Buddhist circuit of Chhattisgarh
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Sirpur
A place that beckoned the presence of His Holiness Dalai Lama
Lord Buddha once said, just as a candle cannot burn without fire, men cannot live without a spiritual life. His words of wisdom still echo in silent prayers as the serene surroundings of Sirpur reverberate with his preaching.
Located 78km from Raipur, Sirpur is home to one of the largest Buddhist monastery in India. An important centre for Buddhism during the 6th to 10th century AD, Sirpur still maintains its ancient, holy charm. The site comprises the remains of 100 Buddha viharas, four Jain viharas, 200 mounds and more than 100 Lord Shiva temples. What is most surprising is that the excavations here have yielded extensive ruins of ancient structures scattered over a vast area which is supposed to be bigger than Nalanda! According to the famous 7th century CE Chinese traveler, Huien Tsang, Sirpur was the backbone of all Buddhist centres in the region and a culturally rich, highly sacrosanct place. The beauty of this magical place has beckoned the presence of His Holiness Dalai Lama too in March 2013. The spiritual guru and Nobel Prize winner has quoted that he felt eternal peace in Sirpur and would love to meditate here again for an hour. The enchanting remains seem to echo with the Lord's holy presence and every soul stands blessed! hills of Singhadhurva in Mahasamund district. These hills are located at around 17 km from Sirpur town and house more than 15 caves.
According to the Archaeological experts, Nagarjuna, who is considered the most prominent Buddhist philosophers after Lord Buddha had meditated in these caves somewhere between first and second century. This is the second visit of the Dalai Lama at Sirpur in the last 10 months. In 2013, the Dalai Lama was enchanted by the Vaishnav, Jain and Shaiva cultures and had expressed his desire to visit Sirpur again in 2014. The Tibetan spiritual leader travelled to Sirpur by road amid tight security. The troopers were deployed at every few hundred metres between Tumgaon and Sirpur.
A nondescript town perched on the banks of the Mahanadi River; Sirpur has always been an international highlight due to its breathtaking excavations and rare archeological findings. Unmatched stone carvings, along with 22 Shiva temples, 4 Vishnu temples, 10 Budha Vihars, and 3 Jain Vihars, an Ayurveda treatment centre, underground granary market and a sixth century 'Ayurvedic Snaan Kund' (an ancient spa) at the monastery, puts Sirpur in the list of the richest archaeological sites. Sirpur boasts of one of the finest brick temples, the magnificently crafted Laxman Temple, and the equally beautiful Gandeshwar temple.
Famous Buddha Vihara
The rising popularity of Sirpur can be accredited to the various Buddhist excavations discovered here. Truly blessed with scenic beauty, the Buddha Vihara exudes warmth and portrays religious harmony. Brick constructions and underground rooms stand testimony to a mystical era. The six feet tall statue of Buddha touching the earth is an example of unmatched design and architectural brilliance. His Holiness Dalai Lama was mesmerized to experience the lord's long lived glory here. The world of the lord continues to reveal itself with the Anandprabhu Kutir Vihara and the Swastika Vihara that was also excavated to reveal a huge Buddha statue and metal idols relating to the Buddhist era.
Other Buddhist attractions worth visiting in Chhattisgarh are
Mainpat
A large population of migrant Tibetans was settled here after 1959 when His Holiness the Dalai Lama and his followers moved to India. Mainpat boasts of 7 Buddhist Camps. The Buddhist temple in Mainpat is one of- its-kind in Chhattisgarh. This temple has rare confluence of Surguja's simplistic tribal and Tibetan Buddhist culture.
Malhar
The excavations at Malhar show continuous inhabitation and antiquity from the second century BCE to 12th century CE. Buddhist sculptures and idols are a reflection of the progress that was achieved in Malhar during the 7th-10th century. Idols of Buddha, Bodhisattva, Tara, Manjushri, Hevajra and many more gods have been discovered here.
Dongargarh
One of the most renowned Pragyagiri temples is located on a hilltop 650 m above the ground level. Pragyagiri gets its name from the 30 feet high statue of Buddha installed there in 1998. The excavations in Bhongapal in the Bastar region also reveal it to be the important Buddhist site. Apart from these pristine Buddhist destinations of Chhattisgarh, the most noteworthy temples are found in Sirpur. Namely, Gandeshwar Mahadev Temple, Laxman Temple and Ram Temple are very famous. The honourable Dalai Lama says that there are techniques of Buddhism, such as meditation, that anyone can adopt. How true, His Holiness has felt a great calmness take over him in the soul-stirring Buddhist sites of Sirpur. To embrace the gracious presence of Lord Buddha a visit to Sirpur is a must and even the great spiritual leader could not resist coming again and again to the sacred land of Sirpur!
How to reach
By Air
Raipur is the nearest airport (85kms) and well connected to Mumbai, Delhi, Nagpur, Bhubaneswar, Kolkata, Ranchi, Vishakhapatnam and Chennai.
By Rail
Raipur is the nearest railway station on the Bombay- Howrah main line while Mahasamund is the nearest railway station on the Raipur- Waltair line.
By Road
There are regular buses from Raispur and Mahasamund to Sirpur. Taxis are available at Raipur and Mahasamund.
