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Whether or not the town of Shravasti had everything, it most
definitely had the blessings and the physical presence of the Lord
Buddha, the pioneer of Buddhism. Lord Buddha spent as many as 24
monsoons at Shravasti at the Jetvana Monastery.
Legend has it that Angulimala was a fiercely dreaded ruthless dacoit
in Shravasti. His name came from the words anguli (finger) and mala
(necklace) because he is said to chop away the fingers of his
victims and wear them in a necklace around his neck. This Angulimala,
in a fit of rage, was about to kill his mother one day, when Lord
Buddha was passing by. Lord Buddha later showered him with his
wisdom and turned him into a disciple. Then onwards, Angulimala
served the cause of public good, pursued knowledge and established
himself as one of the important disciples of Lord Buddha.
Angulimala's Stupa Shravasti was built by Angulimala for
his Lord- Buddha.
The Angulimala's Stupa in Shravasti was
excavated along with other ruins of th Shravasti City in 1863.
Angulimala's Stupa Shravasti however, lies in
utter ruins. A plinth leading to a raised platform accessible by a
flight of stairs can be seen. On the platform one can see the
remains of the rest of the structure. Walls, and more stairs
suggesting the height that the stupa was originally built up to, can
be seen.
The Angulimala's Stupa Shravasti lies testimony to the
immense influence of Lord Buddha that permeated the Indian society
specially in Northern India, in the pre Christian era. With Buddhism
came many of the modern ideas that later evolved and proved
indispensable in the development of civilization.
Angulimala's Stupa Shravasti is named after a dacoit, who
essentially must have belonged to the dredges of the society. The
legend of Angulimala is also reflective of the abolition of caste
system that Lord Buddha propagated. And Lord Buddha was the first to
do that. In general Buddhism moved away from the vices of Hinduism,
keeping the virtues untouched and therefore has had much positive
and practical influence on the society; a tangible influence moved
out of the scriptures to be turned into reality.
Getting There
Shravasti is well connected to
the rest of Uttar Pradesh by roadways. The nearest mega terminus is at Gonda
that is 50 kilometers from the downtown Shravasti.
The nearest railhead is Balrampur that is 17 Kilometers from Shravasti. Nevertheless, Gonda railway
station that is also nearby is a better option when it comes to
connectivity. Gonda station is well connected to other cities in Uttar
Pradesh and India such as New Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Agra, Lucknow,
Bangalore and Ahmedabad etc.
Shravasti Airport has had
no scheduled services operating since 2013. The nearest airport from
Shravasti is Chaudhary Charan
Singh International Airport at Lucknow, about 170 kilometers from
Shravasti. The Airport is well connected to other cities in India such as
New Delhi, Mumbai, Agra, Chennai and Bangalore.
From the Airport you can
hire cabs or take a train to reach Shravasti.
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