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Pilgrimage
Shravasti

Shravasti or Sravasti is intimately associated with the life of Buddha. The town located near the Rapti River in northeastern Uttar Pradesh is said to be have been founded by the mythological king Sravast. In Buddhist times (6th century BC-6th century AD), Shravasti was capital of the kingdom of Kosala and was important both as a prosperous trading centre and for its religious associations. Buddha is believed to have spent 24 monsoons in the city. It is said that Buddha sat on a lotus with a thousand petals and multiplied his image a million times. A divine sight that silenced his critics. Age-old stupas, majestic monasteries and several temples near the village of Sahet-Mahet, highlight Buddha's association with Shravasti. An important religious site is the Jetavana Monastery, which was erected in a garden outside the walls of the city and presented to the Buddha by a wealthy banker, Anathapinaka. Other important Buddhist monasteries were the Rajakarama and the Purvarama. An exquisite garden here has the famous 'Anandabodhi' tree - an offspring of one said to be planted by Buddha's main disciple Ananda. The `Sobhanath' temple is believed to be the birth place of Jain tirthankar 'Sambhavanath' making Shravasti an important centre for the Jainas. The city has been identified with the twin villages of Saheth and Maheth northwest of Balrampur. Today it is surrounded by a great rampart of earth and brick. Excavation has been undertaken by the Archaeological Survey of India.

How to get there:
Air: Nearest airport is Lucknow, 151 km away.

Rail: Balrampur railway station, 19 km away.

Road: The most convenient way to reach Sravasti is via Lucknow

Places of Interest :

Shobhanath Temple:
The `Shobhanath' temple is believed to be the birth place of Jain tirthankar 'Sambhavanath', making Shravasti an important centre for the Jains.


Maheth:
Identified with the remains of the city, Maheth covers an area of about 400 acres. Excavations have exposed the massive gates of the city, ramparts and also the ruins of other structures, which stand testimony to the prosperity of ancient Sravasti. The Sobhanath Temple is located here. Pakki Kuti and Kacchi Kuti were probably Buddhist shrines, before they were converted into Brahmanical temples.


Saheth:
Known primarily as the site of the Jetavana monastery, Saheth covers an area of 32 acres. Lying about a quarter of a mile to the south - west of Maheth, it became an important place of pilgrimage, adorned with numerous shrines, stupas and monasteries. The stupas belong mostly to the Kushana period, while the temples are in the Gupta style.
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