Kushinagar City Guide
Kushinagar, near Gorakhpur in North-East Uttar Pradesh, is the place where Lord Buddha achieved salvation. During his last few hours, Buddha desired to leave his corporeal body at the Sal grove on the banks of the Hiranyavati river in Kushinagar. The Mahaparinirvana temple here enshrines a 6 metre long statue of the Buddha in the Parinirvana posture .
A very large statue of Buddha, carved on a single piece of red sandstone is situated here. The great Mauryan Emperor, Ashoka, built this statue. All three famous Chinese scholars Fa Hien, Huen Tsang, and I-tsing visited Kushinagar, which is a part of the famous Buddhist trail encompassing Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, and Nepal.
Buddha Poornima is the most important festival celebrated in the region.
Tourist Spots of Kushinagar
Thr major highlights of Kushinagar are the Mata Kunwar Shrine and Rambhar Stupa. Mata Kunwar Shrine is a popular pilgrimage for Buddhist. Kushinagar is an immnely popular pilgrimage site. Chinese, Sri Lanka, Thai and Japanese Buddhists have built several temples. Apart from these there are several temples of various countries in the vicinity of the main site. The other attraction of the region includes the Indo-Japanese-Sri Lankan Center for Cultural Association, meditation center, archeological museum and Tamkuhi forest area.
Watt Thai Temple
Watt Thai Temple is one of the most beautiful and most visited temples in Kushinagar. Watt Thai Temple is only one of its kinds not only in Kushinagar but also in whole of Indian Sub-continent. The temple is centrally located in Kushinagar and that is why it can be seen from anywhere and everywhere in Kushinagar. The Temple has been laid out on a lush green lawn that is spread in several acres of land.
Japanese Temple
Japanese Temple is one of the most beautiful temples in Kushinagar. This is a must visit site during your tour to Kushinagar. A magnificent 'Ashta Dhatu' or 'Eight Metals' statue of Lord Buddha marks this temple. This statue has been brought from Japan in dismantled form and was later joined before it was established in this temple.
Chinese Temple
Chinese Temple is another most visited tourist destination in Kushinagar. The temple is famous for its distinct architecture that puts it away from the numerous Buddhist Temples in Kushinagar. The architecture of this temple is predominantly 'Han Chinese' and has design elements that have been borrowed from various provinces of Mainland China .
Where to stay
There are accommodation facilities available, in the Dharmashalas and other charitable trusts. In Kushinagar, there's Hotel Nikko, International Guest house, Hindu brila Buddha Dharmashala, Nepalese Dharmashala etc are good places to stay. The UP Tourism accommodation, the Pathik Niwas is also quite good.
Best time to visit Kushinagar
Tropical climate prevails in Kushinagar. Summer months are very hot and humid with temperatures in the range of 40-45°C. Winters are also very cold with minimum temperature in December going down to about 5°C. Monsoon reaches the region in late-June and remains till most part of September. The period between October and March is the best time to undertake a pilgrimage to the sacred destination.
Excursions from Kushinagar
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.
Things to see
Ramabhar Stupa
Nirvana Temple
Mathakuar Temple
The Mahaparinirvana Temple
