Tirtha Atlas

The sacred geography of the Indic world — every site mapped, dated, storied, and cited.

1126 sites15 countries4 traditions30 centuries
Modern · Buddhist · India

Mahaparinirvana Temple, Kushinagar

परिनिर्वाण स्तूप

Kushinagar, Uttar Pradesh · 26.7410°, 83.8880°

Gautama Buddha (reclining Parinirvana image)Modern (over Gupta-era remains)Buddhist circuit
Sacred since
260 BCE
first attestation / structure
Standing structure
present temple 1956, over ancient stupa remains
Modern (over Gupta-era remains)

History & significance

Marks the place where the Buddha is held to have attained parinirvana, one of the four principal Buddhist pilgrimage sites. Ashoka is said to have visited around 260 BCE and raised stupas here; the vaulted chamber sheltering the 6.1 m reclining Buddha was in place by the Gupta period, the ruins were excavated in 1877 and restored by the ASI, and the present temple was built by the Government of India in 1956.

Sthala katha — the legend

Buddhist tradition relates that after forty-five years of teaching the Buddha reached Kushinagar gravely ill, ordained his last disciple, and passed into parinirvana lying on his right side with his head to the north.

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Related sites

Relic Stupa and Ashokan Pillar, Vaishali
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c. 5th–3rd c. BCE
Kesaria Stupa
Kesariya, East Champaran · India
present structure Pala, 8th–12th c.; origin c. 250 BCE
Griddhakuta (Vulture Peak)
Rajgir · India
associated with the Buddha's lifetime; structures undated
Jetavana, Shravasti
Shravasti · India
built in the Buddha's lifetime by Anathapindika
Sankissa
Sankisa, Farrukhabad · India
3rd c. BCE (Ashokan pillar and stupa)
Kaushambi (Kosambi)
Kosam, Kaushambi · India
fortified city, 8th c. BCE – 2nd c. CE

Sources

coordinates: wikipedia-2026-08-27 · sources retrieved 2026-08-26 · dynasty page: Modern (over Gupta-era remains)