Buddhist Sites in Uttar Pradesh

There are numerous sites in Uttar Pradesh that are associated with Lord Buddha and Buddhism religion. In fact, Uttar Pradesh along with modern Bihar formed the hub of early Buddhism. It was from these parts that Buddhism spread to other parts of the World. Some of the prominent Buddhist sites in Uttar Pradesh/UP are Sarnath, Kausambi, Sravasti, Kushinagar and Mathura.

Kaushambi
The district of Kaushambi is situated in Uttar Pradesh. It was the erstwhile capital of 'Vatsa Janpad', during the time of Buddha and came under the reign of King Udyana. Kaushambi also holds the distinction of serving as the host to Lord Buddha, in the 6th and 9th year after his enlightenment.

Mathura
The city of Mathura is situated on the western bank of the river Yamuna, in Uttar Pradesh. It lies at a distance of approximately 145 km from Delhi, the capital of India, and 58 km from Agra, the city of Taj. The city holds the distinction of being the birthplace of Lord Krishna, a Hindu God. Along with being a major Hindu pilgrimage, Mathura is also one of the prominent Buddhist sites in India.

Prabhosa
Prabhosa is situated in the state of Uttar Pradesh. It lies at a distance of approximately one kilometer from the district of Kaushambi in India. In the ancient times, this place was known as Mankula. The significance of Prabhosa is that it served as the venue of the 6th rain retreat of Lord Buddha.

Sravasti
Sravasti is situated in the Gonda district of Uttar Pradesh. It was the erstwhile capital of the ancient kingdom of Kosala Mahajanapada. It is believed that Sravasti, also known as Sahet-Mahet, was founded by the legendary king Sravast. This place is important from Buddhism point of view because Lord Buddha performed a number of miracles here.