Kushinagar is the very place where Lord Buddha got Nirvana. This event is known as Maha-Parnirvana in Buddhist and Hindu literature. Therefore, Kushinagar evokes emotion amidst pilgrims. There are sites that are related to Buddha's Nirvana and his cremation. These sites attract scores of visitors every year. The most famous among these are Ramabhar Stupa and Nirvana Temple. These sites have been excavated in past and has bore out many relics related to Lord Buddha
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A travel to Kushinagar would take you to the sacred land where Lord Buddha had left His corporeal self. The land of Kushinagar basks in the hallowed memory of Lord Buddha. The prophet had spent the last few days of his mundane life here.
Until 1861 when General A. Cunningham and A.C.I. Carlyl exposed the hidden wealth through excavations, Kushinagar was hidden into oblivion. Once they established its antiquity, several excavations carried out in between 1904 and 1912 reconfirmed its identity.
Situated in Deoria district of eastern Uttar Pradesh, Kushinagara was a small town in the days of the Buddha. But it became famous when the Buddha died here, on his way from Rajgir to Sravasti.
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Set against a pastoral landscape, the small hamlet of Kushinagar, 53 km west of Gorakhpur, is revered as the site of the Buddha's Mahaparinirvana, his death and cremation, that marked his final liberation from the cycles of death and rebirth.
Prime Attractions :-
Nirvana Temple : Set in a leafy park at the heart of Kushinagar, the Nirvana Stupa, dating back to the reign of Kumaragupta I (413-55AD), enshrines a giant statue of the Buddha, in a reclining position.
Japanese Temple : Built by the Atago Isshin World Buddhist Cultural Association, it consists of a single circular chamber, housing a golden image of the Buddha, softly lit through small, stained-glass windows.
Rambhar Stupa : About 1.5 km southeast of the Nirvana Temple, surrounded by rice, wheat and cane fields, lies at the Rambhar Stupa.
Mata Kaur Shrine : It houses a 10th century blue schist image of the Buddha.
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How to reach
By Air
The nearest airport is Gorakhpur that is 45 kilometers from Kushinagar. Gorakhpur don't have regular flights from the rest of India therefore it is advisable to opt for other transportation.
By Rail/ By Train
The nearest railhead or station is Gorakhpur Junction that is 51 kilometers from Kushinagar. Gorakhpur is the headquarters of North Eastern Railways and linked to important destinations. Gorakhpur is connected directly to cities like Mumbai, Delhi, Cochin, Barauni, Kolkata, Lucknow, Agra and Jaipur among others.
By Road
Kushinagar is situated on the National Highways 28 and therefore is well connected with other parts of the state. Buses ply to all the neighboring as well as far-flung places such as Varanasi, Lucknow, Kanpur, Patna, Jhansi and Gorakhpur among others. Both Uttar Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation as well as Private players operates these buses