Buddhism was first founded in India around 500 B.C. by Buddha. It is the dominant religious force in most of Asian Countries as China, Japan, Korea, Vietnam, Cambodia, Sri Lanka Tibet etc. and today, there are about 300 million followers. The Buddhists faith rests in Buddha, his teachings (dharma), and the religious community that was founded (sangha). Buddha’s real name is Siddartha Gautama. Siddartha means “every wish fulfilled.” He was born in 563 B.C. in the small republic of Sakka located in Southern Nepal. He was born to a ruler and later tradition saw him as the son of a king. His father’s name was King Suddhodana, and his mother’s name was Queen Maya. One week after Gautama was born, his mother died. It was said that he enjoyed life and was given the best possible education and was showered with the luxuries of living. Gautama became overwhelmed with the conviction that his life was filled with suffering and unhappiness therefore started taking interest in religious and philosophical thoughts. There were two things that may have caused his spiritual tendencies. One may have been the loss of his mother at birth and the other may have been the position of the weak Sakya kingdom which was about to be taken over by its powerful neighboring enemies. Gautama married a beautiful princess named Yasodhara and had a son named Rahula. He fulfilled his duty by bringing an heir into the world. While on his way to a park, he saw a saffron robed Samana with a shaven head and a calm demeanor. That sight inspired him to adopt that kind of lifestyle. On his twenty ninth birthday, his conviction led to the abandonment of his wife and son to seek religious enlightenment as a monk. That time was known as the Great Renunciation, because in old Japanese culture leaving their wife or getting a divorce was considered taboo. The choice of dedicating himself to the world rather than his family may be the most significant sacrifice he ever made. His renunciation of family life stands as a symbolic precedent for the monastic life of Buddhist monks and nuns. He joined the spiritual teachers of his time, mastered their disciplines, and relentlessly practiced asceticism. He felt, however, that none of these efforts could–nor would–open the path to enlightenment. Six years later, after his body was exhausted, he realized that asceticism was meaningless. He was free after renouncing both his family life and the ascetic practices. He traveled to Buddhagaya and sat under a Bodhi tree. With the sharpness of insight accessible only in the middle way of meditation, he penetrated into the true nature of things. He discovered why people were suffering and also found a way of escaping it. The people from then on called him “Buddha,” which means the Enlightened One. After becoming known as Buddha, he returned to his family, taught them and took his son under him as a monk. Gautama sought out teachers from what he could learn spiritual techniques and master their teachings. He then inquired after the meditation state on which they were based on. Buddha gave his first sermon at Benares to five ascetic monks who had practiced with him earlier. That is called the turning wheel of Dharma. Following that initial conversation, he traveled throughout Northern India for 45 years teaching the rich and the poor, the powerful and the lowly, the beggars and the sages with deep compassion for all and with tempered wisdom and cool logic. He passed away peacefully at the age of 80 in Kusinagara. One interesting thing in Gautama’s life is that he was born under a tree, he achieved enlightenment under the Bodhi (“tree of wisdom”) tree, and gave his first sermon in an animal park, and he died between two trees.
n the Astore District of the Pakistani region of Gilgit-Baltistan. It is situated on the right bank of the Neelum River to the north of Taobat, approximately 190 km from the city of Gilgit. The average elevation is 2,844.6 metres above sea level
John F.K. International Airport (Google Map)
3 Hours Before Flight Time
4 Bedrooms
6 Bathrooms
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Arrival at Lahore Airport. Reception by our representative and transfer to Hotel Shalimar. Welcome drink. Evening at leisure to explore the Mughal’s Badshai Mosque, Shalimar Garden, Anar Kali Bazar etc. Overnight in Hotel.
After breakfast move to Peshawar via motorway. Peshawar or Pushpapur was the land of Buddhist Pilgrimage for Chinese, Tibetans, Koreans and Indians when the Buddhism was at its peak in the days of the Kushan Emperor Kanishka who ruled in AD 78. We stop for tea and to take photographs of 600 million old salt range. After lunch move to see the Cultural Heritage Museum, Shakir Parian, Daman e Koh, and World Biggest Mosque the Shah Faisal Mosque. Continue to Peshawar via Motorway somewhat parallel to Grand Trunk Road constructed by Sher Shah Suri in 16 century AD from Kabul to Calcutta. Transfer to Hotel Greens. Evening at leisure to explore oriental carpets and handicraft shops in Saddar Bazar. Overnight in hotel.
After breakfast visit the Peshawar Museum formerly the Victoria Memorial Hall built in 1905 which has the most extensive collection of Gandhara Art in the world. The biography of Buddha was written by great scholars of Mahayana and in their light the carving of the life stories of Buddha was accomplished in Gandhara art with great accuracy. Sculptures illustrating the life of Buddha from birth onward are laid out in chronological order. The fasting Buddha here is more haunting than the one in Lahore Museum. Kanishika builds the empire’s most magnificent Buddhist stupa at Shah j k Dheri but now it is site of brick factory. We move to Khyber Pass 56kms from here and pass Jamrud Fort build by Sikhs in 1823 on the site of old fort. We will also pass Shagi Fort build by British in 1920s and Ali Masjid Fort. Stop at Sphola Stupa of second century AD. Beautiful Gandhara Sculptures of Buddha were found here when the site was excavated at the beginning of this century. Lunch of roasted lamb in Landi Kotal Bazar and move to see the plains of Afghanistan from the height of Torkham. On the left side is a Hindu Shahi fort of 9th Century. Here Afghans and British fought their last war in 1919. Move back to hotel. Evening free to explore Qissa Khawani Bazar, brass and copper shops and may buy some handicraft from Ali Sons shop 130 years old and visited by Queen Elizabeth- 1961, Jacqueline Kennedy-1962, Princess of Denmark, Charles de Gaulle, Francois Mitterrand and many more dignitaries. Overnight in hotel.
After breakfast move to Swat. We will stop over at Charsadda 28kms to take a look of Bala Hisar a city of 6th century BC mentioned in the Hindu epic story the Ramayana. In 516 BC this city became part of Achaemenid Empire of Persia. Next, we stop at Takht e Bahi which is the most impressive and complete Buddhist monastery of 1st Century AD and abandoned in the 6th Century AD. At almost the same time Buddhism of Gandhara entered triumphantly from Korea into Japan “THE LAND OF THE RISING SUN” It will take two hours to see it with the help of map The remains of 38 votive stupas are scattered around the center of the court and are built as offerings by pilgrims from China, Korea, Tibet and India. Next, we will stop at Churchill Picket after crossing Malakand Pass and Hindu Shahi Fort of Bat Khela. Sir Winston Churchill served here in 1897. Move to Damkot Hill which was occupied by Aryan in 1700 BC and by Buddhist in 1st Century AD. The monastery and Stupa were burnt by White Huns in fifth century and now only foundation remain. Six boulders of fifth Century AD with Buddhist carving on them stand at the foot of the hill. The carved figures are mostly of Padmapani the Lotus Bearer Bodhisattva. We will move to Chakdara Museum which has an excellent collection of first to seventh century Buddhist Gandharan sculpture. Lunch will be consumed from a roadside restaurant. We will stop for photos at huge Shingerdar Stupa build by King Uttarasene to house his share of the relics of the Lord Buddha and at the large size rock carving of Buddha on a cliff of sixth century AD. As we move along the road toward Swat the hillocks are full of ruins displaying period from 1500 BC to 14 century AD most of which is of Hindu Shahi period of 8th to 10th century. Move to Hotel White Palace the Palace of former ruler of Swat now converted into hotel for overnight stay.
After breakfast move to Saidu Sharif Museum to see some of the rare Gandhara Sculpture and its ethnographic section. From here we will take a dirt trek to Butkara Stupa which is one of the most important Buddhist Shrines of second century BC built by Emperor Ashoka to house the ashes of Lord Buddha. In subsequent centuries it was enlarged five times adding new shells around original stupa. In 1955 Italian excavators exposed the successive layers which shows the evolution of construction techniques. In third century, Buddhism approached its zenith and Butkara became a famous pilgrimage center for Chinese, Koreans, Indians and Central Asians. From here we move to Malam Jabba 30kms a ski resort in winter. On way stop at Manglaur to observe Jahanabad Buddha a four-meter-high carved in seventh century on the face of large rock on other side of river. Malam Jabba has one ski run and golf facility. Lunch will be in a restaurant of a beautiful hotel here overlooking the ski ground. Back to White Palace Hotel. Evening free to explore the prehistoric sacred hill of Mount Ilam by following the Hindu Pilgrim path along the Saidu stream or visit the trade center 2500 years old of Saidu Sharif on the trade route from China to Europe and Arabia. You may hunt for silver tribal jewelry, locally woven and embroidered fabrics, real antiques, coins, semi-precious stones etc.
After breakfast move to Abbottabad via Khwazakhela 30kms and the largest trade center in this part of the valley. Here the cottage industry has been thriving for last 2500 years. Till the beginning of this century natural vegetable dyes were used for coloring the embroidery woolen shawls. From here Besham is 69kms which is a drive through the scenic road steeply terraced hills and pine forest across the Shangla pass. Here we stop for tea and consume it in a wooden cabin tied to pine tree. Besham is located on the wonder of the modern world the Karakoram Highway made on the alignment of Silk Route to China. After Lunch we move to Mansehra 24kms short of Abbottabad to see the Ashokan inscription date from the third century BC (272 – 231 BC). The Ashoka was Buddhist and his capital was at Pataliputra now Patna on the Ganges in India. This is the oldest inscription of any historical significance in Asia. Reach Abbottabad named after James Abbot who became adviser to Sikhs after first Sikh War of 1846. Move to Hotel One or similar for overnight stay.
Move to Taxila after breakfast via Haripur named after Hari Singh a general of Ranjit Singh who ruled it till 1834.Taxila was the Eastern capital of Archaemenid Empire in 516 BC and called Taksashila which was changed by Greek historian to Taxila. By the late fifth century BC it has become the site of best-known university in world which offered courses in mathematics, law, history, medicine, social science, the art, astronomy and military tactics. In Kushan times the majority of the population was Buddhist. On every hilltop around Taxila are the remains of either monasteries or stupa and 50 of them within the radius of 10kms. Disaster struck Taxila in 455 ADS when it was attacked by the White Huns who burned the city and the monasteries. We will first visit the Taxila Museum which has one the best collection of Gandharian Buddhist. Then we will visit the Dharmarajika Stupa erected by Emperor Ashoka in third century BC to enclose the ashes of Buddha. Around the main Stupa there is a whole galaxy of votive stupas that date from first century BC to fourth century AD built by rich pilgrims. Our second stop is City of Sirkap dated from 185 BC to AD 80. The shrine of two headed eagle is interesting as its decoration show classic Greek influence. Its motif was found in early Babylon and in Spata and later used on the imperial arms of Russia and Germany. The royal palace is in the end similar in design to the Assyrian palace of Sargon in Mesopotamia. Greek biographer Philostratus visited Taxila in AD 44 has given the detail account of this in ” The life of Apolonius of Tyana “. The Jandial Temple in front of Sirkap was the only Greek Temple in Asia built in 2nd century BC and was robbed of its statues of Greek gods when the Sakas invaded it in 75 BC. It finally ruined by the great earthquake of AD 30. (To explore ruins of Taxila it requires three days) We move to Islamabad for lunch at Afghani Restaurant and then to Hotel Blue Sky in the heart of Rawalpindi. Evening at leisure to explore China Market, Bara Market, Saddar bazaar. Overnight in hotel.
We move to Lahore via Great Trunk Road built by Emperor Sher Shah Suri in sixteenth century on the alignment of ancient caravan route from Kabul to Calcutta. Transfer to Hotel Kashmir Palace or to Airport for departure.
