Sign up for Colchester & Friends Pilgrimage to India 2026

Following an informative meeting of around 20 potential pilgrims at the Buddhist Centre on Saturday 11th January, we would invite all those with a serious interest in a pilgrimage to India during late 2025/early 2026, to sign up so that we can keep you informed as plans progress. We would invite you to do this by 28th February.

This will allow us to invite you to future meetings and share developments regarding the trip and contribute to discussions about the details and options that we will have.

By signing up you are not committing any money or even making a commitment that you will definitely join the pilgrimage. However, we would request that you only join the mailing list if you have a genuine interest in joining us - even if you drop out at a later stage.

Our next step will be to contact the Indian Tour Group that we hope to use so that we can discuss a little more in terms of logistics.

At this stage it is envisaged that the core of the pilgrimage will be to the main four Buddhist pilgrimage sites. These are Lumbini, in Nepal, where Siddhartha Gautama was born, Bodhgaya, the site of his Enlightenment, Sarnath and the deer park, where the Buddha gave his first teaching and Kushinigar, the site of his parinirvana. 

We envisage this trip being similar to the one organised by the Ipswich Buddhist Centre in 2023. Details of this can be found here 

Why go on Pilgrimage?

“Lord, formerly bhikkhus who had spent the rains in different parts used to come to see the Perfect One. So we were able to see and to show respect to admirable bhikkhus. But, Lord, when the Blessed One is gone we shall not be able to do so any more.”
 

“Ānanda, there are four places for a faithful clansman to see which may be his inspiration. What are the four? Here the Perfect One was born: that is a place for a faithful clansman to see which may be his inspiration. Here the Perfect One discovered the supreme full enlightenment: that is a place for a faithful clansman to see which may be his inspiration. Here the Perfect One set rolling the matchless Wheel of the Dhamma: that is a place for a faithful clansman to see which may be his inspiration. Here the Perfect One attained final Nibbāna with the Nibbāna element without result of past clinging left: that is a place for a faithful clansman to see which may be his inspiration. Faithful bhikkhus and bhikkhunīs, and men and women lay followers, will come, saying: ‘Here the Perfect One was born’ and ‘Here the Perfect One discovered the supreme full enlightenment’ and ‘Here the Perfect One set rolling the matchless Wheel of the Dhamma’ and ‘Here the Perfect One attained final Nibbāna with the Nibbāna element without result of past clinging left.’ And all those who travel to visit shrines with confident hearts reappear on the dissolution of the body, after death, in a happy destination, even in a heavenly world.”