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Buddhism was first founded in India around 500 B.C. by Buddha.

It is the dominant
religious force in most of Asia ( China, Japan, Korea, Vietnam,Pakistan and Tibet). Today,
there are about 300 million followers. The Buddhists faith rests in Buddha, his teachings
(dharma), and the religious community that was founded (sangha). Buddha's real name is
Siddartha Gautama. Siddartha means "every wish fulfilled." He was born in 563 B.C. in
the small republic of Sakka, Southern Nepal. He was born to a ruler and later tradition
saw him as the son of a king. His father's name was King Suddhodana, and his mother's
name was Queen Maya. One week after Gautama was born, his mother died. It was said
that he enjoyed life and was given the best possible education. He was showered with the
luxuries of living. Gautama became overwhelmed with the conviction that his life was
filled with suffering and unhappiness; therefore, he began to take interest in religious and
philosophical thoughts. There were two things that may have caused his spiritual
tendencies. One may have been the loss of his mother at birth and the other may have
been the position of the weak Sakya kingdom which was about to be taken over by its
powerful neighboring enemies. Gautama married a beautiful princess named Yasodhara
and had a son named Rahula. He fulfilled his duty by bringing an heir into the world.
While on his way to a park, he saw a saffron robed Samana with a shaven head and a
calm demeanor. That sight inspired him to adopt that kind of life-style. On his twenty
ninth birthday, his conviction led to the abandonment of his wife and son to seek religious
enlightenment as a monk.

That time was known as the Great Renunciation, because in old Japanese culture leaving
their wife or getting a divorce was considered taboo. The choice of dedicating himself to
the world rather than his family may be the most significant sacrifice he ever made. His
renunciation of family life stands as a symbolic precedent for the monastic life of
Buddhist monks and nuns. He joined the spiritual teachers of his time, mastered their
disciplines, and relentlessly practiced asceticism. He felt, however, that none of these
efforts could--nor would--open the path to enlightenment. Six years later, after his body
was exhausted, he realized that asceticism was meaningless. He was free after renouncing
both his family life and the ascetic practices. He traveled to Buddhagaya and sat under a
Bodhi tree. With the sharpness of insight accessible only in the middle way of meditation,
he penetrated into the true nature of things. He discovered why people were suffering and
also found a way of escaping it. The people from then on called him "Buddha," which
means the Enlightened One. After becoming known as Buddha, he returned to his family,
taught them and took his son under him as a monk. Gautama sought out teachers from
what he could learn spiritual techniques and master their teachings. He then inquired after
the meditation state on which they were based on. Buddha gave his first sermon at
Benares to five ascetic monks who had practiced with him earlier. That is called the
turning wheel of Dharma. Following that initial conversation, he traveled throughout
northern India for 45 years teaching the rich and the poor, the powerful and the lowly, the
beggars and the sages with deep compassion for all and with tempered wisdom and cool
logic. He passed away peacefully at the age of 80 in Kusinagara. One interesting thing in
Gautama's life is that he was born under a tree, he achieved enlightenment under the
Bodhi ("tree of wisdom") tree, and gave his first sermon in an animal park, and he died
between two trees.

ITINERARY:

DAY 1 : LAHORE
Arrival at Lahore Air port ( by Singapore Air lines, Thai Air lines, PIA ,Emirates etc ) .
Reception by our representative and transfer to Hotel Holiday Inn ****. Welcome drink.
Evening at leisure to exlplore the Moghal's Bazar, Anar Kali Bazar etc. Over night in
Hotel.

DAY 2 : PESHAWAR
After breakfast move to Peshawar via motorway. Peshawar or Pushpapur was the land of
Buddhist Pilgrimage for Chinese, Tibitians, Koreans and Indians when the Buddhism was
at its peak in the days of the Kushan Emperor Kanishka who ruled in AD 78.We stop for
tea and to take photographs of 600 million old salt range. After lunch move to see the
Cultural Heritage Museum, Shakir Parian , Daman e Koh, and World Biggest Mosque
The Shah Faisal Mosque. Continue to Peshawar via Grand Trunk Road constructed by
Sher Shah Suri in 16 century AD from Kabul to Calcutta. Transfer to Hotel Greens.
Evening at leisure to explore oriantal carpets and handicraft shops in Saddar Bazar. Over
night in hotel.

DAY 3 : PESHAWAR
After breakfast visit the Peshawar Museum formely the Victoria Memorial Hall built in
1905 which has the most extensive collection of Gandhara Art in the world .The
biography of Buddha was written by great scholars of Mahayana and in their light the
carving of the life stories of Buddha was accomplished in Gandhara art with great
accuracy. Sculptures illistrating the life of Buddha from birth onward are laid out in
chronological order. The fasting Buddha here is more haunting than the one in Lahore
Museum. Kanishika build the empire's most magnificent Buddhist stupa at Shah j k Dheri
but now it is site of brick factory. We move to Khyber Pass 56 kms from here and pass
Jamrud Fort build by Sikhs in 1823 on the site of old fort. We will also pass Shagi Fort
build by Britisher in 1920s and Ali Masjid Fort. Stop at Sphola Stupa of second century
AD .Beautiful Gandhara Sculptures of Bhudda were found here when the site was
excavated at the beginning of this century. Lunch of roasted lamb in Landi Kotal Bazzar
and move to see the plains of Afghanistan from the hight of Torkham. On the left side is a
Hindu Shahi fort of 9th Century. Here Afghans and Britisher fought their last war in 1919
. Move back to Hotel . Evening free to explore Qissa Khawani Bazar, brass and copper
shops and may buy some handicraft from Ali Sons shop 130 years old and visited by
Queen Elizabeth- 1961,Jacqueline Kennedy-1962, Princess of Denmark,Charles de
Gaulle, Francois Mitterand and many more dignitaties. Overnight in hotel.

DAY 4 : SWAT
After breakfast move to Swat .We will stop over at Charsadda 28 kms to take a look of
Bala Hisar a city of 6th century BC mentioned in the Hindu epic story the Ramayana. In
516 BC this city became part of Achaemenid Empireof Persia. Next we stop at Takht e
Bahi which is the most impressive and complete Buddhist monastry of 1st Century AD
and abandoned in the 6th Century AD. At almost the same time Buddhism of Gandhara
entered triumphantly from Korea into Japan "THE LAND OF THE RISING SUN" It will
take two hours to see it with the help of map The remains of 38 votive stupas are
scattered around the centre of the court and are built as offerings by pilgrims from China,
Korea, Tibet and India. Next we will stop at Churchill Picket after crossing Malakand
Pass and Hindu Shahi Fort of Bat Khela. Sir Winston Churchill served here in 1897 .
Move to Damkot Hill which was occupied by Aryan in 1700 BC and by Buddhist in 1st
Century AD. The monastery and Stupa were burnt by White Huns in fifth century and
now only foundation remain. Six boulders of fifth Century AD with Buddhist carving on
them stand at the foot of the hill. The carved figures are mostly of Padmapani the Lotus
Bearer Bodhisattva.We will move to Chakdara Museum which has an excellent collection
of first to seventh century Buddhist Gandharan sculpture. Lunch will be consumed from a
road side resturant. We will stop for photos at huge Shingerdar Stupa build by King
Uttarasene to house his share of the relices of the Lord Buddha and at the large size rock
carving of Buddha on a cliff of sixth century AD. As we move along the road toward
Swat the hillocks are full of ruins displaying period from 1500 BC to 14 century AD most
of which is of Hindu Shahi period of 8th to 10th century .Move to Hotel White Palace the
Palace of former ruler of Swat now converted into hotel for over night stay..

DAY 5 : SWAT
After breakfast move to Saidu Sharif Museum to see some of the rare Gandhara Sculpture
and its ethnographic section. From here we will take a dirt trek to Butkara Stupa which is
one of the most important Buddhist Shrines of second century BC built by Emperor
Ashoka to house the ashes of Lord Buddha. In subsequent centuries it was enlarged five
times adding new shells around original stupa .In 1955 Italian excavators exposed the
succesive layers which shows the evolution of construction techniques. In third century
Buddhism approached its zenith and Butkara became a famous pilgrimage centre for
Chinese, Koreans, Indians and Central Asians. From here we move to Malam Jabba 30
kms a ski resort in winter. On way stop at Manglaur to observe Jahanabad Buddha a four
meter high carved in seventh century on the face of large rock on other side of river.
Malam Jabba has one ski run and golf facility . Lunch will be in a resturant of a beautiful
50 room hotel here. Back to White Palace Hotel.Evening free to explore the pre historic
sacred hill of Mount Ilam by following the Hindu Pilgrim path along the Saidu stream or
visit the trade centre 2500 years old of Saidu Sharif on the trade route from China to
Europe and Arabia. You may hunt for silver tribal jewellery, locally woven and
embroided fabrics, real antiques, coins, semi precious stones.etc.

DAY 6 : ABBOTTABAD
After breakfast move to Abbottabad via Khwazakhela 30 kms and the largest trade centre
in this part of the valley .Here the cottage industry has been thriving for last 2500 years.
Till the beginning of this century natural vegitable dyes were used for colouring the
embroidery woolen shawls. From here Besham is 69 kms a drive through the scenic road
steeply terraced hills and pine forest across the Shangla pass. Here we stop for tea and
consume it in a wooden cabin tied to pine tree. Besham is located on the wonder of the
mordern world the Karakoram Hihgway made on the alignment of Silk Route to China.
After Lunch we move to Mansehra 24 kms short of Abbottabad to see the Ashokan
inscription date from the third century BC ( 272 - 231 BC ). The Ashoka was Buddhist
and his capital was at Pataliputra now Patna on the Ganges in India. This is the oldest
inscription of any historical significance in Asia. Reach Abbottabad named after James
Abbot who became adviser to Sikhs after first Sikh War of 1846. Move to Hotel Sarban
for over night stay.

DAY 7 : RAWALPINDI
Move to Taxila after breakfast via Haripur named after Hari Singh a general of Ranjit
Singh who ruled it till 1834.Taxila was the Eastern capital of Archaemenid Empire in 516
BC and called Taksashila which was changed by Greek historian to Taxila.By the late
fifth century BC it has become the site of best known univesity in world which offered
courses in mathmatics, law, history, medicine, social science, the art, astronomy and
military tactics. In Kushan times the majority of the population was Buddhist.On every
hill top around Taxila are the remains of either monasteries or stupa and 50 of them
within the radius of 10 kms. Disaster struck Taxila in 455 AD when it was attacked by the
White Huns who burned the city and the monasteries. We will first visit the Taxila
Museum which has one the best collection of Gandharian Buddhist. Than we will visit the
Dharmarajika Stupa erected by Emperor Ashoka in third century BC to enclose the ashes
of Buddha. Around the main Stupa there is a whole glaxy of votive stupas that date from
first century BC to fourth century AD built by rich pilgrims. Our second stop is City of
Sirkap dated from 185 BC to AD 80. The shrine of two headed eagle is intresting as its
decoration show classic Greek influence.Its motif was found in early Babylon and in
Spata and later used on the imperial arms of Russia and Germany. The royal palace is in
the end similar in design to the Assyrian palace of Sargon in Mesopotamia. Greek
biographer Philostratus visited Taxila in AD 44 has given the detail account of this in "
The life of Apolonius of Tyana " .The Jandial Temple in frount of Sirkap was the only
Greek Temple in Asia built in 2nd century BC and was robbed of its statues of Greek
gods when the Sakas invaded it in 75 BC .It finally ruined by the great earthquake of AD
30. ( to explore ruins of Taxila it require three days ) We move to Islamabad for lunch at
Afghani Resturant and than to Hotel Blue Sky in the heart of Rawalpindi . Evening at
leisure to explore China Market, Bara Market, Saddar Bazzar.Over night in hotel.

DAY 8 : LAHORE
We move to Lahore via Great Trunk Road built by Emperor Sher Shah Suri in sixteenth
century on the alighment of ancient caravan route from Kabul to Calcutta. Transfer to
Hotel Kashmir Palace or to Air Port for departure.

HISTORICAL TOUR

GRADE: EASY
LAND COST: US $ 274 P.P
DURATION: 7 Days.
SEASON; JAN-DEC
GROUP SIZE: 6 &ABOVE

TOUR PRICES INCLUDES

1. HOTEL_ACCOMMODATION
2. ALL THREE MEALS
3. ENGLISH SPEAKING GUIDE
4. PORTERAGE_OF_20_KGS_OF_BEGGAGE
5. ENTRANCE/CAMPING FEE
6. ALL LAND TRANSPORTATION
TOUR_PRICES_DOES_NOT_INCLUDE

1. AIR FARE AND AIRPORT TAXES


2. OPTIONAL EXCURSION
3. SINGLE SUPPLEMENT
4. PERSONAL RESCUE
5. VISA FEE/MEDICALCHECKUP
6. ALL ITEMS OF PERSONAL NATURE

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