Bodh Gaya Kathina Chivara Tour, India
Bodh Gaya Kathina Chivara Tour
Overview
An 18-day pilgrimage through the sacred Buddhist circuit of India — from the Great Stupa of Sanchi and the first sermon site at Sarnath, to Bodh Gaya for the Kathina Chivara offering and Sangika Dana beneath the Sri Maha Bodhi, and on to Rajgir, Nalanda, Vaishali, Kushinagar, Lumbini, Sravasti and Sankassa. The journey closes with visits to the Taj Mahal in Agra and the monuments of New Delhi before the long return home.
Highlights
- Offer the Kathina Chivara and Sangika Dana beneath the Sri Maha Bodhi in Bodh Gaya
- Worship at Sarnath, site of the Buddha's first sermon, and Kushinagar, site of the Parinibbana
- Visit Rajgir's Gijjhakuta (Vulture's Peak) and the ancient university ruins of Nalanda
- Trace the Buddha's footsteps through Vaishali, Lumbini, Sravasti and Sankassa
- See the Taj Mahal in Agra and the monuments of New Delhi
Included
- All transportation by train and coach as per itinerary
- Accommodation on double-sharing basis en route
- Sangika dana and pilgrimage arrangements at each sacred site
- Guided worship program at all Buddhist heritage sites
- Visits to Agra (Taj Mahal) and New Delhi
Not included
- Passport, Indian visa and related documentation charges
- Any personal expenses — laundry, shopping, tips etc.
- Monument or fort entrance fees / camera fees
- Meals other than specified
Gallery
Itinerary
Depart from Katunayake airport for Madurai. On arrival, our representative welcomes you and transfers you to your hotel for an overnight stay.
Activities
- Flight to Madurai
- Hotel check-in
Board an overnight sleeper train towards Bhopal in central India — a journey of around 27 hours through Tamil Nadu and several other states, passing varied landscapes and communities along the way.
Activities
- Overnight sleeper train
- Journey through Tamil Nadu and central India
Disembark the train at Bhopal and continue by bus to Sanchi, overnighting near the great stupa complex.
Activities
- Bhopal to Sanchi by bus
Spend the morning worshipping at the Great Stupa of Sanchi, one of India's oldest Buddhist monuments, then depart by road towards Varanasi, stopping en route at Kaushambi to view the ruins of Ghoshitarama.
Activities
- Sanchi Great Stupa worship
- Ghoshitarama ruins, Kaushambi
A full day of merit-making and worship at Varanasi's sacred sites on the banks of the Ganges.
Activities
- Merit-making at Varanasi's sacred sites
Worship at the monastery where the Buddha resided, the site where he met the five ascetics, and the place of his first sermon, then visit the Dharmapala Museum. In the evening, join the Dhamma sermon held at Mulagandhakuti Vihara.
Activities
- Dhamekh Stupa worship
- Dharmapala Museum
- Evening Dhamma sermon, Mulagandhakuti Vihara
Travel to Bodh Gaya and join the procession carrying the Kathina robe, followed by night pirith chanting.
Activities
- Travel to Bodh Gaya
- Kathina robe procession
- Night pirith chanting
Take part in the offering of the Kathina Chivara and Sangika Dana to the Sangha, the central ceremony of this pilgrimage.
Activities
- Kathina Chivara offering
- Sangika Dana
A day devoted to Bodh Gaya's sacred sites — observe precepts at dawn, offer dana to the Sangha, worship the Sattasatiya (the seven sites of the Buddha's first weeks), the place of Sujata's milk-rice offering and the site of his ascetic practice, closing with Bodhi Puja at the Sri Maha Bodhi in the evening.
Activities
- Dana offerings to the Sangha
- Sattasatiya worship
- Evening Bodhi Puja at the Sri Maha Bodhi
Visit Rajgir's Gijjhakuta (Vulture's Peak) and Saptaparni Cave, the site where King Bimbisara was imprisoned, the hot springs, and Veluvanarama, before viewing the ancient university ruins of Nalanda.
Activities
- Gijjhakuta (Vulture's Peak)
- Bimbisara's prison site
- Veluvanarama
- Nalanda University ruins
Worship at Vaishali's Kutagara Hall and relic stupa, then travel to Kushinagar to offer robes at the site of the Buddha's Parinibbana and worship the cremation memorial.
Activities
- Kutagara Hall, Vaishali
- Parinibbana site worship, Kushinagar
Cross into Nepal to Lumbini, birthplace of Prince Siddhartha, and view the Tilaurakot ruins regarded as Nepal's Kapilavastu, along with the ancient palace remains.
Activities
- Lumbini Sacred Garden
- Tilaurakot (Nepal Kapilavastu) ruins
Receive Sangika Dana, then cross back into India to Sravasti. Worship at Jetavanarama, visit Anathapindika's mansion site, the place where the Angulimala Sutta was preached, and the site of the Twin Miracle.
Activities
- Jetavanarama worship
- Anathapindika's mansion site
- Angulimala Sutta site
Travel to Sankassa, the site where the Buddha is said to have descended from Tavatimsa heaven, for worship.
Activities
- Sankassa worship
Travel to Agra to view the Taj Mahal, one of the world's most celebrated monuments.
Activities
- Taj Mahal visit
Travel to New Delhi to view the National Museum's Kapilavastu relics and the site associated with the Satipatthana Sutta, along with the city's landmarks such as India Gate and the Lotus Temple.
Activities
- National Museum — Kapilavastu relics
- India Gate
- Lotus Temple
Board the long return train south towards Chennai — a journey of around 37 hours — carrying with you the memories of this pilgrimage.
Activities
- Overnight train towards Chennai
Arrive in Chennai and transfer for your connecting flight back to Colombo, bringing this 18-day pilgrimage to a close.
Activities
- Transfer to airport
- Return flight to Colombo
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