From Siddharth to Sakyamuni and finally to the Buddha or the Enlightened one – an incredible transformation of a prince to an enlightened teacher, who walked the earth more than 2500 years ago. 

Upon seeing sorrow, misery, pain and death, in the prime of his youth, prince siddhartha decided to discover their causes and means of overcoming their occurrences. Thus renouncing worldly pleasures and leaving home and family behind, he traveled from place to place until finally attaining enlightenment by meditation under a Bodhi Tree. He then preached the truth he discovered, and exhorted his disciples to follow the eight-fold path for the cessation of the endless cycle of birth and re-birth. The influence of Buddha’s teaching is all across India and beyond its frontiers. Following places are the highlights of Buddhism:

Kapilavastu – Lord Buddha (Siddharth) spent his Childhood. Bodhgaya - Lord Buddha attained enlightenment. Nalanda – fifth century (ruined) monastic university, It was one of the oldest universities of the world. Sarnath – Lord Buddha delivered his first sermon after attaining Nirvana. 

Rajgir -  It was here that the teachings of Buddha were recorded in writing for the first time. 

Kushinagar – Lord Buddha passed away and was cremated. Other Buddhist fascinating area is Ladakh which was route of Buddhism to reach Tibet from India and there are ancient Buddhist rock engraving all over the region even in areas like Drass and the Lower Suru Valley. The divide between Muslim and Buddhist Ladakh passes through Mulbek and between the villages of Parkachik and Rangdom in the Suru Valley.