The Buddhsit monastery at Sirpur, which dates back to the 8th century CE, is one of the largest and most important Buddhist monasteries in India, perhaps even more important than that of Nalanda. The site comprises the remains of 100 Buddha Viharas, 4 Jain Vihara, 200 mounds and more than 100 Shiva temples. Besides, a unique nine-room area was also excavated, which has eight ladders leading to the rooms.

Built by Mahashivgupt Balarjun, the monastery also consists of a Buddhist female monk, believed to be that of Haritika, who used to abduct and kill infants. It is said that the Buddha stole her child to make her feel the pain of other mothers. The incidence changed her and she became a Buddhist monk. The statue of Haritika also reflects the popularity of female cult in early India.

Sirpur
Sirpur, situated at a distance of 78 kilometers from Raipur in Chattisgarh, is an important historical Buddhist site of India. An important centre of Buddhism during 6th to 10th century BCE, the place was also visited by the famous Chinese traveller Huien Tsang in the 7th century CE, who also described the city in his accounts as a pillar of Buddhsim in the central region. The modern Sirpur, which contains the remains of the ancient and medieval Buddhist era, is one of the most treasured places for the Buddhists and historians.

Other Attractions
Lakshman Temple : Built by Vatasa, the mother of King Balarjuna, the Lakshman temple is dedicated to the Hindu lord Vishnu. The temple, rich in magnificent medieval Indian architecture, is still a place of worship for the Hindus.

Hirapur Museum : The Hirapur museum, which is located at the back of the Lakshmana temple, contains a rare collection of statues representing the culture of various religions such as Buddhism, Hinduism and Jainism.

Location and Accessibility
Sirpur is situated at a distance of 78 kilometers from Raipur, the capital city of Chhatisgarh. To reach the place by air, one can take a domestic flight to Raipur, from where the distance to Sirpur can either be covered by rail or road. The nearest rail head is at Mahasamund, 29 kilometers away. National Highway number 6 connects Raipur to Sirpur, and a good network of buses connect these two places while on way to Sambalpur.

Best Time To Visit
The best time to visit Sirpur is from October to February.

Hirapur Temple, Orissa

A home to 64 Yogini or Mahamaya temple, Hirapur is situated on the outskirts(15 kilometer southeast) of Bhubaneshwar, Orissa's capital. The 64 yogini temple, which is also known as the Mahamaya temple, marks the mystic character of the female deities. The temple, which reflects the role of feminine power in the religious practices of Orissa, has the chief female deity, Mahamaya wrapped up in red clothes and vermilion, while the others in skirts held by an ornate girdle worn low on the hips. All the 64 yoginis have been depicted wearing necklaces, garlands, armlets, bangles, anklets, earrings and other ornaments. Likewwise, some of the Yoginis of the temple have also been portrayed as huntresses with bows and arrows, whereas others balancing on a pair of wheels, or playing a drum. These deities of the smallest yogini temple in India are still worshipped by the locals of Hirapur.

Temple's Architecture
The Yogini temple of Hirapur, that was built by Bhauma and Somavamsi rulers of Orissa in the 9th century CE, reflects an exceptional architectural and sculptural style of the temple. The ecclesiastical structure stands 8 feet high, with its diameter being 30 feet and circular wall 2 meters high. The Yoginis in the temple have been carved out of fine-grained gray chlorite. The inner walls of the temple, which have 64 niches with 60 yoginis in place are further combined by 8 niches in the newly constructed small central pavilion. Four of the eight niches have images of the remaining 4 yogins, while the rest niches comprises the Lord Shiva's images. The faces of the yoginis further have been carved with bearing a gentle smile.

Location and Accessibility
Hirapur, which is situated at a distance of 15 kilometers from Bhubaneshwar, is easily accessible by air, rail and road. Bhubaneshwar is connected to other cities such as Calcutta, Delhi, Chennai, Mumbai and others with regular flights. Bhubaneshwar is also connected by railways to other major Indian cities directly. The roadways further links it with Chilka, Cuttack, Konark, Paradip, Puri, Rourkela, Sambalpur and other places. From Bhubaneshwar, Hirapur can be reached by road.

Langudi Temple, Orissa

The Langudi Buddhsit sites, situated in and around the Langudi hills in the Jajpur district of Orissa is considered as one of the most important Buddhist sites of Orissa, the state which marked a new Buddhist era by changing the imperialistic Ashoka into the patron of Buddhism. The Buddhist sites excavated by the Archaeological Survey of India in the 20th-21st century, reflects the golden days of Buddhism in India through the remains of Buddhist monasteries, the Buddha's images and several stupas, found in and around Langudi.

Langudi
Langudi is a lower hilly region running from north to south in the plains of the Mahanadi delta in Jajpur district and situated at a distance of 90 kilometers from Bhubaneshwar, the capital of Orissa. Langudi is one of those few places in Orissa, which established a mark in the history of Buddhism in the ancient and medieval era. A home to rock-cut Buddhist stupas and numerous early medieval Buddhist shrines, Langudi has a well preserved place in all the major sects of Buddhism - Theravada, Mahayana and Vajrayana or Tantrayana.

Location and Accessibility
To reach Langudi, one can take up a flight to Bhubaneshwar, 90 kilometers away. From Bhubaneshwar, either road or rail route can be taken to reach the destination. The nearest railway station to Langudi is at Kesinga, at a distance of 35 kilometers, which lies on the south eastern rail head. As far as road route is concerned, Langudi can be reached either directly from Bhubaneshwar(90 km) and Cuttack(92 km) or from Jaraka and Chandikhol, the nearest towns from Langudi on the National Highway No. 5.

Best Time To Visit
The best months to visit the place would be during October and February.

Itanagar Buddhist Temple

The Itanagar Buddhist temple, located on top of the hill in Arunachal Pradesh, is one of the latest Budhist temples in India. A yellow-roofed shrine, the temple reflects an extensive Tibetan influence. There is a stupa in front of the temple which carries the portrait of a Buddhist monk. Frequently visited by the tourists, the temple has a tree on its one of the sides which was planted by His Holiness the Dalai Lama.

Itanagar
The capital of Arunachal Pradesh, the easternmost state of India, Itanagar is also known as 'the land of the dawn lit mountains'. Sitauated on the foothills, 350 meters above the sea level, Itanagar is a modern city that was developed not prior to the 14th-15th century CE. Today, Itanagar, which is first to embrace the rays of the rising sun in India, is the place adored by a large section of the tourists.

Location and Accessibility
The Itanagar Buddhist temple, situated in Itanagar, is easily accessible. The nearest airports from Itanagar are at Lilabari, 67 kilometers away and Tezpur, 216 kilometers from Itanagar. Lilabari is a small airport and flights operate only from a few destinations, whereas the Tezpur airport entertains flights from Kolkata and other cities. The nearest railhead from Itanagar are at Harmuti in Assam, 32 kilometers away and North Lakhimpur in Assam, at a distance of 60 kilometers. Bus services are also available from Guwahati(state capital of Assam) and other north eastern places to reach Itanagar.

Best Time To Visit
The temple can be visited throughout the year, but the best months to visit the place are during the months of October to April, owing to the pleasant whether of the place.

Buddhist Temples in India

Maha Bodhi Temple, Bihar | Maha Bodhi Tree, Bihar | Sanchi Stupa, Madhya Pradesh Amravati Stupa, Andhra Pradesh | Barhut Stupa, Madhya Pradesh Kushan Sites : Taxila, Harwan | Rock- Cut Carvings, Bhagalpur region Pithalkhora, Maharashtra | Sirpur Temple, Chattisgarh Hirapur Temple, Orissa | Langudi Temple, Orissa | Itanagar Buddhist Temple Animeshlocan Chaiyata Temple, Bihar | Ratnagar Temple, Bihar Archaeological Nalanda Museum, Bihar | Dhamek Stupa, Uttar Pradesh Dharmarajika Stupa, Uttar Pradesh | Archaeological Museum of Sarnath, Uttar Pradesh Shanti Stupa, Jammu & Kashmir