Shravasti

Shravasti Festivities If you happen to visit the city towards the end of winter (January), you will find yourself surrounded by the decor and music of the Shravasti Mahotsav. It is a time when the entire city gets together to celebrate the unique beauty and cultural amalgamation of the place. The city is also famous for its art that depicts the life story of Buddha. Artists, through their paintings, talk about the spread of Buddhism and the various forms given to Buddha over the years.

Vipassana Meditation Famous for Buddhism and its message of peace and prosperity, the Vipassana Meditation Centre forms the heart of the city. It is a great place to learn meditation from well-experienced mediators. The centre offers residential meditation courses, two times every month.

Local Language The city of Shravasti sees a huge footfall from all around the world, so it is common to find people conversing in various languages like Mandarin, Tibetan and English, among others. Hindi is the locally spoken language.

Art and Dance The varied and diverse cultural groups of people get together now and then to celebrate their native dance forms. If you happen to be in the city, make sure to book your tickets for some of these performances.

Uttar Pradesh is known for its diverse cuisine and has some dish to offer every tourist. Don't forget to try the traditional Balushahi and Bel sharbat while taking a tour through the streets of Shravasti. Shree Balaji Restaurant and the Shravasti Restaurant are some well-recommended food joints.

Located on the banks of River Rapti, the Shravasti District is one of the oldest districts of the Uttar Pradesh state of India. The town of Bhinga is located 175 kms from Lucknow and holds Shravasti district headquarters. The community shares its borders with Balrampur, Gonda and Bahraich. Perched in the northeastern part of Uttar Pradesh, it is a historical town with a rich, varied culture. It is famous for being closely associated with Gautam Buddha's life and the Jain Tirthankar, thus topping the list of Buddhist and Jain pilgrimage sites in the world.

A Buddhist Pilgrimage The many excavations and studies in Sharavasti have brought to life various monuments and temples that stood as the cultural centre of India's past. Known for Buddha's Twin Miracle, the Jetavana Monastery is named by Prince Prasanjeet. The famous Anandabodhi tree (a pipal tree that is a grown version of sampling from the Maha Bodhi tree) stands proudly in the monastery campus. The campus also holds within it the hut, Gandhakuti in which Buddha stayed for 19 monsoons.

Initial Establishments The city was one of the six largest cities in India when Gautam Buddha began to spread his teachings of Buddhism around the Indian subcontinent. Gautam Buddha spent a significant time of his life in the town, which was called Savatthi back then (after the sage Savattha). He was invited to the city by Anathapindika, one of his chief patrons.

The Ancient Gate of Glory The ancient city gate that stands today in all its glory is another notable tourist spot. Buddha is said to have spent 24 monsoons in this holy city, when his disciple Sudatta Anathapindika, after whom the Anathapindika's Stupa stands, built the Jetavana Monastery. The Stupa of Angulimala speaks a tale of patience and miracle. It is said that Buddha performed the 'Great Miracle' and converted a robber, Angulimala, into one of his most devoted disciples.

Jainism Highlights Maheth and Saheth contain many remains of the original city. They are famous for the cluster of ruins displaying the old city roads, temples, buildings and walls that are spread over a few kilometres.

Eventual Reigns The region of Shravasti was later ruled by King Jitari, Shri Sambhavnath Bhagwan and many others that ruled after Bhagwan Adinath. Shravasti sees a prominent mention again during the reign of Samrat Ashok when he and his grandson undertook upon themselves to have built various Buddhist temples and Stupas around the city. Then again during the Gupta Period, the city is mentioned in the "Brihatkalp".

International Interference Apart from the Indian rulers, various Chinese travellers from the 5th and 7th centuries, like Fa Hien and Hun-Yen-Sang, respectively, describe Shravasti as a famous Buddhist hub. After 900 AD, Shravasti came to be ruled by Jain King Mayurdhwaj. He named the city Manikapuri. This period was followed by many Jain kingdoms, and under them, Sravasti grew as a Jain establishment, unlike ever before. The destruction of temples by Alauddin Khilji marked the beginning of Muslim rule in the city. The stupas and temples were revealed after the 20th-century excavations at Maheth and Saheth.

Sravasti is easily accessible by road from Lucknow. Lucknow is the nearest airport to the city, and Shravasti shares all-weather road connectivity with it. Lucknow is only 170 kms from Sharavati, making it possible to hail a cab or take a bus into the city. Balrampur is another big city that lies close to Shravasti. It is 17 kms away and can be easily reached by trains, that connect it to the major cities of Uttar Pradesh. The nearest terminus, Gonda is well connected with the major cities of Uttar Pradesh.
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The top places near to Shravasti are Nainital which is 326 km from Shravasti, Ayodhya which is located 80 km from Shravasti, Lucknow which is located 129 km from Shravasti, Varanasi which is located 261 km from Shravasti, Agra which is located 398 km from Shravasti