Buddhist Pilgrimage in India

Buddhism was born and thrived in India for 1,700 years. Between the 5th century BC and 12th century AD the whole of India was rich with the culture of Buddhist life that spread to other parts of the world. It was during the sixth century BC, when a solitary, wandering ascetic, sat to meditate beneath a shady tree, resolving not to rise until he had attained the ultimate knowledge of spiritual enlightenment. Thus began Buddhism, one of the world's great religions and pilgrimage traditions.

For centuries Indian royalty and merchants patronized Buddhist monasteries and raised beautiful, hemispherical stone structures called stupas over the relics of the Buddha in reverence to his memory. Since the 1840s, archeology has revealed the huge impact of Buddhist art, iconography, and architecture in India. The places of birth and enlightenment are perhaps the two most important sites of pilgrimage for Buddhists in the world today. These are accompanied by a number of other sites marking the spread of Buddhism throughout the Indian sub-continent.