Kaushambi
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Kaushambi is a town famous for witnessing several famous incidents from the life and times of Lord Buddha. A famous Buddhist pilgrimage destination, it was visited by Buddha during the 6th and 9th years after his enlightenment respectively. Later on, a transformed emperor Ashoka built several monuments dedicated to Buddhism of which the Ashoka Pillar, Ghositaram Monastery and an Old Fort exits in ruins till date.
Archeological excavations at Kaushambi retrieved several figures, sculptures, coins, terra-cotta sculptures and other remains that are now placed on display at the Allahabad Museum for the general public. The history goes back to thousands of years when a division of Indi-Aryan people namely- Chedi-vatsa janapada made this their capital. The historical town also finds its mention in the vedic literatures and scriptures including Brahmanas, Upanisads, Mahabharata and the Ramayana.
Situated close to Allahabad on the left bank of Yamuna river, the town is strategically located and several other famous towns like Pratapgarh, Chitrakoot, Fatehpur etc. are located within close proximity, presenting a number of interesting excursion opportunities for the visitors. Apart from its geographical significance, Kaushambi was also known as one of the most prosperous towns during the period of Lord Buddha. It served as an epicenter of cross country trade route and a terminus of river traffic. Its prominence continued till the sixth century A.D. when it was visited by the Chinese pilgrims Fa-Hien and Yuan-Chwang.
Tourist Attractions at Kaushambi
Sheetla Temple of Kara: Kara is a sort of temple hub with several famous shrines including Sheetla Mata temple, Hanuman temple, Chhetrapal Bhairav temple and Kaleshwar Mahadev. Amongst them the Sheetla temple located on the bank of Ganga River is most important one and regarded as the major shaktipeeth amongst all 51 dedicated to goddess Durga. According to legends, worshipping goddess Sheetla on the ashtami of Krishnapaksha of the month of chetra results in one getting rid of all evil powers. The Aashram and Samadhi of famous saint Malookdas(1631 - 1739 A.D.) is also located here who was born at Kara.
Prabhasgiri (Prabhosa): Prabhasgiri or Prabhosa is located about 50km away at the Manjhanpur Tehsil. A famous religious place, it is believed that Sri Krishna after being pierced by an arrow from Jaratkumar died at this very site. Prabhasgiri is also a sacred Jain pilgrimage destination as it was here that the 13th Jain teerthankara Bhagwan Padama Prabhu lived most of his life. An 18th century Jain temple and ancient caves with Brahmi lipi inscriptions believed to be from Gupta dynasty are worth visiting here.
Durga Devi Temple of Manjhanpur: This temple houses black stone idols of Lord Shiva and Goddess Durga. Situated at a distance of 1km from south-west of Manjhanpur town area, it attracts large number of devotees during the annual Navratri festival. Its origin is believed to date back to around 4th century BC.
Kamasin Devi Temple: Kamasin Devi temple is believed and revered as the place where prayers of devotees are always heard and answered. Situated in the village of Gambheerapurab about 10km away in the west of Manjhanpur, it is now one of Kaushambhi’s highly frequented destinations.
Shri Ram Temple Bajha: Located at a distance of 30 km from Allahabad is located this relatively modern temple constructed around 20 years ago.
