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Buddhist-circuit

The eastern region in Uttar Pradesh is often described as `the cradle of

Buddhism'. Uttar Pradesh has the distinction of having in its folds places

associated with Buddha's life. This circuit called the Buddhist circuit is

dotted with monuments and relics, legends and history that epitomise the

birth, decline and finally the resurrection of Buddhism.

Places which are described as `the cradle of Buddhism'

________________________________________

Sarnath

Kushinagar

Piprahwa

Sankisa

Shravasti

Kaushambhi

Sarnath

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Situated 10 km from Varanasi is the site where Buddha gave his first sermon

to five disciples, preaching the middle path for attaining 'Nirvana'. Realising

the sanctity of the site, emperor Ashoka, in the 3rd century B.C. built some

of the finest monuments and legacies. It is visited by lakhs of tourists every

year.

Main Festivals

Buddha Purnima (May)

Kartik Purnima (Oct-Nov)

By Air

The nearest airport is at Babatpur which is30 km away. Commercial flights

connect Varanasi to Kathmandu, Delhi, Agra and Mumbai.

By Train

Sarnath is well connected by train to other destinations of the state.

By Road

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brick. The stone facing the lower part is adorned with delicate floral carvings

of Gupta origin.

Mulagandha Kuti Vihar

This modern temple has been erected by the Mahabodhi Society. It has

excellent Frescoes made by Kosetsu Nosu, Japan's foremost painter and is a

rich repository of Buddhist literature. The ancient Mulagandha Kuti Temple

is among the brick ruins of Sarnath. A 'Bodhi' tree growing on the campus is

believed to be the offspring of one under which Buddha had attained

enlightenment.

Sarnath Museum

Sarnath yielded a rich collection of Buddhist sculptures comprising

numerous Buddha and Bodhisattva images. Considered amongst the finest

specimens of Buddhist art, these have been housed at the museum, adjacent

to the site. The museum is open from 10 am to 5 pm, and closed on Fridays.

Apart from the above the other objects of Interest at Sarnath are the

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Dharmrajika Stupa, magnificent Lion capital, India's National Emblem at

Sarnath Museum, the Saddharmachakra Vihar's at excavated ruins.

Kaushambhi

Kaushambhi was the capital of 'Vatsa janpad' ruled by 'Udyana' during the

time of Buddha. The ruins of an ancient fort are testimony to its antiquity. It

was when Lord Buddha visited this city that Kaushambi attained true

prominence. He came in the 6th and 9th years after his enlightenment and

delivered several sermons, elevating it to a centre of learning for Buddhists.

A large number of architectural relics and ruins, sculptures and figurines,

coins and other finds highlight the reverence the city held for devout in times

gone by. The site also yielded a large number of punch marked and cast

coins along with unique terracotta sculptures which can be viewed in the

Allahabad museum. Kaushambi is 54 km from Allahabad which is the

nearest rail/road terminal. Nearest domestic airport is at Varanasi.

Shravasti or Sravasti

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Shravasti or Sravasti is intimately associated with the life of Buddha. The

town located near the Rapti River in northeastern Uttar Pradesh is said to be

have been founded by the mythological king Sravast. In Buddhist times (6th

century BC-6th century AD), Shravasti was capital of the kingdom of

Kosala and was important both as a prosperous trading centre and for its

religious associations. Buddha is believed to have spent 24 monsoons in the

city. It is said that Buddha sat on a lotus with a thousand petals and

multiplied his image a million times. A divine sight that silenced his critics.

Age-old stupas, majestic monasteries and several temples near the village of

Sahet-Mahet, highlight Buddha's association with Shravasti. . The city has

been identified with the twin villages of Saheth and Maheth northwest of

Balrampur. Today it is surrounded by a great rampart of earth and brick.

Excavation has been undertaken by the Archaeological Survey of India. Jain

devotee visit Sravasti, during the month of kartik(Oct - Nov) the bithday of

Lord Sambhavnath, when a largeJjain mela is held. Buddha Purnima the day

of the birth of Lord Buddha is celebrated at all Buddhist temples at Shravasti

in a big way. The air/rail terminal is at Lucknow (134 km). Rail travel is

possible up to Balrampur from where one can reach Shravasti by bus or car

(29 km away).

Shravasti at a glance

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Area 2019 sq km

Population 10220 (1991 census)

Altitude 185 m above sea level

Season October - February / March

Clothing

Summer Cottons

Winter Woolens

Language Hindi, English

Festivals Buddh Purnima Mela (April-May) and Jain Mela

Local Transport Private Taxis, Taxi, Tonga, Ekka

STD Code 05250

Places of Interest

Maheth

This covers an area of about 400 acres, and has been identified with the

remains of the city proper. Excavations have exposed the massive gates of

the city, ramparts and also the ruins of other structures which testify to the

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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.

Sobhanath Temple

Believed to be the birthplace of Jain Tirthankar Sambhavnath. It is revered

by Jain pilgrims.

Saheth

Saheth, covers an area of 32 acres, and lies about a quarter of a mile to the

southwest of Maheth. This was the site of the Jetavana monastery. Jetavana

Monastery was erected in a garden outside the walls of the city and

presented to the Buddha by a wealthy banker, Anathapinaka. 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. The remains date from the Mauryan era (3rd

century BC ) to the 12th century AD. One of the earliest stupas. probably

dating to the 3rd century BC contained relics of the Buddha. A colossal

statue of the Buddha was also found here which is now preserved in the

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Indian Museum, Calcutta . The Emperor Ashoka visited Jetavana, and the

Chinese pilgrim Hiuen- Tsang mentions two Ashokan pillars at Sravasti.

Other important Buddhist monasteries were the Rajakarama and the

Purvarama. An exquisite garden here has the famous 'Anandabodhi' tree - an

offspring of one said to be planted by Buddha's main disciple Ananda.

Swarnagandha Kuti is also worth visiting.

Places of Interest around Shravasti

Devi Patan Temple

28 Km. One of the most important Shaktipeeth in the entire region, it is

revered by Hindu devotees of India and Nepal.

Kushinagar

Kushinagar, one of the principal centre of Buddhist pilgrimage, is the place

where Lord Buddha left his corporeal self and attained Mahaparinirvana.

The credit for bringing this ancient site to light goes to General A.

Cunningham and A.C.I. Carlyl, who, after excavating the site in 1861,

established its antiquity for the first time. Later, between 1904 and 1912,

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several excavations conducted by the Archaeological Survey of India at

Kushinagar confirmed its identity. The monuments of Kushinagar are

situated in three distinct groups comprising the main site of the Nirvana

Temple, the central stupa and surrounding monasteries, the Mathakuar

shrine to the southwest, and the Ramabhar Stupa a kilometer to the east.

.

Kushinagar at a glance

Area 6 sq km

Population 28.9 Lac.(2001 census)


Season October-April

Clothing

Summer Light cotton

Winters Woollen


Local Transport Cycle-rickshaw

STD Code

Important Festival Buddh Poornima (April - May)

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How to reach

By Train

Nearest railway station is Gorakhpur : 51 km, which is the headquarters of

Northeastern Railways and linked to important destinations. Kushinagar

does not has a Railway Station, one has to go to Gorakhpur from where

Kushinagar can be reached by road.

By Road

Situated on National Highway No. 28, with frequent bus services,

Kushinagar is well connected with other parts of the state.

Distance from Kushinagar to :

Gorakhpur 51 km

Lumbini 173 km

Kapilastu 148 km

Sravasti 254 km

Sarnath 266 km.

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Places of Interest

Nirvana Stupa

This huge brickwork stupa, exposed by Carlyl in 1876, stands at a height of

2.74 m. A copper vessel was unearthed at this site. It bore an inscription in

ancient Brahmi, which stated that Lord Buddha's remains had been

deposited here.

Nirvana Temple

This houses the over 6 m long statue of reclining Buddha. The image was

unearthed during the excavations of 1876. Carved from Chunar sandstone,

the statue represents the dying Buddha reclining on his right side. An

inscription below dates the statue to the fifth century AD.

Mathakuar Shrine

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This shrine lies about 400 yards from the Parinirvana stupa. A black stone

image of the Buddha in the bhumi sparsha mudra was recovered here. The

last sermon by Lord Buddha was given here.

Ramabhar Stupa

Chaukhandi Stupa

About 1 km away, this large stupa rises to a height of 49 ft. It marks the site

where the Lord Buddha was cremated. In ancient Buddhist texts this stupa

has been referred to as Mukut-Bandhan Vihar.

Chinese Temple

Here the special attraction is a beautiful statue of Lord Buddha.

Japanese Temple

A beautiful Ashta Dhatu (eight metals) statue of Lord Buddha which came

from Japan can be seen here.

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Kushinagar Museum

The Buddha Museum contains finds from excavations at the site. Timings :

10:30 am. to 4:30 pm. Weekly off: Monday.

Other places of interest include Pawanagar (Fazilnagar) and the Sun Temple

at Turkpatti.

Places of Interest around Kushinagar

Gorakhpur

51 km. At Gorakhpur is the Rahul Sankrtyayan Museum, which has an

excellent collection of thanka paintings and relics of the Buddha. Water

Sports Complex at Ramgarhtal Planetarium and the Gorakhnath Temple in

the city are also well worth a visit.

Lumbini

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Situated in Nepal at a distance of 122 km from Gorakhpur, Lumbini is the

birthplace of Lord Buddha. Buses ply till the border from where the

remaining 26 km has to be covered by private vehicles.

Kapilvastu or Piprahwa

Kapilvastu or Piprahwa has an important place in the life of Buddha.

Kapilvastu was the ancient capital of the Sakya clan whose ruler was the

father of the Buddha, for which reason the Buddha is also referred to as the

Sakyamuni. The Sakya domain was one of the sixteen independent

principalities of the 6th century BC. Prince Gautam, as the Buddha was then

known, left his palace in Kapilvastu at the age of 29, and revisited it 12 years

later, long after he had attained enlightenment. Today, Kapilvastu Comprises

of Several villages, chief among them being Piprahwa and Ganvaria. A large

stupa stands at the ancient site which is said to have housed the bone relics

of the Buddha. The presence of these relics are testified by an ancient

Brahmi inscription discovered at Piprahwa. The ruins of the palace are

spread over a large area. Identified today with ancient Kapilvastu, modem

Piprahwa lies at a distance of 20 km from Siddharthnagar. Piprahwa lies

between two important Buddhist destinations - Lumbini (birth place of

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Buddha in Nepal) and Srawasti (where Buddha spent 27 monsoons). The

travelling time by road between Lumbini to Piprahwa is about six hours. The

ruins of the old city from where Buddhism started has several stupas. From

the main stupa have been recovered stone caskets containing relics believed

to be that of the Buddha. Kapilvastu Buddha Mahotsava (29 Dec. to 31

Dec.) is celebrated with great enthusiasm. A fair is also organised at

udhpoornima.

Kapilvastu or Piprahwa at a glance

Area 06 sq km

Population 3900 (2001 census)


Season October-April

Clothing

Summer Cottons

Winter Woolens


Local Transport Tempo/Tonga/Rickshaw

STD Code 05544

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How to reach

By Train

The nearest railway station Naugarh on the Gonda-Gorakhpur loop line is 23

km away. Also Siddharth Nagar (Naugarh) railway station is 20 km away

from Kapilvastu.

By Road

Taxis and buses are available to reach Piprahwa which is 110 km away from

Gorakhpur.

Distance from Kapilvastu to :

Gorakhpur 97 km

Kushinagar 148 km

Varanasi 312 km

Lumbini 86 km

Sravasti 147 km

Lucknow 308 km

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Places of Interest

Stupa Complex

This is the main archaeological site which was discovered during

excavations in 1973-74. The seals and inscriptions over the lid of the pot

discovered read "Om Deoputra Vihare Kapilvastu Bhikschu Mahasanghasa"

and "Om Deoputra Vihare Kapilvastu Bhikschu Sanghasa". The title

Deoputra refers to Kanishka, a great patron of Buddhism who built the

biggest Vihara at Kapilvastu and renovated the main stupa here.

Palace Site

Excavations carried out by Dr. K.M. Srivastava indicated the ruins of the

palace of King Shuddhodhan, the father of Prince Gautam (Lord Buddha). It

is said to be the place where Lord Buddha spent the first 29 years of his life.

Lumbini

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SARNATH

Buddhists wordwide look upon India as the land of the Buddha and

a visit to this country means a pilgrimage to those places sacred to

the memory of the Enlightened One. After the Bouddha attanined

enlightenment in Bodh Gaya he came to sarnath. Here in the Deer

Park, he delivered his first sermon, or in religious language, set in

motion the wheel of Law (maha- Dharmachakra Pravartan). On

the day before his death Buddha included Sarnath along with

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Varanasi Bhatni- Varanasi Exp 0551/ 0552. See Varanasi also.

ROAD Sarnath 10 km from Varanasi, is well connected by road.

PLACES OF INTEREST

CHAUKHANDI STUPA

Chaukhandi is the first monument one encounters as one enters

Sanath. It is a lofty mound of brick work whose square endifice is

surrounded by a octagonal tower. Originally said to built by

Emperor Ashoka. DHAMEK STUPA 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.

MULAGANDHA KUTI VIHAR This mordern temple has been erected

by the Mahabodhi Society. It has excellent frescoes by Kosetsu

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Nosu japans foremost painter and is a rich repository of Buddhist

literature. The ancient Mulagandha Kuti temple is among the brick

ruins of Sarnath.

SARNATH MUSEUM

Sarnath yielded a rich collection of

sculptures comprising numerous Buddha and Bodhisattva images.

Considerde amongst the finest specimens of Buddhist art, these

have been housed at the museum, adjiacent to the site. The

museum is open from 10 am to 5 pm, and closed on Fridays. Apart

from the above the other objects of lnterest at Sarnath are the

Dharmrajika Stup, magnificent Lion capital, Indias National

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Emblem at Sarnath museum, the Saddharmachakra Vihars at

excavated ruins.

ACCOMMODATION

Forest Rest House, Sarnath. Mahabodhi Dharamshala, Sarnath.

Jain Dharamshala, Sarnath. UP TOURISM ACCOMMODATION

Tourist Bungalow, UPSTDC, Sarnath.

RESTAURANTS

Anand Restaurant, Sarnath. Rangoli Garden, Sarnath. Mrigdav

Restaurant, Sarnath

BANK

State Bank of India, Ashapur, Sarnath Canara Bank Central Bank,

Ashapur

POST & TELEGRAPH

Post Office, Sarnath

HOSPITALS

Govt. Hospitals, Sarnath Dr. Baijnath Hospital, Sarnath

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TOURIST INFORMATION OFFICES

UP Governments Tourist Bureau, Sarnath

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KUSHINAGAR

Kushinagar is another principal centre of Buddhism, worth a sincere

admiration, is the place where Lord Buddha passed away at this place near

the Hiranyavati River and was cremated at the Ramabhar stupa. It was once

a celebrated center of the Malla kingdom. Many of its stupas and viharas

date back to 230 BC-AD 413. when its prosperity was at the peak. In 543

BC, on a full moon night of Magh the legend delivered lecture to his Sangha

and declared that he is going to leave the mortal world soon enough.

The excavations led by general Cunningham has revealed some antique

artifacts and structures related to all sects of Buddhism. Kushinagar also

expresses the common thread of all sects of Buddhism through its

magnificent Viharas, Chaityas, temples and Tibetan monasteries. In ancient

times, the town was also known as Kushinara and Kasia.

Ask For Kushinagar Travel Detail

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Location

Kushinagar is situated at a distance of 53 km west of Gorakhpur, in Uttar

Pradesh, in the northern part of India.

Attractions

Nirvana Stupa and temple - This stupa made of bricks, excavated by Carlleyl

in 1867, stands at a height of 2.74 meter. The excavations leading to the

finding of the copper vessel and the Brahmi inscription on it proving the

matter that Buddhas ashes were buried in the pace, made this place a

suddenly important destination for all Buddhists devotees. Besides, the huge

reclining statue of Buddha in the temple is also very attractive.

Mahaparinirvana temple - This is more than 6 meters long statue of reclining

Buddha. The image was unearthed during the excavations of 1876. Carved

from Chunar sandstone, the statue represents the dying Buddha reclining on

his right side.

Ask For Kushinagar Travel Detail

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Gorakhpur - Gorakhpur is an important Hindu destination, due to the

numerous temples, including the Gorakhnath temple, the Vishnu temple, gita

Vatika, Gita press, and the Arogya Mandir. Besides, there are important

institutions of other religions such as the Imambara. The planetarium and the

circuit house are also worth a visit.

Lumbini - This immensely important Buddhist pilgrimage, the birthplace of

Lord Buddha, is in Nepal, at a distance of 122 km from Gorakhpur, houses

some of the most important artifacts of literature and art related to the life of

Lord Buddha.

How to get there

Air - Gorakhpur is the nearest airport, at a distance of 44 kms from the place.

Kasia airstrip-5 Kms, Amausi airport Lucknow-252 Kms, Babatpur Airport

in Varanasi-286 Kms.

Rail - The nearest railway station, a convenient one, is Gorakhpur, which is

linked to important railway stations.

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Road - The national highway numbered 28 connects the place with other

important destinations of the state.

Where to stay ( Hotels -|- Temples/Monasteries )

There are accommodation facilities available, in the Dharmashalas and other

charitable trusts. In Kushinagar, there's Hotel LOTUS NIKKO IS 55 kms

from Gorakhpur railway station. International Guesthouse, Hindu brila

Buddha Dharmashala, Nepalese Dharmashala etc are good places to stay.

The UP Tourism accommodation, the Pathik Niwas is also quite good.

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n January 1898, Mr W. C. Peppe, manager of the Birdpur Estate in north-

eastern Basti District, U. P., announced the discovery of soapstone relic-

caskets and jewellery inside a stupa near Piprahwa, a small village on this

estate. An inscription on one of these caskets appeared to indicate that bone

relics, supposedly found with these items, were those of the Buddha. Since

this inscription also referred to the Buddhas Sakyan kinsmen, these relics

were thus generally considered to be those which were accorded to the

Sakyas of Kapilavastu, following the Buddhas cremation. The following

year (1899) these bone relics were presented by the (British) Government of

India to the King of Siam, who in turn accorded portions to the Sanghas of

Burma and Ceylon.

DR FUHRERS LETTERS TO U MA

When Peppe formally announced his finds to the local Collector on 20th

January, 1898, his letter disclosed that he had been in contact with the

Government archaeologist, Dr Alois Anton Fuhrer, who was then excavating

at Sagarwa, just a few miles away across the Indo-Nepalese border. 1. A

fortnight later, a letter was despatched from the Government of Burma to

Fuhrers employer, the Government of the North-Western Provinces. 2. This

revealed that Fuhrer had been conducting a secret trade in bogus Buddha-

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relics with a Burmese monk, U Ma, between September 1896, up to, and

during, Peppes excavations in 1898. 3. Fuhrers letters to U Ma have never

seen the public light of day, and a brief summary of their contents reads as

follows:

22nd September, 1896: Fuhrer mentions sending U Ma some Buddha-

relics from Sravasti.

19th November 1896: Fuhrer states that The relics of Tathagata, sent

off yesterday, were found in the stupa erected by the Sakyas of Kapilavastu

over the corporeal relics (saririka-dhatus) of the Lord. These relics were

found by me during an excavation of 1886, and are placed in the same relic

casket of soapstone in which they were found. The four votive tablets of

Buddha surrounded the relic casket. The ancient inscription found on the

spot with the relics will follow, as I wish to prepare a transcript and

translation of the same for you.

This letter was sent to U Ma a year before the Piprahwa finds. These

spurious relics of the Buddha, purportedly those claimed by the Sakyas of

Kapilavastu after the Buddhas cremation, together with a soapstone relic-

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casket, and an ancient inscription, are all, of course, details which are

identical to those of the Piprahwa finds of 1898. From this, it will be seen

that Fuhrer (with whom Peppe had been in contact) had thus fraudulently

staged the Piprahwa finds a year before Peppes supposedly unique

discoveries.

6th March 1897: Fuhrer refers to further sacred relics of Buddha,

which he will keep until U Mas proposed visit to India.

23rd June 1897: Fuhrer mentions a precious tooth relic of Lord

Buddha which he will send to U Ma.

29th August 1897: Fuhrer says that he will despatch at once a real and

authentic tooth relic of the Buddha Bhagavat along with many other relics

of Lord Buddha.

21st September 1897: Fuhrer sends U Ma a molar tooth of Lord

Buddha Gaudama Sakyamuni. It was found by me in a stupa at

Kapilavatthu, where King Suddhodana lived. That it is genuine there can be

no doubt. Says that the other relics will follow shortly.

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30th September 1897: Fuhrer despatches a bogus Asokan inscription

allegedly found at Sravasti, and says that he is sending more relics of

Sakyamuni after some time.

13th December 1897: Fuhrer mentions that he will return a silver box

which U Ma had sent him, together with yet further relics of Gotama

Buddha. Says that he is now at Kapilavastu, in the Nepal Tarai, where he

has so far found three relic caskets with dhatus nail-parings, hairs, and

bones of the Lord Buddha Sakyamuni. All of these precious relics I will

send you at the end of March.

16th February 1898: (i.e. a fortnight after the arrival of the Burmese

letter exposing Fuhrers deceptions, and three weeks after Peppes

announcement of his supposed finds). Having received an indignant letter

and telegram from U Ma (who finally realised that he had been duped)

Fuhrer writes to him from Camp Kapilavastu, i.e. Sagarwa. Fuhrer states

that he can quite understand that the Buddhadanta that I sent you a short

while ago is looked upon with suspicion by non-Buddhists, as it is quite

different from any ordinary human tooth (it was subsequently shown to be

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To sum up then : in early 1898, we have two supposed discoveries, those of

Sagarwa and Piprahwa respectively. Both of these discoveries were made

within the same month, by two parties a few miles from and in contact with

each other, and one of these parties was a notorious forger of inscriptions.

Both parties purported to have discovered unique, inscribed, pre-Asokan,

Sakyan relic-caskets from Kapilavastu, items which have never been found

either before or since. Fuhrers Sagarwa claims were then exposed as

fraudulent, whilst Peppes Piprahwa finds had been fraudulently duplicated

by Fuhrer a year earlier.

But why then were Fuhrers claims unmasked, whilst those of Peppe were

not? As we have noted, it was the Government of Burma which had

exposed the U Ma forgeries, whilst subsequent events, and the official letters

relating to these, supply the answer to the Peppe question also. In his letter

to the Government of India on Piprahwa, the local Commissioner, William

Hoey, drew attention to the presence in India at this time of a crown prince

of Siam, Jinavaravansa, who had then assumed the robe of a Buddhist monk.

8. This gentleman quickly got downwind on this supposed find of Buddha-

relics at Piprahwa, and promptly expressed a keen desire for them to be

made over to Siam. Having drawn attention to Jinavaravansas request,

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Hoey then recommended that the Government of India should manifest its

goodwill towards surrounding Buddhist countries by acceding to this

request (pointing out that Siam was also a country bordering on Burma, a

recently-acquired British possession) whilst V. A. Smith, now Acting-

Secretary to the North-Western Provinces Government, declared that

intense interest will be aroused in the Buddhist world, and all Buddhist

countries will desire to share in relics of such exceptional sanctity.

JUST TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE

By the 1890s, Britain and France had successfully taken large slices of

territory from Siam, and in a desperate attempt to preserve his countrys

independence Siams king, Chulalongkorn, was obliged to play off one

imperial power against the other. During this period, the king also cultivated

a close and personal friendship with the Russian leader Tsar Nicholas, a fact

which gave Britain considerable cause for alarm, particularly as both the

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French and Russians were offering to train up the Siamese armies around

this time. In furtherance of his diplomatic aims, the Siamese king set forth

on a nine-month Grand European Tour in 1897. He was accorded a full royal

welcome by the monarchies, presidents, and heads of state of Italy (where he

met the Pope) Switzerland, Austria, Hungary, Russia, Sweden, Denmark,

Holland, Belgium, Spain, Portugal, and France. Having arrived for a two-

month stay in Britain - his son was then receiving his education at Harrow, a

well-known English public school he was officially welcomed by the

Prince of Wales, and was also presented to Queen Victoria, who was by then

the Empress of India. Immediately upon his return to Siam, the Buddhas

relics were supposedly discovered at Piprahwa and presented to the king,

who was also accorded recognition as the leader of the Buddhist world by

the British Empire. This opportunity to manifest its goodwill was thus, for

the Government of India, an opportunity that was simply too good to be

missed, and this cynical piece of imperial realpolitik was allowed to go

ahead with consequences that have seriously benighted Buddhist studies

ever since. Is it any wonder then, that those unnamed sceptics mentioned

by Rhys Davids (see my opening quotation) would dismiss this tiresome

imperial stunt as just too good to be true shortly thereafter? 10.

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THE BONE RELICS OF 1898

Writing of the Piprahwa stupa in 1904, Dr Theodor Bloch, Superintendent of

the Eastern Circle of the Archaeological Survey of India, declared that one

may be permitted to maintain some doubts in regard to the theory that the

latter monument contained the relic share of the Buddha received by the

Sakyas. The bones found at that place, which have been presented to the

King of Siam, and which I saw in Calcutta, according to my opinion were

not human bones at all. 11. Bloch was then Superintendent of the

Archaeological Department of the Indian Museum, Calcutta, and would

doubtless have relied not only on his own archaeological expertise before

making this extraordinary allegation, but also that of his zoological

colleagues at the Museum, which was then considered to be the greatest

museum in Asia.

Peppe himself retained a tooth from the alleged Piprahwa finds.12. This

tooth was taken by the author, Charles Allen, to the Natural History Museum

in London, where palaeontologists declared it to be the molar tooth of a pig.

In his latest book, The Buddha and Dr Fuhrer, Allen (who supports the

authenticity of the Peppe claims) attempts to explain away the distinctly

awkward presence of this tooth by claiming that it came from a broken

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casket found by Peppe near the summit of the stupa. 13. There is not the

slightest evidence for this assertion : Peppe himself states only that this

casket was full of clay and embedded in this clay were some beads, crystals,

gold ornaments, cut stars etc. 14. Moreover, we have already noted Blochs

observation that the bone relics from Piprahwa did not appear to be of

human origin. Since portions of these items are now enshrined at the Wat

Saket Temple (Thailand) the Shwe Dagon Pagoda (Rangoon) Anuradhapura

(Ceylon) and in the Nittaiji Temple in Japan, this raises the appalling spectre

that for over a century the Buddhist world may have been venerating the

remains of some ancient pig.

As for the precise location of the bone relics when they were allegedly found

within the Piprahwa stupa itself, the existing accounts present startling

contradictions. The first published reference to these items appeared in the

Pioneer newspaper a few days after Peppes official announcement, and

apparently came from Peppe himself. 15. This stated that all of the caskets

contained jewellery and quantities of bones in good preservation (so good,

in fact, that Peppe later declared that they might have been picked up a few

days ago, a curious observation to make upon bones which had supposedly

survived a blazing funeral pyre 2500 years earlier). 16. Smith and Fuhrer

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report. A photograph taken in situ at Piprahwa in 1898 shows a curious

feature on the centre of the lid, and also reveals that a large piece was then

unaccountably missing from the base (Fig. 2). My examination revealed that

the former was a piece of sealing-wax (since transferred to the inside) which

had originally been stuck on to prevent a large crack from running further,

while a subsequent repair to the base an inset piece looked to be a

pretty botched affair also. All of which reveals that this casket had been

badly damaged from the start that it had originally been broken in fact

again, a fact not noted in any report. But is it likely, one is prompted to ask,

that the Buddhas relics would have been enshrined in this damaged casket,

as claimed? Or is this the broken casket which was reportedly found by

Peppe near the top of the stupa, and which was similar in shape to those

found below? 19. This casket - the first of the alleged finds - apparently

vanished into thin air thereafter : it is not found in the Indian Museum

collection, or on their Accessions List (which I also examined), it was not

mentioned in Smiths detailed JRAS list of the finds, and no drawing or

photograph was ever made of it either. So whatever happened to this casket?

Did it become the inscribed casket which was also broken, as we have

noted - and did Fuhrer himself forge the inscription upon it? Is the Piprahwa

inscription simply another Fuhrer forgery? Fuhrer certainly had the

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palaeographical knowledge to perform this, particularly as he was then in

touch with Buhler (who may also have unwittingly provided him with

emendations to the inscription, according to the published accounts). 20

Charles Allens book contains a photograph of the earliest-known copy of

the Piprahwa inscription, which was sent by Peppe to Smith. This inscription

was, in fact, very carelessly engraved upon the casket, and shows startling

irregularities in some of its characters. Since Peppe wouldnt have had the

slightest knowledge of this ancient and forgotten script, he should, of course,

have faithfully reproduced these mistakes when he made his copy of it, but

he didnt : his copy shows perfectly-drawn Asokan Brahmi characters (Figs.

3 and 4). Moreover, Smiths transliteration of Peppes copy completely

omits the two final characters yanam - of the all-important word

sakiyanam, showing the alleged Sakyan association with these relics. Allen

attempts to explain this astonishing omission by saying that Smith had

evidently regarded these two characters as random scratches, but they are

quite clearly depicted in Peppes copy, and were presumably added to it later

on (which also accounts for their being placed above the line of the others).

21. This explains why none of the January 1898 letters between Peppe,

Smith and Fuhrer (which are cited by Allen) make any reference at all to this

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all-important Sakyan connection, and shows that the inscription was, in fact,

engraved upon the casket in various stages around this time doubtless by

Fuhrer - Buhlers later emendations included.

THE SAGARWA JEWELLERY

We have already noted that Peppe was in contact with Fuhrer while the latter

was excavating at Sagarwa, across the nearby Nepalese border. The

difficulties surrounding precisely what was discovered by Fuhrer at

Sagarwa, and the subsequent fate of those items, would now appear to be

quite insurmountable. All of the jewellery, caskets, and other items found at

Sagarwa promptly disappeared, and the Nepalese authorities have assured

me that they have no idea of their present whereabouts either. Smith and

Peppe, curiously, rode up unannounced on January 28th, whilst Fuhrer was

excavating Mound Number Five, and Smith noted seeing a few gold stars,

similar to those subsequently found at Piprahwa (though Smiths use of the

word subsequently is inexplicable here, since Peppe had announced his

finds a week before this visit). Mound Number Four at Sagarwa (which was

excavated just before this visit) was later declared by P.C. Mukherji to have

been very rich in yielding relics (i.e. jewellery) but only a naga and six

relics of sorts were shown in Mukherjis report, hardly a very rich yield.

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So was all this missing Sagarwa jewellery utilized for the supposed finds at

Piprahwa, one wonders? We have already noted Smiths comment on the

similarity of the Sagarwa items to those of Piprahwa, and having spoken to

the Curator at Fuhrers former museum at Lucknow, I was informed that the

curiously-marked bricks from Sagarwa would appear to lie uncatalogued at

this location. The Peppe collection includes specimens of eight-petalled

lotuses in gold leaf, and lotus seed-pods with tiny holes drilled in them to

represent seeds. One of the drawings of the Sagarwa items made by Fuhrers

draughtsman shows an eight-petalled lotus in gold leaf, with tiny holes

drilled into its centre to represent seeds, whilst the Sagarwa bricks showed

21 eight-petalled lotuses carved into their surfaces also.

THE LEGALITY OF THE PEPPE COLLECTION

The question also arises as to whether Peppes collection of jewellery from

Piprahwa was legally retained by him thereafter. V. A. Smith assured the

Government of India that Mr Peppe has generously placed all the items

discovered at the disposal of Government, subject to the retention by him, on

behalf of the proprietors of the estate, of a reasonable number of duplicates

of the smaller objects (Smith also referring to a few duplicates in his

JRAS article, The Piprahwa Stupa). 22. Since Peppe, however, retained

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not merely a few duplicates of the jewellery, but around one-third of the

actual jewellery itself about 360 pieces - it is evident that Smiths

assurance that Peppe would place all the objects at the disposal of

Government (a legal obligation anyway, according to Smith) was not met,

and the question thus arises as to whether Peppe legitimately retained these

items thereafter, particularly as they were then removed from India after

Independence. 23. One also wonders why Smith, then Acting Secretary to

the North-Western Provinces Government, found it necessary to lie about

those duplicates to the Government of India.

LATER FINDS AT PIPRAHWA

In 1962, Debala Mitra, then Superintendent of the Eastern Circle of the

Archaeological Survey of India, was invited by the Nepalese authorities to

conduct a survey of the sites in the Nepalese Tarai, with a view to their

development for pilgrimage purposes. Her subsequent report (1969) was

highly critical of these sites however, and when the Nepalese refused to

publish her findings, Mitra summarised them as an appendix entitled

Kapilavastu - to her Buddhist Monuments book, published in India

(1971). In this, she declared that the 1898 inscription provided a strong

presumption for Piprahwa being the site of Kapilavastu, and added that

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intensive excavation in the monasteries at Piprahwa is likely to reveal some

monastic seals or sealings, which if found will prove the identity of

Kapilavastu with Piprahwa or otherwise. 24

An Indian archaeologist, K. M. Srivastava (also from the Eastern circle of

the ASI) promptly commenced further excavations at Piprahwa, and claimed

to have discovered a primary mud stupa below the one excavated by

Peppe. This supposedly yielded yet more soapstone vessels (none of which

bore inscriptions) containing bones. According to Srivastava, the

indiscriminate destruction caused by Peppes excavation meant that the

bone relics found in 1898 could not reliably be shown to be those of the

Buddha, and the inscription on the 1898 casket somehow pointed to the

bones supposedly found lower down, which were thus the real relics of the

Buddha in consequence. He also claimed to have discovered - precisely as

Debala Mitra had predicted - thirty-five clay sealings bearing the word

Kapilavastu in monastic remains at the site (though neither Peppe nor P. C.

Mukherji had found a single specimen of such sealings when they excavated

at these selfsame remains in 1898). 25. Having delivered a sharply critical

review of Srivastavas claims however, the eminent archaeologist and

historian, Herbert Hrtel, stated that To declare that the bones in one of the

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reliquaries in the lower chambers are those of the Buddha is not provable,

and therefore not tenable. In our opinion, it is high time to set a token of

scientific correctness in this extremely important matter. 26

During my 1994 visit to the Indian Museum, I found an elaborate wooden

model of a stupa displayed, in appearance similar to the great stupas at

Sanchi and Amaravati (Fig. 5). This purported to be a model of the Piprahwa

stupa itself, and inside it was a wooden copy of the inscribed casket,

displaying two pieces of bone. The accompanying caption declared that

these were relics of the Lordwhich were found in 1972 at Piprahwa, Basti

District, U.P., supposed to be ancient Kapilavastu, the capital of the Sakyas,

the clan of Sakyamuni Buddha, and stated that the Piprahwa stupa was

encircled by railings, having gateways at four cardinal points, embellished

with beautiful sculptures of the Buddha and contemporary life. When I

enquired who was responsible for this item, I was informed that it was Mr

Srivastava. However, as I was able to verify by a visit to the Piprahwa stupa,

none of these railings, gateways, or beautiful sculptures of the Buddha

and contemporary life exist at the actual site itself (Fig. 6). I then visited

the National Museum in Delhi, where I discovered two of Mr Srivastavas

soapstone caskets containing yet further relics of the Lord (and

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ostentatiously displaying lumps of clay on the caskets themselves, thus

proving, presumably, that they had been properly unearthed as claimed).

Having examined these items as closely as I was permitted the Museum

guard levelled a loaded rifle at me when I got too close I then paid a visit

to the Curator of Buddhist Antiquities, J. E. Dawson, and mentioned the

1898 bequest to Siam, when supposed relics of the Buddha were also found.

He had no knowledge of this however, and promptly began telephoning

around the Museum, urging staff to report to his office. Pretty soon the room

was full, and he asked me to repeat this information, of which no-one else

present appeared to have any knowledge. During the ensuing discussion I

mentioned that Krishna Rijal, then Nepals leading archaeologist, had also

told me of a commission which had been set up, under Rajiv Gandhi, to

investigate the authenticity of Mr Srivastavas Buddha-relics, but which had

never published its conclusions thereafter. This immediately prompted one

of the staff to call out They are false! an outburst which shocked everyone

into silence. I asked him to repeat this assertion, which he did. I then asked

him how he knew this, and he replied that an Indian professor had told him.

And how does he know? I enquired. Because he was on the commission!

came the prompt reply.

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SANKISA

Sankisa is related to many Myths pertaining to Lord Buddha, especially his

descending from the heaven after death makes it an ideal destination for

Buddhist pilgrims. The place is as interesting as the stories related to

Buddha, charming, quite and enchanting. Known as Sankasya in Ramayana,

this village has been an important centre in the geography of India from

earlier times. Huen Tsang named this city as Kapittha in his travelogue and

described it as a nice place to visit. The place is renowned for the stone

statues found here during the excavations.

Location

Sankisa is located in Farukhabad district of Uttar Pradesh, at a distance of 40

Km from Kannauj.

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Attractions

The village is mainly famous for the archaeological and historical

importance. There is a small temple of Maya Devi where, she is worshipped

as a goddess of fertlity. Buddhist sculptures dating back to Mahayana age is

also found on some walls at the site.

The remains of Asokan Pillar is also worth a visit, while the pillar with an

elephant in lieu of the usual lion is also matter of attraction for many a

tourists. This elephant is said to be the representation of the white elephant

which mayadevi had dreamt at the time of conception of Siddhartha (Lord

Buddha).

The excavations by ASI (Archaological Society of India) has lead to the

finding of many items of ancient age contemporary to Buddha, Asoka and

some other well-known preacher of Buddhiism. Some of these items are

exquisite and represents high grade of art. The scriptures, terra cotta figures,

bronze coins and stone dishes remain the centre of attraction for the visiting

folk to have a glimpse back into the far left times.

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The Shiva linga is also quite exotic and attracts Hindu religious devotees.

The Shravan Mela held every year draws a lot of tourists.

Excursions

Kannauj : An ancient town in India, having its place in many important

books such as the Mahabharata, this place is well known for the Brahminical

relations. Ruled over by Hindu king Harsha Vardhana, this city had seen the

golden period of Hindu architecture. Many of the sculptures have been

excavated recently and the various statues, among them the ekmukhi (one

faceted) with the head of Lord Shiva's wife, are special. The place is also a

well-known Perfume production place right from the days of Harsha.

Ask For Sankisa Travel Detail

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SHRAVASTI

Shravasti is a newly created district of Uttar Pradesh (India) carved

out from districts of Gonda and Bahraich . Besides these two districts,

Shravasti shares its border with district Balrampur. Bhinga, the

District Headquarter of Shrawasti, is approximately 150 k.m away

from the state capital, Lucknow.

Geographical Area 1126.00 K.m2

Population 923380

Literacy 19.27%

Parliamentary

constituency

Behraich

Assembly

ConstituenciesBhinga,Ikauna,Charda,Behraich

Tehsil Bhinga,Ikauna

Community

Development Blocks

Hariharpur

Rani,Sirsia,Gilola,Jamunaha,Ikona

No.of Panchayats 72

No of Villages Inhabited-683, Uninhabited-19

Shravasti, the northeastern town of Uttar Pradesh, is located near river

Rapti. This town is closely associated with the life of Lord Buddha.

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It is being said that the mythological king Sravast founded this town.

Shravasti was the capital of Kosala Kingdom during 6th century BC to

6th century AD. This prosperous trading center was well known for its

religious associations. The 'Sobhanath' temple is believed to be the

birthplace of Jain Tirthankar 'Sambhavanath' making Shravasti an

important center for the Jainas.

As mentioned in the Bruhatkalpa and various kalpas of the

fourteenth century the name of the city was Mahid. There are

subsequent mentions showing that the name of this city was Sahet-

Mahet. It is also mentioned that a vast fort covered this city in which

there were many temples having idols of Devkulikas.

Buddha is believed to have spent 24 monsoons in this city. Age-old

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stupas, majestic monasteries and several temples near the village of

"Sahet-Mahet" establish Buddha's association with Shravasti.

Moreover, Shravasti is the holy land of all the four Kalyanakas

Chayan,Birth,Diksa andAttainmentof omniscience of Bhagawan

Samabhavanath.

Today a great rampart of earth and brick surrounds this city. During

excavation in Sahet-Mahet near Shravasti City, many ancient idols

and inscriptions were found. They are now kept in museums of

Mathura and Lucknow. At present, the archaeological department of

the Indian Govt. is doing excavation to perform allied research.

The ancient city of Shravasti, venerated by Buddhist and Jains alike, is

at present a collection of ruins called SAHET - MAHET. This twin

name is applied to two distinct groups of remains, Sahet and

Mahet.Sahet is the site of the famous Buddhist monastery known as

JETAVANA VIHAR, which lay outside the limits of the Shravasti

city. The latter is identified with modern Mahet. The ruins at Sahet

consist mainly of plinths and foundation of monasteries and stupas, all

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Buddhist. The other site i.e., Mahet situated at about 500m from the

site denotes the ancient city proper.

Very little is known of the city of Shravasti until it rose to fame owing

to its association with Buddha and Mahavira in sixth century B.C.

At the time of Buddha, Presanajit was the king of Shravasti.The site of

Sahet is said to be the park of prince Jeta, son of Presanajit, hence

named Jetavan. Sudatta (also known as Ananthapindika), a wealthy

merchant of Shravasti, bought this park from prince Jeta by paying

enough gold pieces that could cover the park. This episode is found in

a sculpture of second century B.C. A Jetavana scene is also found on

an early Amaravati stele. The earliest structural activities at Sahet are

attributed mainly to Suddatta, Prince Jeta and his father King

Presanajit.

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In the third rainy season after his enlightenment, Lord Buddha visited

Jetavana and since then he regularly made his sojourn to the

monastery spending here 24 rainy seasons in all.

One of the interesting episodes in an off-told story of Buddha at

Shravasti was the conversion of a robber named Angulimala.

After the age of Buddha and Mahavira, the history of Shravasti is

obscure till we come to the period of Ashoka in the third century

B.C. .The material prosperity of Shravasti was at its height during

Ashoka's period. Ashoka is credited with the erection of two pillars,

each 21m high, in addition to the construction of several monasteries

and stupas. The monasteries and shrines of Jetavana were renovated

during the early centuries of the Christian era under the patronage of

Kushanas. During the period of Gupthas, the Buddhist establishment

at Jetavana was prosperous as before.

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In the early fifth century FA-HIEN visited this place.

In the reign of king Harsha (AD 606 - 647) Hiuen - Tsang visited

Shravasti and found it a wild ruin. There is evidence to show that

some Buddhist establishments survived in Jetavana down to the

middle of the Twelfth century mainly due to the patronage of the

Gahadavala kings of Kannauj. The history of Shravasti thereafter is

quite unknown.

The ruins of Shravasti remaind long forgottenuntil they were brought

to light and identified with Shravasti by Alexander Cunninghum in

1863. Successive excavations have yielded the remains of several

stupas, temples and monsteries,etc

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KAUSHAMBI

Kaushambi: Scene of Important events in the Buddha's career

Kaushambi, in Uttar Pradesh, was visited by Buddha in the 6th and 9th years

after his enlightenment. He delivered several sermons here, elevating it to a

center of learning for Buddhists. Today one can see the ruins of an Ashokan

Pillar, an old fort and the Ghositaram Monastery. The archaeological

excavations here have yielded a large number of sculptures and figurines,

coins, punch-marked and cast coins and terra-cotta sculptures which show

the reverence the city was held in by the devout, in times gone by. All these

religious finds of historical and archaeological importance can be viewed at

the Allahabad Museum.

However the area occupied by this district has a very glorious past. In

Ancient India, Hundreds of years before the christ born, Kaushambi was the

capital of Chedi-vatsa janapada, one of the prominent janapadas into which

the Indo-Aryan people were divided. As some of these janapadas figure

prominently in the Brahmanas and Upanisads, it is not unlikely that the

antiquity of Kaushambi goes back to the period of the Brahamanas. The

Satapatha Brahamana mentions a person called Proti Kaushambeya, a native

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of Kaushambi. This hoary antiquity of the city is confirmed by the

Mahabharata and the Ramayana, the former ascribing its foundation to

Kusamba, the third son of the Chedi King Uparica Vasu and the latter to

Kusamba, the son of Kusa.

Location

District Kaushambi is situated in the west of Allahabad district. In the North

of the district Pratapgarh, in the south Chitrakoot, In the east Allahabad, in

the west Fatehpur districts are located. The total geographical area of the

district is 2012.8 sq. km.

History

During Buddha's time Kaushambi was one of the six most important and

prosperous towns of India. It was a nerve center of ancient Indian

communications as the principal routes from north to south and east to west

met at the city. It was a terminus of river traffic and an important emporium

of Madhyadesa. The city retained its importance at least up to the sixth

century A.D.,as it was visited by the Chinese pilgrims Fa-Hien and Yuan-

Chwang.

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The ruins of the well-known site of Kaushambi (25o20' 30"N., 81o23'12"E.)

are situated on the left blank of the river Yamuna at a distance of 51.2 km

from Allahabad in a south-westerly direction. The remains of the ancient

city viewed from a distance give the impression of an imposing hillock,

which, when approached nearer, reveals itself as a chain of rolling mounds,

standing high above the surrounding plains, girdled on the south by the

Yamuna. The Vindhyan range across the horizon at not a great distance

beyond the river Yamuna provides the southern frame of the Panorama.

Pilgrimage Attractions of Kaushambi

District Kaushambi is rich in historical places. History of all times demistify

the importance of the district. Kara, Prabhasgiri and Kaushambi are the main

historical centers. The district is full of temples in which Sheetla temple of

Kara Dham and the Jain temple of Prabhosa are the main attraction.

Sheetla Temple of Kara

The historical and religious importance of Kara is very old. This place is

situated in the north-west of Allahabad about 69 km away. There are so

many temples in Kara in which Sheetla Mata temple, Chhetrapal Bhairav

temple, Hanuman temple and Kaleshwar Mahadev temple are famous.

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The temple of ma Sheetla is situated on the bank of Ganga river. It is known

as the major shaktipeeth from all the 51 shaktipeeths of Goddess. In the idol,

Sheetla Devi is sitting on gardhabha (ass). Followers of all the religions

worship in this temple. It is said that by the worship of Goddess Sheetla on

the ashtami of Krishnapaksha of the month of chetra they get rid of evil

powers.

This place has been a religious pilgrimage since at least 1000 A.D. Kara was

also an important township in the kingdoms of medieval kings of the

northern India. and even today one can see the remains of the fort of king

Jaichand, the lasr hindu king of Kannauj.

Kara is also the birth place of the famous saint Malookdas(1631 - 1739

A.D.). The Aashram and Samadhi of saint is there. He was also a follower of

Goddess Kara. The famous Sikh guru Teg Bahadur had come to Kara to

discourse on various topics with Saint Malookdas.

Prabhasgiri(Prabhosa)

Prabhasgiri or Prabhosa is famous as a religious historical place on the bank

of Yamuna river at the Manjhanpur Tehsil about 50km away in the north of

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Allahabad. It is also said that Shri Krishna died at this place by the arrow of

Jaratkumar in the suspicion of deer.

In the earlier days there was a big Jain temple on a very big hill. After the

demolition of this another jain temple was constructed in 1824A.D.. A cave

which is 9 feet long and 7 feet wide is also there. In this cave the records are

found in the brahmi lipi of second century before Gupta dynasty. Till now

this place is the center of faith of all the followers of the Jainism. This was

the place where the sixth teerthankara of Jains Bhagwan PadmaPrabhu lived

most of his life.

Kaushambi

Sir Leonard Wooley in his famous report had suggested Kaushambi as one

of the two important sites in the Ganga valley, the excavation of which,

according to him, would unravel the early history of the Indian people. It

was a memorable event in the History of Indian Archaeology when first of

March, 1948, Sir Mortimer, authorised the University of Allahabad to

excavate Kaushambi with G.R.Sharma as Director.

The excavations have been conducted in the following areas: near the

Ashokan pillar which laid bare a part of the residential area of the city, the

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Ghositarama monastry, the defences near the Eastern Gateway and the tower

at the north-eastern corner, the Stone Fortress Palace.

Durga Devi Temple of Manjhanpur

This temple is situated about 1km away in the south-west of Manjhanpur

town area. In this temple there is an idol of black stone of Goddess Durga

and Lord Shiva. It is believed that these idols are of the time of Buddha. On

the occasion of Navaratri there is a large crowd to worship Goddess Durga.

Kamasin Devi Temple

This temple is situated on the bank of a pond about 10km away in the west

of Manjhanpur in the village of Gambheerapurab . According to the local

tradition Kamasin Devi fulfils all the desires of her followers. Local people

have a great faith on the devine powers of this temple.

Shri Ram Temple Bajha

This place is situated about 30km away from Allahabad on the Allahabad

Kanpur road . This place resides in the Chayal tehsil area. A huge temple of

Lord Shri Ram is situated at this place. This temple was constructed around

20 years ago.

Neighbouring Places of Interest

There are numerous places of interest round about Kaushambi like

Allahabad, Kanpur, Varanasi, Chitrakoot and Vindhayavasini.

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How to Reach

The district head quarter Manjhanpur is around 55km away from Allahabad.

From Allahabad to reach Mooratganj on the G.T.Road towards Kanpur.

From Mooratganj take a left diversion reach Bharwari and proceed on the

Mooratganj Mahewa Ghaat road to Manjhanpur.

If you are coming from Kanpur then take a right turn at Saini reach Sirathu

and proceed on the Sirathu Sarai Akil road to Manjhanpur.

Apart from Allahabad and Kanpur other railway heads within the district are

Sirathu and Bharwari.

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