrise to Sunset
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