Varanasi Excursion : Places nearby Varanasi - Uttar Pradesh

Places to visit nearby destination - Varanasi

Allahabad

One of the holiest cities of India, Allahabad is situated at a distance of about 135 km west of Varanasi and 238 km from the state capital Lucknow. This ancient city finds mention in the Vedas, Puranas, the Ramayana and the Mahabharata, as Prayag

. Allahabad stands at the confluence of two of India’s holiest rivers, the Ganga and the Yamuna. The confluence called the Sangam, is the venue of many sacred fairs and rituals and attracts thousands of pilgrims throughout the year. The present city was founded in 1575 by the great Mughal ruler Akbar who gave it a name of `Illahabas’. It was he who built a magnificent fort on the banks of the holy Sangam

. The city, which has been the hometown or the adopted town of many eminent personalities of the country, is quite an interesting and relaxing place to visit.

Bodhgaya

Located in the state of Bihar, Bodhgaya along with Sarnath and Kushinagar are the most sacred places for the Buddhists around the country. It is here in Bodhgaya that Buddha is supposed to have attained enlightenment under the Bodhi Tree. The tree from the original sapling still stands in the temple premises

The magnificent Mahabodhi temple stands adjacent to this bodhi tree. The temple stands on the site of the ancient temple erected by Ashoka in the 3rd century BC. The inscriptions here describe the visits of pilgrims from Sri Lanka, Myanmar and China between 7th and 10th century AD.

Kushinagar

About 51 kilometres from Gorakhpur lies Kushinagar, a place famous for the Mahaparinirvana (death) of Lord Buddha. The town, once a celebrated center of the Malla kingdom, has many of the stupas and viharas that date back to 230 BC–413 AD. One of the important sites to see here is the Mahaparinirvana Temple, where you can find the famous reclining statue of Buddha. The 20-feet-long statue is seated on a brick platform. Around the temple, one can find the ruins of as many as eight monasteries.

Ramnagar Fort

This 17th century fort is the home of the former Maharaja of Banaras. The fort lies at a little distance to the south of the Asi Ghat. You can have an impressive view of the fort from the other side of the river. It can be reached by a road heading south from the Banaras Hindu University and over a rickety pontoon bridge. During the monsoon, the area is accessible by a ferry

. The museum inside the fort houses a collection that includes horse-drawn carriages, old motor cars, gilded and ornate silver howdahs (elephant seats), hookahas, costumes, a collection of minute ivory carvings, an astronomical clock, hunting trophies, vintage silver and brocade palanquins, a replica of the royal bed and an armoury of swords and guns.

Sarnath

A major Buddhist centre, Sarnath lies 10 kilometres north east of Varanasi. It was here that Buddha preached his message of the ’middle way’ to nirvana after achieving enlightenment at Bodhgaya. In around 234 BC, Emperor Ashoka, a great follower of Buddhism, erected a stupa here. Between the 3rd century BC and the 11th century AD, several Buddhist structures were built here in Sarnath. Most of the Sarnath’s monuments are set in large gardens making it quite pleasant for a visitor to spend some time here

. The Buddha Purnima festival is held here in May to celebrate the birth of Lord Buddha.