Stand at the western end of the excavated courtyard at Matha Kuar Shrine and you are looking at the spot where, by tradition, the Buddha delivered his last sermon before asking his disciples to prepare his deathbed in the nearby sal forest. The courtyard around you is the plan of an old vihara, cells opening off a central quadrangle, and the white temple at the end holds the statue found in the 1876 dig.
Kushinagar suits travellers following the Buddhist circuit through northern India, and anyone interested in archaeological sites that are still in active devotional use. It is a place of pilgrimage first and a sightseeing town second, so the pace is slow and the sites are close together. This guide covers the historical sites, the museum and the temples built here by other Buddhist countries, plus how to string them together in a single day.
1. Mahaparinirvana Temple
This temple marks the location of the Buddha's death. The shrine, built in 1965 to commemorate the 2,500th anniversary, stands above excavated ruins and houses a 6.1-metre reclining Buddha carved from a single stone and resting on a stone couch, with the head towards the north. The statue was found in fragments in 1877 and the pieces were joined to reconstruct it.
It is the main focus for pilgrims, and throughout the day they place large yellow sheets over the reclining figure. Come early in the morning if you want a quieter view of the statue itself. Cameras are not allowed inside; mobile photography is permitted.
2. Mahaparinirvana Stupa
The stupa sits just behind the Mahaparinirvana Temple. It was excavated by Archibald Carlleyle in 1876, and among the finds was a copper plate bearing the text of the Nidānasutta and a statement that it had been deposited in the Nirvana Chaitya by one Haribala, who also installed the reclining Buddha statue in the temple.
Combine it with the temple in a single visit, since the two are one behind the other, and take time over the brick platform and the stone posts at its corners. The ruins and brick structures of monasteries and votive stupas lie around the temple and stupa, so allow time to walk the excavated area rather than treating the temple as a single stop.
3. Ramabhar Stupa
This is the cremation place of the Buddha, marked by a giant stupa unearthed during an archaeological dig in 1910. The central stupa is surrounded by smaller votive stupas and the remains of vihara-like structures.
Devotees walk the parikrama of the stupa and perform other rituals here, so expect the site to be in devotional use while you are looking at it. It lies on the Kushinagar-Deoria road, about 1.5 km east of the Parinirvana Temple, which makes it a natural next stop after the temple and stupa complex.
4. Matha Kuar Shrine
Matha Kuar Shrine is the place of the Buddha's last sermon. After eating a meal in a nearby place, present-day Fazilnagar, provided by a blacksmith named Chunda, the Buddha fell severely ill but travelled on to Kushinagar to deliver the sermon; afterwards he told his disciples to prepare his deathbed in the nearby sal forest. The site follows the plan of a Buddhist vihara, with a central courtyard surrounded by cells, and the small white temple at the western end houses a 3-metre seated Buddha in bhumisparsha, or earth-touching, mudra, carved from Gaya blue stone and excavated in 1876.
The statue was restored and enshrined in the temple-like structure in 1927. It is a protected site under the Archaeological Survey of India and entry is free. Photography is allowed, but for the Buddha statue only mobile photography is permitted.
5. Relic Distribution Site
After the cremation, the Buddha's remains were kept as relics and distributed among eight kings of north India. There are no historical structures at this site, but it is believed the distribution took place here, and a small shrine housing a statue of Buddha now marks the spot.
It sits off the main road, reached by a lane next to the Thai temple, and is barely visited by pilgrims and tourists, so it makes a quiet addition to a day otherwise spent at busier sites. Entry is free.
6. Museum
The site museum displays artefacts collected from the different archaeological sites of Kushinagar, including items of stone, terracotta and bronze along with coins. It is the place to go if you want to see what the excavations actually produced rather than only the structures they uncovered.
It opens 10:30 am to 4:30 pm and is closed on Mondays, so plan your day around that if the museum matters to you. Entry is ₹3, with ₹20 extra for a camera.
7. Japanese-Srilankan Buddhist Centre
One of the new Buddhist temples built in Kushinagar by countries with a Buddhist presence, alongside those from China, Japan, Myanmar, Sri Lanka and Thailand. These modern temples are a separate experience from the archaeological sites and show how the pilgrimage town has been rebuilt by international Buddhist communities.
Pair it with the other new temples in the same part of town rather than making a special trip for it alone.
8. Thai temple
The Thai temple is one of the new temples constructed here by Buddhist countries. The lane next to it leads to the Relic Distribution Site, so the two are easy to visit together.
9. Buddha Park
Buddha Park is one of the places in the city, and the wider area also holds meditation parks. It fits the advice to soak up the peaceful atmosphere, which is conducive to meditation and reflection.
Treat it as downtime between the historical sites rather than a scheduled stop, and use it to break up a day of walking excavated ground.
10. Japan SriLanka Buddhist Center
This is one of the places of worship in the city, part of the group of new Buddhist temples built by countries with a Buddhist presence. It is a place to see modern Buddhist architecture in Kushinagar rather than ancient remains.
Visit it in the same stretch as the other new temples, since they are best understood as a group.
11. Linh-son Vietnam Chinese Buddhist Temple
Another of the places of worship in the city, and one of the new temples reflecting the architecture of various Asian countries. It adds a Vietnamese and Chinese Buddhist presence to the international mix of temples here.
Include it on a loop of the new temples rather than as a standalone stop.
12. Mata Bhagawati Devi Mandir
This is a Hindu temple situated at Buddha Ghat.
Combine it with a walk along Buddha Ghat rather than making a separate journey.
13. Indo-Japan-Sri Lanka Temple
Described as an interesting example of modern Buddhist architecture, this temple is one of the newer constructions that sit alongside the archaeological sites.
It is best seen as part of the same circuit as the other new temples, and it rewards a slower look at the building itself rather than a quick stop.
14. Wat Thai Temple
Wat Thai Temple is a huge complex built in a typical Thai-Buddhist architectural fashion. It is one of the largest of the new temple complexes in Kushinagar.
Because the lane next to the Thai temple leads to the Relic Distribution Site, you can see both in one outing.
If you only have one day
Morning. Start at the Mahaparinirvana Temple, where pilgrims place yellow sheets over the reclining Buddha through the day, and see the statue before the crowds build. Step behind it to the Mahaparinirvana Stupa, then walk the excavated ruins and brick structures around the two. Continue to Matha Kuar Shrine, the place of the last sermon, and look at the seated Buddha in the white temple at the western end of the courtyard.
Afternoon. Head east on the Kushinagar-Deoria road to Ramabhar Stupa, the cremation place, and walk the parikrama with the devotees. If it is not Monday and you are there between 10:30 am and 4:30 pm, fit in the Museum for the artefacts from the excavations. Then take the lane next to the Thai temple to the Relic Distribution Site, which most pilgrims skip.
Evening. Spend the remaining daylight among the new temples: the Japanese-Srilankan Buddhist Centre, the Thai temple, Wat Thai Temple, the Indo-Japan-Sri Lanka Temple, the Japan SriLanka Buddhist Center and the Linh-son Vietnam Chinese Buddhist Temple. Finish at Buddha Park or at Mata Bhagawati Devi Mandir at Buddha Ghat, and let the day close at the pace the town keeps.
When are the historical sites open?
The Matha Kuar Shrine, Mahaparinirvana Temple, Ramabhar Stupa and Relic Distribution Site are all open from sunrise to sunset. The Museum keeps different hours, 10:30 am to 4:30 pm, and is closed on Mondays.
Do I have to pay to visit?
The Matha Kuar Shrine, Mahaparinirvana Temple, Ramabhar Stupa and Relic Distribution Site are free. The Museum charges ₹3, with ₹20 extra if you bring a camera.
Can I take photographs?
At the Mahaparinirvana Temple cameras are not allowed, though mobile photography is. At the Matha Kuar Shrine photography is allowed, but for the Buddha statue only mobile photography is permitted.
How should I approach the sites?
The historical sites consist of three archaeological sites, Matha Kuar for the last sermon, Mahaparinirvana for the death and Ramabhar Stupa for the cremation, plus the relic distribution site, which has no historical structures. The town also holds several new Buddhist temples built by countries with a Buddhist presence, so set aside time for both the ancient and the modern.
Work out which sites matter most to you, check the museum's Monday closure against your dates, and start planning your days around sunrise and sunset.