ABOUT THE
Attraction
Formerly known as Asandhivat (capital of the Kuru kingdom, the first recorded state in ancient India, 1200 BCE), Assandh is located in the Karnal district of Haryana. The place, though in the shadows of more famous Buddhist pilgrimage places, houses the ruins of a stupa, 25 m high with a diameter of 75 m. Raised on an elevated platform, the bricks used to make the stupa have a width of more than two feet each, thus indicating that the site's history dates back to more than 2000 years. Most probably, the stupa was built during the Kushana period (1st-3rd century AD) by Kanishka, the great Kushana king, who was also a great patron of Buddhism. Several remains bear testimony to the popularity of Buddhism during his reign. The Mathura school of art, which is credited with having produced the first images of the Buddha flourished under the Kushana rule.
How to reach: The nearest major city is Karnal, 45 km away.
OTHER ATTRACTIONS
Sugh
The foundation of Buddhism in the state was laid by Lord Buddha himself when he set foot in Sugh and delivered a sermon here.
Mindrolling Monastery
The Mindrolling monastery is considered to be one of the largest centres for Buddhist studies and culture preservation today. About 300 monks live and study here.
Kaushambi
Located in Uttar Pradesh, Kaushambi was one of the places Lord Buddha had visited during his travels and have given many sermons.