24 YEARS OF VARSHAVAAS-SHRAWASTI!

SAHET

 Shrawasti, was the capital of the Kosala Kingdom during the sixth century BC. It was then called Shavathhi.This place in North East UP, is on the foothills of the Himalayas near the river Rapti,  which was called Achiravati during the time of the Buddha. The Buddha spent 24 monsoon months( varshavaas) here. Kapilvastu and Vaishali were vassals of the Kosala Kingdom. Raja Prasenjit or Pasenadi was the King over here during the time of the Buddha.

It is said that a prosperous Shreshti named Sudatta also called "Anath pindika" because of his generosity to orphans had visited Rajgriha where he heard the discourse of Buddha. He wanted Buddha to visit Shrawasti and therefore wanted to buy a large garden for Buddha's stay and to construct a Vihara for his followers. The garden selected was very huge and was owned by  Prince Jeta, who did not wish to part with the garden. He therefore told Sudatta that if he covered the garden with  gold coins the garden would be given to him. It is said that Sudatta covered the place with 108 million gold pieces and donated the place for use of the Buddha. Today this is the place where a number of ruins of viharas and temples have been found. It is now called Sahet.

THE PLACE WHERE BUDDHA WALKED

The place is maintained beautifully. It is very huge and spread out. There were many monasteries here once upon a time and the place where Buddha usually sat and meditated as well as the strip where he would take a walk are also well preserved. There is an Anadakuti and a Gandha kuti here. 

ANAND BODHI TREE

There is an Ananda Bodhi tree which is venerated. The sapling was brought from Bodhgaya by Ananda. I met the same Srilankan group of pilgrims that I had met earlier at Bodhgaya and Kushinara under the Bodhi tree. Here also they had beautified the place with flowers, flags and their silent procession. All of them were in white and devotion and peace was written large on their countenance.

BUDDHA MEDITATED HERE

After sitting inside the ruin of the little area where Buddha used to meditate, I   learnt that peace and forgiveness is the biggest weapon of all times.

From Sahet we went to a place called Mahet where there are two stupas called the "pakki kuti" and the "kacchhi kuti". The kacchi kuti is the stupa of Anathpindika and the pakki kuti is the jail of Angulimala. 

Angulimal's prison

STUPA OVER PRISON

Angulimala it is said had studied at Takshashila, but had later become a dacoit who waylaid travelers and cut off their little finger and put a garland of the cut fingers around his neck. After meeting the Buddha, he was reformed and gave up this crime. The mound or Stupa is over Angulimala's jail.

WOMEN DISCIPLES

Vishakha the first female disciple of Buddha also belonged to Shravasti. She was married to Punnavaddhana the son of Migara, a rich but miserly merchant. She was the daughter of Dhananjaya and Sumanadevi who originally belonged to Magadh, which was a prosperous place where there were a number of shreshtis. Dhananjaya the son of Mendeka of Magadh therefore shifted to Shrawasti in search of better opportunities. Vishakha was the daughter of this Dhananjaya. Vishakha built the Pubbarama Monastery, where Buddha spent six years of varshavaas. She was a wise lady and devoted to the Buddha, and was quite influential. 

MONASTERIES AT THE BACK & A TEMPLE

King Prasenjit or Pasenadi as he was then called built the Rajakarama Monastery. Pasenadi had studied at Takshshila too and was married to a Princess of Magadh. His own sister was married to King Bimbisara of Magadh. Pasenadi was very devoted to the Buddha but wondered how Buddha had become enlightened at such a young age. At this the Buddha had told him not to doubt  a noble warrior, a serpent,fire and a bhikku, because an enraged warrior may cause harm, the bite of a serpent may kill, a small fire may turn into an inferno and a young Bhikku could also be enlightened. Pasenadi's daughter Vajira was married to Ajatshatru. In those times too there was movement for the sake of business, education as well as marriages!

MODERN TEMPLES

Near these ruins and stupas of Sahet and Mahet, there are beautiful temples built by the Srilankan, Chinese, Myanmarese and  Thais. Close by is a huge bell donated by the Japanese.

ANATHPINDIKA'S STUPA AT MAHET

Shravasti is quite close to Lucknow and the road via Balrampur is good. 

ACHIRAVATI THEN…RAPTI NOW.

LUMBINI GAVE US THE LIGHT OF ASIA

THE PUSHKARNI TANK AT LUMBINI

After seeing the place where Buddha died, my next destination was the place where he was born. We had to cross into Nepal. One does not need a Visa, but have to cross the border where a few formalities are completed. We crossed from Sunauli. People on foot or cycle can go across without any restriction. In fact it was as if they were going across an old time Railway Crossing with the barrier down. People were walking and shopping for daily needs from the Indian side. One more interesting information is that Indian notes of Rs. 500 and Rs. 1000 cannot be used in Nepal, they accept Rs. 100 notes.

FLOWERS

Once inside Nepal driving towards Lumbini we saw ponds all along the roadside. The ponds were full of lilies and lotus flowers. It was a lovely sight.

We reached Lumbini where there is a huge park. Sign boards were quite inadequate and not clear. One had to ask for the gate from where one could enter the spot where Siddharth Gautam was actually born.

GATE AT LUMBINI

 We were directed to enter from Gate number 4 and walk as cars were not allowed inside. The garden is nice and well maintained. To maintain the sanctity of this place only monasteries can be built in the enclosure .   Shops, hotels or restaurants are not allowed here. 

MAHAMAYA TEMPLE

There is a temple built over the exact spot where Gautama was born. There was a long but orderly queue which went up to the exact spot. One could stand peacefully  as long as one wished to. There was no jostling, no pushing or remarks passed. Every one waited for their turn patiently. After all, everyone had come from far away to see the place, so everyone was allowed freedom to stand as long as one wished to.

The exact spot is covered with glass and one could see the stump of a tree which may have stood there 2500 years ago. It is said that Mahamaya the queen of King Shuddhodhan, left Tilaurakot, the capital of Kapilvastu and was on her way to her mothers place in Devdaha, when she stopped at Lumbini Garden and her child was born under a tree. There is a pond nearby called Pushkarni where Mahamaya is said to have taken her bath.There are a lot of ruins of ancient monasteries, stupas and layers of brick structures in the area from the 3rd century BC. which shows that the place around the Maya Devi temple had been venerated from early times.

I remained in the complex for a long time and actually went upto the exact spot three times as I wanted to have my fill of the place.

ASOKA'S PILLAR

There is an Asoka Pillar also just outside the temple premises where a lot of people were sitting and meditating.

PATHS

When we started on our way back it was dark. Street lights were lit, but in the absence of any sign board we kept turning into wrong lanes. There were not many people on the path chosen by us, so reaching back was more of an adventure trip. The hotel where we stayed at Lumbini was quite nice. Food too was good.

SHUDHODHAN'S CREMATION PLACE STUPA

Having had my fill of Lumbini we proceeded to Tilaurakot, where there are ruins of the palace said to have been the place where Siddhartha spent 29  years of his life. The ruins are of two gates, and palaces. The place is not maintained very well. We went to the East gate from where Siddhartha is supposed to have left the palace. He went up to the River Rohini from where he sent his chariot back. His horse it is said returned but did not enter the palace gates. He died just near the gate.

PIPRAHWA -KAPILVASTU

In India in UP at a place called Piprahwa, ruins of palaces have also been found. Claims are being made that this is the real  Kapilvastu. We visited Piprahwa too. The Indian side of Kapilvastu is maintained very nicely. The gardens around the ruins are beautiful. 

We  had an adventure trip while leaving Kapilvastu and trying to reach Piprahwa. There is a border post just South of Kapilvastu  near Aligarwah,from where one could enter Piprahwa, but from this border only two wheelers could go across. We therefore had to go about ten kms. away and then leave Nepal from Khunwah border. Reaching Piprahwa was quite tough, as we had to travel another 30 kms. to reach Piprahwa which was in fact just across Aligarwah border. 

 

TILAURAKOT NEPAL'S KAPILVASTU

Tilaurakot and Piprahwa are quite close to each other and there is only the border dividing them both. It is therefore quite possible that the claims of both the places are correct. Both have ruins of palaces and both could have been one big City.

In those days marriage between close kin was permitted, as it is interesting to note that Shudhodhan was married to his paternal aunt's(bua's) daughters Mahamaya and Prajapati Gautami. Yashodhara the wife of Siddhartha who was also called Bhaddakaccana was also his maternal uncle's(mama's) daughter.The women were from the Koliya clan and men were from the Shakya clan. Devdaha was the capital of the Koliyas and Tilaurakot was the capital of Kapilvastu. They were both vassal states of Kingdom of Kosala. Tilaurakot is 27 KM west of Lumbini and Devdaha is 35 Km North East of Lumbini. 
Both these places were Gana Rajyas.  Shudhodhan was an elected Raja. There used to be a Santhagara where general assembly of old and young men of a  clan met and decided matters of general and state affairs. These Santhagaras ( santha means group and agar means house or assembly place) of Republic states would control relations with other states,and matters of war and peace. Amazing, isn't it that we have retained a few words from the 6th Century BC, like "Bharat Ganarajya!"