05 Nights/ 06 Days Varanasi, Bodhgaya, Allahabad, Ayodhya

Afteroon s/seeing of Sarnath Tour Sarnath: There are four geographically important places in the life of Buddha: Where he was born (Lumbini, Nepal), where he gained enlightenment (Bodh Gaya, India), where he gave his first sermon (Sarnath, India) and where he left his mortal body (Kushinager, India). Evening sightseeing/Ganga Aarti (Ritual Aarti)   Aarti starts just after sunset, as darkness begins to spread all over. People start arriving at the ghats as early as 5:00pm-5:30pm. We would also reach there before time and have occupy our places as the crowd increases with the time. Over Night stay at Varanasi Hotel.

Morning River tour Also known as the Golden Temple, it is dedicated to Lord shiva, the presiding deity of the city. Varanasi is Said to be the point at which the first jyotirlinga, the fiery pillar of light by which shiva manifested has supremacy over others gods, broke through the Earth’s crust and flared towards the heavens. More than the Gaths and even the Ganga, the Shivalinga installed in the temple remains the devotional focus of Varanasi. CITY TOUR* --- {Temples}   1. Bharat Mata Temple Unusual for its absence of images of gods and goddesses, this temple is dedicated to ‘Mother India’ and instead contains a relief of a map of India. 2.Tulsimans Temple TULSI MANAS TEMPLE - Erected in 1964, this temple lies about 150 m south of this Durga Temple. It is dedicated to Lord Rama and is situated where Tulsidas, the great medieval saint, is believed to have written the great epic, Shri Ramcharitmanas. 3. Durga Temple - About 2 km south of Varanasi, this 18th century Durga Temple is also called the Monkey Temple due to aggressive monkeys that reside here. 4. New Vishwanath Temple VISHWANATH TEMPLE - Located within the premises of the Banaras Hindu University this temple built by the Birlas was planned by Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya. This temple is open to all people irrespective of caste or creed. 5.BANARAS HINDU UNIVERSITY - One of the oldest educational centres of India, this university was was founded by Pandit Madan Mohan Malviya in 1917 for the study of Sanskrit, Indian art, culture and music.   Evening proceed for Bodhgaya over night stay.  

BODHGAYA   Mahabodhi Temple Mahabodhi Temple standing just behind the Mahabodhi Tree where Sidhartha Gautam had attained enlightenment is situated at Bodh Gaya. The architectural superiority of the temple is marvelous and has been appreciated a lot by tourists. Mahabodhi Temple stands 170 feet tall and Chatras on the top are symbol of sovereignty of religion.   Gaya s/seeing    Vishnupad Temple Vishnupad Temple is sacred among Hindus and is dedicated to Lord Vishnu. The city has developed around the temple. According to believers and religious texts, the footprints inside the temple are those of Lord Vishnu. The temple is built in Shikhara style and was reconstructed in the year 1787, by Ahilya Bai Holkar of Indore.   Temple Complex The temple complex is quite big and houses many images of different Gods and Goddesses. There are many other shrines in and around the temple. Another important temple is of Lord Nrisimha, the god which according to Hindu mythology was a man-lion incarnation of Lord Vishnu. The temple and statue is intricately carved and designed and is a major tourist attraction at Gaya.   Surya Kund Surya Kund is a major tourist attraction. It is located on the west side of the famous Vishnupad temple. Devotees believe that a holy dip in the pond gets rid them of their sins. The place is thronged by tourists during festival seasons. The festival is organized twice in a year, first in the months of March-April and second in the months of September-October. Surya Kund becomes most visited place on Chhath when Sun God is worshiped and people from near by places come to take a dip in the Surya Kund..  

SANGAM - Allahabad The Sangam is one of the most sacred places of the Hindus. Situated around 7 km from Civil Lines, it is the meeting point of three holy rivers—Ganga, Yamuna, and the mythical Saraswati. Pandas (priests) can be seen here perched on small platforms performing puja and assisting the devout in their ritual ablutions in the shallow waters. The Sangam becomes a hub of activity after every 12 years when it hosts the Kumbh Mela.   ALLAHABAD FORT - Allahabad The strategic location of Prayag proved decisive in motivating Akbar to build the Allahabad Fort near the Sangam in AD 1583. One is awed by the art, architecture, design, and craftsmanship of the fort. The Indian army now uses the fort, and only a part of it is open to visitors. This huge, majestic fort has three magnificent galleries flanked by high towers. Visitors are allowed to see the Ashoka Pillar, Saraswati Kup (a well said to be the source of the river Saraswati), and Jodhabai Palace.   PATALPURI TEMPLE AND AKSHAYA VAT - Allahabad This is an underground temple located inside the Allahabad Fort. The temple is famous as the place where Lord Rama was worshipped once. It also finds mention in the travelogue of the Chinese traveler Hiuen Tsang, who visited India in AD 644. The famous Akshaya Vat (literally, Immortal Tree), one of the most revered trees of the Hindus, is also located within the temple. A permit from the Ordnance Depot or the Tourist Office is required for visiting the Patalpuri Temple and the Akshaya Vat.    ANAND BHAWAN - Allahabad Anand Bhawan is the ancestral home of the Nehrus. Here one is offered a glimpse of the lifestyle of the family that retained for a long time the status of the most important political dynasty in India. Anand Bhawan now houses one of the finest museums in India and memorabilia of the Nehru–Gandhi family.   SWARAJ BHAWAN - Allahabad Swaraj Bhawan, lying close to Anand Bhawan, is the house where the former Prime Minister of India, Mrs. Indira Gandhi, was born. Built by Pt. Moti Lal Nehru, the building was donated to the nation in 1930 to be used as the headquarters of the Congress Committee. Today, the Swaraj Bhawan houses the Jawaharlal Nehru Trust.   KHUSRAU BAGH - Allahabad This is a large garden where the tombs of Khusrau, his sister, and his Rajput mother are located. Khusrau was the son of emperor Jahangir, who had made many unsuccessful attempts to assassinate his father and take the reigns into his hands. However, he was murdered by his brother Shahjahan in the end.   HANUMAN MANDIR - Allahabad The Hanuman Mandir is a unique temple in the vicinity of the Allahabad Fort. It is renowned for the supine image of the monkey-god Hanuman. This is the only temple to have Hanuman in a reclining posture. Though a very small temple, it is thronged by hundreds of devotees every day.   ALLAHABAD MUSEUM - Allahabad Located near Chandra Shekhar Azad Park, the key attractions of the Allahabad Museum are the paintings of Nicholas Roerich, Rajasthani miniatures, terracotta figurines, coins, and stone sculptures from the second century BC to modern times. The museum has eighteen galleries and is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily except Monday.

Ayodhya - one of seven in the holy list of Hindu cities - where history and legend merge seamlessly, where some arrive to purify their souls while others plan hostile conflicts. Ayodhya - which means 'that which cannot be subdued by war', where the turbulence always subsides letting the city return to its original, peaceful holy avataar.  Ayodhya - a small, calm city where sadhus mingle with pious pilgrims and the occasional tourist, where even the sunset on the banks of the Sarayu river is good for the soul. (Warning: The conflict at Ayodhya is far from over. Make sure you check the newspapers before you set out on your journey.)    Sights to Visit Ayodhya, the temple town, with a sacred site around every street corner is best discovered at a leisurely pace. The only way to get a true feel of the town is by wandering through it, exploring the little alleyways and letting your mood decide which route you want to take. It is not a tourist town and offers a welcome break from the hotspots of India (unless, of course there is another ugly religious controversy brewing). Among the innumerable holy places there are also a few Buddhist and Jain shrines.   Babri Masjid and Ram Janmabhumi The contentious site is south of the shrine known as Janam Sthana, the birthplace where Rama is said to have spent most of his childhood. The compound is surrounded by high fences and is heavily guarded though it still attracts huge crowds. All visitors and worshippers are thoroughly searched before being allowed to enter the site (even ballpoint pens are confiscated before you enter the site). The makeshift Hindu temple that has been erected in place of the Babri masjid (now a heap of rubble) is basically a tent, with a background of shimmering pink and green material. (Open daily 7 am to 10 am and 3 pm to 5 pm)   Kanak Bhavan Also known as Sone-ka-Ghar (house of gold), this 19th century temple is located in the center of Ayodhya and is devoted to Rama and his wife Sita. Someone once said If you want to see the real Ayodhya, go to Kanak Bhavan. It is a palatial temple where musicians sit and perform in the black and white tiled courtyard. There are three pairs of idols of Rama and Sita in the inner sanctum and a plaque on the outer wall that claims there have been palaces on this site since the Trety Yug (The age during which Lord Rama ruled, by some estimates, one and a half million years ago). (Open daily 8.30 am to 12.15 pm and 4.30 pm to 9 pm)   Nageshwarnath Temple Stands on the ghats (bank) of the river, on the east side of town. It is said to be built by Khush, Lord Rama's son. Legend has it that he almost destroyed the water-living Nagas (semi-divine snake people) because he suspected them of stealing his amulet. Only Lord Shiva's intervention saved the semi-divine snakes. Khush then established this temple showing the Nagas worshipping Lord Shiva, his father's favourite deity. Another version of this legend states that the lost amulet was found by a Nag-kanya (young girl from the Naga tribe), who fell in love with him, and as she was Lord Shiva's devotee he constructed this temple for her. (Open daily 5 am to 11 am and 12 pm to 8 pm).   Treta ke Thakur It is a temple that stands at the place where Rama is said to have performed the Ashwamedha Yagna. The Raja of Kulu is said to have built a new temple here about 300 years ago called Kaleram ka Mandir, where the idols of Lord Rama, Sita, Lakshman and Bharat have reportedly been carved out of a single block of black sandstone. These idols are supposed to be from the original Rama temple, which once stood on the banks of the River Sarayu.   Lakshmana Ghat On the banks of the Sarayu river, this is where Rama's brother Lakshman is said to have voluntarily given up his life-an act called samadhi. Another version says that he gave up living after he broke a vow.   Mani Parbat A former Buddhist vihara (cave with cells) that became a Hindu temple. It is dotted with little shrines and if you stand on the topmost terrace you get a splendid view of Ayodhya, one that includes a cluster of small white buildings at the base of the hill that turns out to be a Muslim graveyard.   Hanumangarh A steep climb (75 steps) leads to the temple fort of Hanuman - monkey god and guardian of Ayodhya. Built within the thick white walls of a fortress, it is one of Ayodhya's most important temples and now a monastery as well. Embossed silver doorways lead to several Hanuman shrines as well as one of Rama's wife - Sita. The temple is supposed to mark the spot where Hanuman sat guard in a cave overlooking Rama's birthplace which is why the idol's eyes convey a piercing, alert look that is in keeping with the warrior prowess of Lord Hanuman. Many watchful rhesus monkeys have made this temple their home, and are quite skilled at snatching prasad (holy offerings) away from unwary devotees.