6 Best Places to Visit in Buddha Circuit Tour in Madhya Pradesh

Pleasantly located in the heart of India, the incredible land of Madhya Pradesh boasts an enchanting landscape of dense, thick forests, dazzling waterfalls, heritage sites, and important religious places, forming the backbone of Madhya Pradesh’s tourism. A significant center for the followers of Buddhism, Madhya Pradesh finds itself dotted with numerous popular Buddhist sites that make up its Buddhist Circuit. The Buddhist Circuit in Madhya Pradesh is a pilgrimage tour that covers important sites related to Buddhism and the Buddha and helps you learn more about his life and teachings.

An essential part of Madhya Pradesh’s religious and heritage tourism, the sites under MP’s Buddhist circuit consists of numerous stupas, caves, monasteries, and rock-cut murals, shining light on the life of the Buddha and the religion. Discover the calmness and serenity of Buddhism as you set out to explore these top Buddhist pilgrimage centers on a Buddhist trail and experience the best of heritage tourism that India has to offer.

Here are some of the best places to visit on a Buddhist Circuit Tour in Madhya Pradesh:

Sanchi Stup
Satdhara
Deorkothar
Dhamnar Caves
Bagh Caves
Dhaikinath Stupa

Sanchi Stupa- A World Heritage Site

Forming the foundation of Madhya Pradesh’s Buddhist Circuit is Sanchi’s Stupa. A structure as old as time, the Sanchi Stupa is one that is recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. Among the oldest stone structures built in India, the Stupa sees visits by devotees and tourists alike, from around the world. Considered to be one of the more finer examples of Buddhist heritage and architecture, the structure is the contribution of the Mauryan Emperor, Ashoka, around the 3rd century BCE.

A center of Buddhist spirituality, Sanchi’s Stupa complex is a popular Buddhist pilgrimage destination in Madhya Pradesh. Known as Stupa 1 or the main stupa, it is the major structure of the complex, adorned with intricately carved sculptures and gateways, that tell the story and events associated with the life of the Buddha. Situated close to the main stupa, lay a set of monasteries in ruin, located along a temple as well. Also popular structures in the complex are Stupa 2 and Stupa 3. Reciting tales of the life of the Buddha, the gateways or the toranas are a popular attraction of the heritage site, where you can also observe the significant marker of Emperor Ashoka’s dynasty, the Ashoka Chakra, and the Lion Capital, or the Ashokan Pillar.

Satdhara- Among the Dense Forests of MP

A site that is far removed from civilization is probably what the monks preferred when they chose this place to be a part of their spiritual practices. An important part of Buddhist Tourism in MP, Satdhara is an archaeological site that is known for its historic and spiritual importance for the religion of Buddhism, forming one of the best places to visit on a Buddhist circuit in Madhya Pradesh., known to contain the relic caskets containing the relics of Sariputra and Mahamauglayan.

Located atop a hill seemingly in a remote escape, Satdhara is known for its stupas. The stupa complex, at present, showcases the existence of the main stupa, or Stupa 1, ruins of a monastery and a temple that housed Buddhist monks here ages ago. Covered in a cover of dense forests, a speciality of Madhya Pradesh, there are more stupas dotted along the region, hidden away. There are a total of 8 stupas, though, that can be viewed overall at Satdhara. At its peak, Satdhara is said to have housed around 30 stupas and more than 100 monks. The main stupa, a popular Buddhist site of Madhya Pradesh is believed to also have been built during the reign of Emperor Ashoka, the pioneer for the spread of the religion of Buddhism within the Indian subcontinent.

Deorkothar- A Fascinating Group of Stone Stupas

Rock Buddhist Deor Kothar Madhya Pradesh

Housing the ruins of over 40 Buddhist stupas, Madhya Pradesh’s Deorkothar is among its important Buddhist pilgrimage sites. Reciting the tale of an era gone by with the use of rock paintings, Deorkothar is believed to have been built around the 3rd century BCE, under the rule of the Mauryan King, Ashoka. Some of the structures that were discovered here during excavations include monasteries, ancient pathways, stone stupas, and brick stupas, with pillars that have inscriptions done in praise of the Buddha.

With an interesting architecture, Deorkothar’s stupa complex boasts of stupas made of different shapes of bricks that resemble floral elements within their design and cover the structure of the largest brick stupa at the complex.

An important pilgrimage site in Madhya Pradesh tourism, Deorkothar’s stupas are said to be about 2,000 years old, built during the reign of Emperor Ashoka. With its stupas built primarily out of bricks and over 40 different types of stones, Deorkothar is also known for its rock shelters that are thousands of years old, with its most impressive structure still being its main stupa, or Stupa 1. With a height of over 9 meters, the stupa dates back to around 2,250 years, along with three other stupas in its vicinity.

Dhamnar Caves- A Site Carved Out of Rocks

Madhya Pradesh, with its Buddhist circuit, allows you to glimpse into the lives and path of the spiritually enlightened disciples of the Buddha, as you explore your way through MP’s Buddhist trail, covering fascinating sites unlike anywhere else. One such popular Buddhist site in Madhya Pradesh is the Dhamnar Caves. Dhamnar Caves is a collection of 51 rock cut caves cut out from living, monolithic rocks, made up of a total of 14 large and 37 small caves. These caves have been carved into prayer halls, stupas, and statues of the Buddha of various sizes and are among the popular places to visit in Madhya Pradesh, owing to their fascinating structure.

The creation of these rock caves are a testament to the craftsmanship dedicated to the worship and service of the Buddha and his followers. Not just carved out rooms, these caves have been carved out to form intricate designs and sculptures with religious symbols as well. Some of these caves also functioned as the living quarters for the Buddhist monks who lived here centuries ago, which unlike the other areas, lack heavy and ornamental carvings.

These clusters of caves offer a glimpse into ancient life, dwellings, grand halls, sacred stupas, and rare Buddhist sculptures. These caves, an important site for the followers of Buddhism, were built by the Gupta Dynasty as a safe haven for the Buddhist monks.

Bagh Caves- View Ancient Mural Paintings

Said to have been created around the 6th century, Bagh Caves are among the places you must travel on your Buddhist Circuit in MP. A collection of 9 caves, these structures have been built out of rocks, out of which, today, only 5 survive. The rest of the caves lost to the passage of time. A famous center to explore the spread of Buddhism, MP’s Bagh Caves are a popular site, known especially for their mural paintings.

The 5 out of 9 caves that survive are known to be among the finer examples of art by the prehistoric man, showcased in these caves. Although these caves were discovered in the 19th century, these caves are said to have been created between the 4th and the 6th centuries by Buddhist monks themselves, meant to function as their living spaces, otherwise known as ‘Viharas’ under Buddhist ideology. Among the most fascinating parts of these caves are the mural paintings, made according to the tempera technique, that adorn the walls and ceilings of these living and praying spaces. Carved out of sandstone, Bagh Caves make up some of the best places to visit in MP on a Buddhist Circuit Tour. Mud plasters, and lime priming, along with the use of tempera technique of mural painting was used all over these caves to create the most exquisite and artistic designs, some of which still survive today.

Dhaikinath Stupa- Hidden Among the Hills

The Dhaikinath Stupa is among the essential pilgrimage sites that form an important part of the Buddhist Circuit of Madhya Pradesh. Located along the slopes of the hill town of Gyaraspur, the Dhaikinath Stupa is believed to have been constructed between the 6th and 7th centuries CE.

An important religious as well as heritage site for the followers of Buddhism, the Dhaikinath Stupa has a distinctive shape of Buddhist Stupas, and houses various images of the Buddha within its structures. Although many of them are in ruins today, these structures once contained mesmerizing images of the Buddha within them.

The Dhaikinath Stupa is a significant Buddhist monument located on the slopes of a hill in Gyaraspur Town, an important structure that is proof of the rich history of Buddhism in the region. Though the stupa lost parts of itself to the passage of time, most of it has been renovated and restored over the years by authorities. Considered to be a pilgrimage and heritage village, Gyaraspur is said to have been established by the gods themselves, and houses not just the Buddhist Stupa but also temples of religious and historical importance that showcase the glorious heritage and culture of the bygone kingdoms and their beliefs.

Madhya Pradesh’s Buddhist Circuit gives you the opportunity to dive deeper into the rich and multicultural history and practices of this region. The religion of Buddhism is one such practice that once thrived in this land, owing majorly to the contributions and creation of Emperor Ashoka of the Mauryan Empire, which you can explore on this Buddhist Pilgrimage tour as you travel and explore the stupas, viharas, and caves that carry within itself an essence of this spiritual practice and those who dedicated their lives for the teachings of the Buddha. Experience the most glorious and peaceful pilgrimage on your Buddhist Circuit Tour as you visit these destinations and make the most of your religious tourism expedition in the heart of India, Madhya Pradesh.