Top 5 Buddhist Temples In India

Buddhism is one such religion of this world that educates people about how beautifully one can make spiritual developments within inner self with meditation and by following the philosophy of life. The religion of Buddhism originated in the Magadha region and was later spread globally by the disciples and followers of Buddha. Siddhartha Gautam was the man behind the origin of this spiritual conviction. During his period established many Buddhist Monasteries across India. The sole goal of this religion is the attainment of nirvana.

More than 500 million followers of Buddhism are there all over the world. You will find many Buddhist temples in the diverse corners of this country. If you are a follower of Buddhism or moved by the lessons of Lord Buddha then we are sure that you will also love to explore the Buddhist temples in India. Are you planning a trip to visit the famous Buddhist temples? If that is true then you need to know about the must to visit Buddhist temples of India.

Here we present the list of the Top 5 Buddhist temples which is worth visiting at least once in their lifetime.

1. Mahabodhi Temple, Bodh Gaya

This Buddhist temple is located in Bodh Gaya in the state of Bihar. This Temple used to be one of the most popular as well as sacred places for the people of the Buddhist religion. There is a specific reason behind the popularity of this Buddhist temple in India. Gautam Buddha attained his enlightenment when he was sitting right beneath the historic Bodhi Tree. The architecture of this temple is very beautiful, and the craft on the walls of the temple represents the diverse cultures, customs, as well as traditions which are followed by Buddhists.

2. Ramabhar Stupa Temple, Kushinagar

This temple is located very close to the Mahaparinirvana Temple and is remembered in the pages of history in Golden letters. Ramabhar Stupa Temple is one of the very important Buddhist temples in India because it was built right at the spot where the cremation of Lord Buddha took place. The stupa which is featured in this temple is of 49-feet height and is known for the architectural elegance it offers. The exposition of this stupa is very appealing and stands as a glorious symbol of the Buddhist religion.

3. Thikse Monastery, Leh

This Buddhist Monastery is situated on the north of the famous Indus River and that too on the hilltop. The location of the monastery is very appealing to the eyes and will attract you automatically towards it even when you are not from the Buddhist religion following group. Thiksey Monastery is dedicated to the Gelukpa Order of the Buddhist religion. It was constructed way back in 1430 AD period and has a temple which is dedicated to Goddess Dorje Chenmo. Monastery features large numbers of Buddhist shrines. There are many other Buddhist temples in Ladakh but this Monastery is the biggest among them in this location. It is a mini Potala Palace.

Read More: Must Visit Lakes in Leh Ladakh

4. Rumtek Monastery, Gangtok

Rumtek Monastery, also known as the Dharmachakra Centre, is basically a gompa which is located in the state of Sikkim which is very close to the capital city of Gangtok. When you visit this Monastery you will get the chance to see many monks who will be chanting millions of mantras sitting in this location for bringing peace as well as harmony to the world. Mahakala Protector is a 10-day festival which is organized in this monastery on the 12th month of the Tsurphu Tibetan Calendar after the end of the Lunar year. The panoramic view of the surrounding of the temple will make you feel spellbound.

5. Dhamekh Stupa, Sarnath

Sarnath is popular in the pages of history for the activities and contribution of Lord Buddha. Dhamekha also known as Dhamek Stupa as well as Dhamekh Stupa is one of the massive Buddhist Stupa located in Sarnath. There is a huge importance of this stupa in the lives of Buddhist people as this is the place where Lord Buddha delivered his very first sermon to the first disciples after attaining enlightenment.

That is the major reason; why it is considered one of the important religious places for Buddhist followers. This stupa is cylindrical and has a height of 43.6 meters with a width of about 28 meters. This is one such Buddhist shrine located in India which experiences huge footfalls of devotees annually every year.

The above Buddhist temples are the most popular ones in the country. Aside to this, there are many more temples which are dedicated to Buddhist culture. Some of the other important temples include Tawang Monastery of Tawang, Vishwa Shanti Stupa of Rajgir, Namdroling Monastery & Golden Temple of Mysore and Ghum Monastery of Darjeeling. Visiting the temples mentioned you will get the scope to learn many things about Buddhism and the lessons of Lord Buddha.