Day 01:Arrive Delhi
Arrive Delhi and transfer to hotel. One of the most fascinating aspect of Delhi is the visibility of its historic past. Some of the large portion of the city could well earmarked as archeological parks because the rulers of the successive dynasties between the 13th and the 17th century established seven cities in different parts of Delhi. A chronological review of these cities fortunately also serves as suitable itinerary and highlights the important monuments. These buildings are the reflections of Delhi?s past and are counted amongst the biggest attraction. The Qutab Minar, Humanyun?s Tomb, Safdarjung and Lodi Tomb, Birla Temple and Red Fort. A rickshaw ride in the narrow crowded lanes of Chandni Chowk. See the colonial architectural grandeur from the exquisitely designed Rastrapati Bhawan, the lush green gardens of India Gate and the Parliament house.Overnight at hotel.

Day 02:Delhi-Agra-Gonda
Train Early morning transfer to railway station to board Shatbdi Express for Agra. Agra came into its own when Lodi Kings chose this place on the bank of river Yamuna to be their capital city. Sikander Lodi made Agra his capital, but Babar defeated the Lodhi?s to capture not only Agra but lay the foundation of the Mughal empire.The coming of Babar heralded a new era which was to see Agra at its zenith during the reign of Akbar, Jehangir and Shah Jehan. It was during the period of Akbar that Agra became a center of Art, culture, commerce and learning. This reached its height, when Shah Jehan became the ruler.

In the mid 16th century and earlier 17th century Agra witnessed a frenzied building activity and it was during this time when the symbol of love Taj Mahal was built. The buildings made during this era were purely in the contemporary Mughal style and of very high quality that is still reflected in whatever monuments remain in Agra. The narrow lanes of Agra filled with aroma of Mughlai cuisine, the craftsmen who are busy in crating masterpieces with their skill all remind of the Moghal royalty, which this city had once experienced. Today whatever remains, has become a major tourist attraction, which has taken Agra again to the heights of glory but this time as a major tourist destination of India.

Visit the epitome of love-Taj Mahal: Even as the world is caught in the skirmishes of War & peace, Nuclear and Non-Nuclear; Taj Mahal has stood as the epitome of love. This extravagant monument of love is one of the most visited and most photographed places in the world. Taj Mahal was built by Shah Jahan in the memory of his beautiful wife Mumtaz Mahal. Taj Mahal was the culmination point of Indo-Persian architecture. The Mughals Emperor were always fond of constructing monuments. Perhaps they knew that they would be gone but these structures will remind the world of their grandeur. Shah Jahan was particularly fond of building. He built the city of Shah Jahanabad, which today is called the old Delhi. He loved construction more than that he loved his wife. Mumtaz Mahal as the name indicates, her beauty is compared with the light of heaven. She died while giving birth to her fourteenth child. Shah Jahan was so shocked by her death that his hair turned grey over night.

Visit Agra Fort. Built principally as a military establishment by Akbar in 1565, the red sandstone Agra fort was partially converted into a palace during Shah Jahan's time. Though Akbar built the principle structure his grandsons made many more additions. Later in the evening transfer to railway station to board train for Gonda. Overnight on board train.

Day 03:Gonda-Srawasti
Surface- 28 kms Arrive Gonda and drive to Sravasti. Upon arrival transfer to hotel.

Sravasti is located near the Rapti River is said to have been founded by the mythological king, Sravast. Its modern name is Saheth-Maheth. Bifurcated into two parts, namely Saheth and

Maheth, Sravasti contains the ruins and relics of Jain and Buddhist temples, forts and stupas. In Buddhist times (6th century BC-6th century AD), Sravasti was the capital of the kingdom of Kosala and was important both as a prosperous trading centre and for its religious associations. Shravasti or Sravasti is intimately associated with the life of Buddha. Buddha is believed to have spent 24 monsoons of his life, in the city. Bhagwan Mahavir, during his penance and later as Tirthankar, visited Sravasti many times.

Maheth: Identified with the remains of the city, Maheth covers an area of about 400 acres. Excavations have exposed the massive gates of the city, ramparts and also the ruins of other structures, which stand testimony to the prosperity of ancient Sravasti. The Sobhanath Temple is located here. Pakki Kuti and Kacchi Kuti were probably Buddhist shrines, before they were converted into Brahmanical temples.
Shobhanath Temple: The `Shobhanath' temple is believed to be the birth place of Jain tirthankar 'Sambhavanath', making Shravasti an important centre for the Jains.
Saheth: Known primarily as the site of the Jetavana monastery, Saheth covers an area of 32 acres. Lying about a quarter of a mile to the south - west of Maheth, it became an important place of pilgrimage, adorned with numerous shrines, stupas and monasteries. The stupas belong mostly to the Kushana period, while the temples are in the Gupta style. Overnight at hotel.

Day 04:Srawasti-Lumbini-Kushinagar
195 kms Morning drive to Balrampur enroute visit Lumbini- the birthplace of Lord Buddha and the Lumbini Garden. In the afternoon visit the Mayadevi temple and proceed Kushinagar. Overnight in Kushinagar.

Day 05:Kushinagar-Sarnath-Varanasi
Morning leave for Varanasi en-route visit Sarnath. The site where Buddha delivered his first sermon to his five disciples, preaching the middle path for attaining 'Nirvana'. Realizing the sanctity of the site, emperor Ashoka, in the 3rd century B.C. built some of the finest monuments and legacies.

The 34-metre-high Dhamek stupa stands as a remarkable structure. This contains the remains of Lord Buddha, while the Deer Park in Sarnath is where the Lord delivered his first sermon. The area is now graceful and pleasant, breathing the spirit of the enlightened one, aglow with the devotion of the many followers who inhabited it through the centuries that followed.

'Choukhandi' Stupa: Raised by Moghal Emperor Akbar in 1555 A.D., it is believed to be the place where Buddha met his five disciples. The majestic Ashoka pillar records visit of emperor Ashoka to Sarnath. It was originally adorned by a capital of four lions, now housed in the Sarnath museum. The capital became the state emblem of modern India.

The Stupas: The great Dhamek Stupa and dharmarajika stupas stand testimony to the great Buddhist activity. The most remarkable structure at Sarnath is the cylindrical Dhamek stupa, 28 mts. in diameter at the base and 43.6 mts. in height, built partly of stone and partly of brick. The stone facing the lower part is adorned with delicate floral carvings of Gupta origin. In the museum here is a magnificent statue of the Buddha turning the wheel of law, and many other excavations that exhibit the flowering of the Indian Plastic arts.

Mulgandha Kuti Vihara: The Tibetan Buddhist shrine, Mulgandha Kuti Vihara, built in 1930, enshrines sacred relics from various places and a life-size golden statue of the Buddha. It is decorated with brilliant frescoes by Japanese artist, Kosetsu Nosu. There are also a few Chinese and Jain temples A 'Bodhi' tree growing on the campus is believed to be the offspring of one under which Buddha had attained enlightenment.

Continue drive to Varanasi. Upon arrival transfer to hotel for overnight.

Day 06:Varanasi-Bodhgaya
240 Kms- 6 hrs Early morning boat ride on river Ganges. In this ancient city of pilgrimage, the bathing ghats are main attraction. People flock here in large numbers every day to take bath and worship in the temples built beside the river bank. Centuries old tradition to offer puja to the rising Sun is still maintained. Later return to hotel for breakfast and checkout. Morning city sight seeing of

The Kashi Vishwanath Temple which is dedicated to Lord Shiva. It is popularly known as the golden Temple due the Gold plating done on its 15.5 meter high spire. One

tonne of gold donated by Maharaja Ranjit Singh has been used in the gold plating of the spire. The temple was destroyed in the various invasions and was rebuilt in 1776 by Rani Ahilyabai of Indore.

Durga Temple built in the 8th century, the Durga temple is one of the most important temples in Varanasi. This temple is built in Nagara Style. The shikhara of the temple is formed by many small spires which are built one on top of the other. Bharat Mata Temple is dedicated to Mother India. Just one kilometer from the Varanasi station. The temple is built in the Mahatma Gandhi Kashi Vidyapeeth which was built by Babu Shiv Prasad Gupt. This temple was inaugurated by Mahatma Gandhi in 1936 so that the citizens could respect Mother India in statue form. The statute is built in marble. The statue is a replica of undivided India in three dimension which has the mountains, plains and oceans in right proportion.

Later drive to Bodhgaya.

Bodhgaya holds extreme religious importance to the Buddhists, Bodhgaya lies13 km south of Gaya, beside the river Phalgu. It was here, that the Lord Buddha sat under the Banyan tree and attained enlightenment, and a descendant of that original tree still flourishes there today. Bodhgaya is small and quiet town, which is the most important of all the Buddhist sites in the world.

Day 07:Bodhgaya
Morning visit The Maha Bodhi Temple of Bodh Gaya is one of the important places of worship for the Buddhists. Apart from being a vital Buddhist center, it is also a significant archaeological site. Devout Buddhists and tourists from all over the world visit Bodhgaya, to study Buddhism and the art of meditation, or to simply absorb the aura of solemn splendor that surrounds the place.

Marking the holy spot of the enlightenment of the Master, this site is looked upon with greatest sanctity and became a flourishing Buddhist establishment with numerous temples, stupas and monasteries.

According to tradition a large number of shrines and memorials were erected at the site to commemorate the incidents before after enlightenment but only few now can be recognized. Of the earliest shrines, traditionally attributed to Ashoka, only vajrasana or the sandstone throne with the characteristic Mauryan polish and decorative designs has survived and is seen beneath the holy Bodhi tree.

To the Sunga period belongs a portion of the sandstone railing carved with bas-reliefs, typical of the age. The remaining portion of the railing pertains to the Gupta period. The main brick-built shrine known as the Maha Bodhi temple which appears to have been originally erected in circa 2nd century A.D., is encumbered with the heavy renovations, the four corner-towers being an arbitrary addition of circa 14th century. Its central tower, standing on a high plinth, is about 55m high and is a straight-edged pyramid of seven storeys, relieved by pilasters and chaitya-niches, substantially agreeing with its description left by the Chinese pilgrim Hiuen Tsang. The remaining shrines and stupas mostly belong to the Pala period (9th to 12th century).

Towards the West of the Maha Bodhi temple, is the Maha Bodhi tree where

Gautam Buddha did his meditation and attained enlightenment. Bodhi Sarovar: before going in for meditation, Buddha took bath in this pond. This pond is situated towards the west of Bodhi temple. The pond is situated in a very attractive place and is worth visiting.

Chankamana: Towards North of the Bodhi Temple is a platform with foot impressions of Buddha. Apart from these ponds and platforms, there are many temples built by the people of various nations like the Tibet temple, the Japanese, the Thai, the Lankan and the Bhutan temple. These temples are also a major attraction for the tourists and devotees, who visit Bodh Gaya.

Day 08 :Bodhgaya-Patna via Rajgir, Nalanda
Leave Bodh Gaya for Patna enroute visiting Rajgir, which is a great holy place of the Buddhists. It is the ancient Rajagriha or Girivraja, the capital

of the ancient kingdom of Magadha. During the days of Mahavira and Buddha, who visited it very often, it was a very flourishing city. It was the venue of the 1st Buddhist Council held immediately after the Nirvana of Buddha, during the time of king Ajatshatru. The ruins of Rajgir, which have been partly excavated, cover an extensive area with in and outside the hill enclosure and include the ancient defenses and remains of habitations, shrines, stupas and monasteries. A monastery with large elliptical halls has been recently excavated and identified as Jeevak Amravan, mentioned in the Buddhist texts as a favorite retreat of Buddha.

Gridhakuta Hill:
About 10km from the railway station is Gridhakuta (Vulture's Peak), the hill from where Gautam Buddha delivered many sermons, after he attained enlightenment. It was here that the Buddha delivered two important sutras - the Lotus Sutra and the Prajnaparamita (Perfection of Wisdom Sutra).

Vishwa Shanti Stupa: To mark the holy spot at the Gridhakuta Hill, there stands today the 38m high Vishwa Shanti Stupa. The awesome modern stupa can be reached by a chairlift, a fifteen-minute round trip offering panoramic views.
Ajatshatru Fort: The ruins of a fort built by the king of Magadha, Ajatshatru, can be seen here. Built in the 6th century, it was within these high walls that he imprisoned his father, Bimbisara. Archaeologists have discovered the remains of Ajatshatru Stupa, which enshrines Magadha share of the Buddha's relics.

Venuvana Vihar: It is a Japanese shrine where a monastery was built for the Buddha to live. It is said that king Bimbisara as an offering to the Buddha, built Venuvana or the Monastery of the Bamboo Grove. Right next to it is the now-muddy water tank, Karanda, in which the Buddha bathed. Saptadhara: Gushing from the base of the Vaibhava Hill are the seven hot springs, called Saptadhara, that attract the religious as well as the sick. The hottest of these sulphur springs is the Brahmakund, where the water is a steaming 45 degrees centigrade. It is believed that the Buddha used its waters to heal the ill and the infirm.

Continue drive to Nalanda. Towards the Southeast of Patna is a village called

the 'Bada Gaon', in the vicinity of which, are the world famous ruins of Nalanda University. Housing about 10,000 students and 2,000 teachers, this university attracted pupils from all over the world. A Walk in the ruins of the university, takes you to an era, that saw India leading in imparting knowledge, to the world - the era when India was a coveted place for studies. The university flourished during the 5th and 12th century.

This place saw the rise and fall of many empires and emperors who contributed in the development of Nalanda. Many monasteries and temples were built by them. King Harshwardhana gifted a 25m high copper statue of Buddha and Kumargupta endowed a college of fine arts here. Nagarjuna- a Mahayana philosopher, Dinnaga- founder of the school of logic and Dharmpala- the Brahmin scholar, taught here.

The famous Chinese traveller and scholar, Hieun-Tsang stayed here and has given a detailed description of the situations prevailing at that time. Careful excavation of the place has revealed many stupas, monasteries, hostels, stair cases, meditation halls, lecture halls and many other structures which speak of the splendour and grandeur this place enjoyed, when the place was a centre of serious study.

The Ruins of nalanda University: The ruins of Nalanda university is spread over an area of 14 hectares. This university was totally built with Red Bricks. The Nalanda University attracted scholars from all over the world. Hieun Tsang Memorial Hall: Hieun Tsang was a Chinese traveller, who came to India in around 5th century. He has given a very detailed and vivid description of the Indian political and social conditions at that time. His writing is considered to be one of the most authentic sources of information of that period. Hieun Tsang was also attracted by the glory of Nalanda University. He came and stayed here, both as a student and as a teacher. As a student, he studied Yoga for six years under Acharya Shil Bhadra. He was in Nalanda for twelve years. The memorial has been built in his memory.

Surya Mandir: Near the University of Nalanda, is a temple dedicated to the Sun God. This temple has a number of statues of Hindu and Buddhist deities. The five feet high statue of Parvati is of particular interest and attraction.

The Museum: This museum was established in 1971 and has a good collection of ancient manuscripts and Buddhist statues. The manuscripts kept here were found during the excavation of area and many of them are rare in appearance and style. The museum also displays the culture of the Hindu society during the Maurya, Gupta and other periods.

Nav Nalanda Vihar: To keep alive the ancient tradition of spreading knowledge, Bihar Government has set up a Pali Institute near the ancient university. In this institute, Indian as well as foreign students study and do research work. This institute was established in 1951, near the famous Lotus Pond. This Institute has been attracting students from Japan, Sri Lanka, Korea, Tibet, Bhutan, Indonesia etc. Mainly students do research work on Buddhism and Pali here.

Kundalpur: Just 1.6 kms from the ruins of Nalanda, is this place called Kundalpur. The Digambar sect of the Jains believes that the 24 th and the last Tirthankar, Lord Mahavira was born here. There are many Jain temples in this village. Arrive Patna and transfer to hotel for overnight. Day 09:Patna-Delhi Flight Day 01 Arrive Delhi Arrive Delhi and transfer to hotel. One of the most fascinating aspect of Delhi is the visibility of its historic past. Some of the large portion of the city could well earmarked as archeological parks because the rulers of the successive dynasties between the 13th and the 17th century established seven cities in different parts of Delhi. A chronological review of these cities fortunately also serves as suitable itinerary and highlights the important monuments. These buildings are the reflections of Delhi?s past and are counted amongst the biggest attraction. The Qutab Minar, Humanyun?s Tomb, Safdarjung and Lodi Tomb, Birla Temple and Red Fort. A rickshaw ride in the narrow crowded lanes of Chandni Chowk. See the colonial architectural grandeur from the exquisitely designed Rastrapati Bhawan, the lush green gardens of India Gate and the Parliament house.Overnight at hotel. Day 02 Delhi-Agra-Gonda Train Early morning transfer to railway station to board Shatbdi Express for Agra. Agra came into its own when Lodi Kings chose this place on the bank of river Yamuna to be their capital city. Sikander Lodi made Agra his capital, but Babar defeated the Lodhi?s to capture not only Agra but lay the foundation of the Mughal empire.The coming of Babar heralded a new era which was to see Agra at its zenith during the reign of Akbar, Jehangir and Shah Jehan. It was during the period of Akbar that Agra became a center of Art, culture, commerce and learning. This reached its height, when Shah Jehan became the ruler. In the mid 16th century and earlier 17th century Agra witnessed a frenzied building activity and it was during this time when the symbol of love Taj Mahal was built. The buildings made during this era were purely in the contemporary Mughal style and of very high quality that is still reflected in whatever monuments remain in Agra. The narrow lanes of Agra filled with aroma of Mughlai cuisine, the craftsmen who are busy in crating masterpieces with their skill all remind of the Moghal royalty, which this city had once experienced. Today whatever remains, has become a major tourist attraction, which has taken Agra again to the heights of glory but this time as a major tourist destination of India. Visit the epitome of love-Taj Mahal: Even as the world is caught in the skirmishes of War & peace, Nuclear and Non-Nuclear; Taj Mahal has stood as the epitome of love. This extravagant monument of love is one of the most visited and most photographed places in the world. Taj Mahal was built by Shah Jahan in the memory of his beautiful wife Mumtaz Mahal. Taj Mahal was the culmination point of Indo-Persian architecture. The Mughals Emperor were always fond of constructing monuments. Perhaps they knew that they would be gone but these structures will remind the world of their grandeur. Shah Jahan was particularly fond of building. He built the city of Shah Jahanabad, which today is called the old Delhi. He loved construction more than that he loved his wife. Mumtaz Mahal as the name indicates, her beauty is compared with the light of heaven. She died while giving birth to her fourteenth child. Shah Jahan was so shocked by her death that his hair turned grey over night. Visit Agra Fort. Built principally as a military establishment by Akbar in 1565, the red sandstone Agra fort was partially converted into a palace during Shah Jahan's time. Though Akbar built the principle structure his grandsons made many more additions. Later in the evening transfer to railway station to board train for Gonda. Overnight on board train.