Today, several states in India — such as Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Odisha, and Maharashtra — with rich Buddhist heritage and cultural remains have developed heritage corridors to promote these sites globally and boost tourism. Haryana, however, is still lagging behind in this regard.
According to one of the most popular books on the life of the Buddha, Old Path White Clouds by Thich Nhat Hanh, the Buddha visited the region of present-day Haryana three times during his lifetime — first at the age of 44, then at 55 and finally at 78. These visits highlight the deep historical and spiritual connection between Haryana and early Buddhism. The presence of Buddhism in the region is strongly supported by archaeological and historical evidence, particularly the Ashokan pillars and the remains of stupas found along the ancient Drishadwati river.
Two of the most significant pillars attributed to Emperor Ashoka are located in Haryana—one at Topra Kalan in Yamunanagar district and the other at Agroha in Hisar district. These pillars indicate that the region was an important centre of Buddhist activity during the Mauryan period. In addition to these pillars, several Buddhist monuments, especially stupas, have been discovered along the Drishadwati river belt — these include the Chaneti Stupa in Yamunanagar, the stupa remains at Abhimanyupur (Amin), the Asandh Stupa in Karnal and the Agroha Stupa in Hisar.
Among all these sites, Topra Kalan stands out prominently and is strongly identified with the ancient Buddhist site of Kammasadhamma. According to Pali and Chinese chronicles, the Buddha delivered important teachings at Kammasadhamma during the spring season (March–April) when he was around 55 years old. Records state that more than 300 monks gathered to listen to these teachings.
The name “Topra Kalan” is of Persian origin, meaning a topi (skullcap); even early British scholars used to refer to stupas as topi. In Rajasthan’s Chauhan literature, the place was known as “Nigam Bodh,” meaning “the area of Buddha.” Interestingly, no other place in Haryana is directly named after the Buddha, further strengthening this identification.
According to the findings of Sidhartha Gauri, founder of the Maitreya Trust (which works for the preservation of Buddhist sites), there were originally four large stupas at Topra Kalan, two of which were documented by Alexander Cunningham during his tour in 1863. This provides early archaeological validation of the site’s importance. The key discourses believed to have been delivered by the Buddha at Kammasadhamma include the Mahasatipatthana Sutra, Mahanidana Sutra, Sammasa Sutra, Magandiya Sutra, and Anandasappaya Sutra. Among these, the Mahasatipatthana Sutra is particularly significant, forming the foundation of Vipassana meditation.
Gauri has also proposed correlations between ancient and modern place names in Haryana. According to him, the ancient Srughna corresponds to present-day Sugh village, Kammasadhamma to Topra Kalan, Thullakotthita to Thanesar and Agrodkha to Agroha. These identifications are based on textual, geographical and archaeological evidence, helping reconstruct the Buddhist landscape of ancient Haryana.
According to Dr Satyadeep Neil Gauri, the potential for Buddhist tourism in Haryana remains largely untapped. While sites like Sarnath in Varanasi are globally recognised—where the Buddha delivered his first sermon, the Dharmachakra Pravartana Sutra—Topra Kalan holds equal importance as the place where he delivered the profound Mahasatipatthana Sutra. Despite this, Haryana receives very few international Buddhist pilgrims. This is surprising, especially considering that around 8,00,000 foreign pilgrims visit New Delhi every year to pay homage to relics of the Buddha. Developing a structured Buddhist pilgrimage circuit in Haryana could significantly boost tourism, generate employment and bring global recognition to the region.
Several remarkable highlights strengthen the case for a Buddhist circuit in Haryana. The Chaneti Stupa, over 2,000 years old, is the only complete ancient stupa in Haryana and even among neighbouring states like Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan and Jammu and Kashmir. Its unique architectural features suggest that relics of the Buddha may have been enshrined within its dome.
The Ashokan pillar originally installed at Topra Kalan around 2,300 years ago carries one of the longest and latest inscriptions of Emperor Ashoka.
Sidhartha Gauri further mentioned that at Thanesar, near the Saraswati river, remains of an ancient stupa still exist. The Chinese pilgrim Xuanzang, who visited India in the 7th century CE, recorded that a mysterious light used to emanate from this stupa, indicating its religious significance. Similarly, a Sunga-period stupa pillar discovered at Abhimanyupur (Amin) challenges the common belief that the Sunga dynasty was entirely opposed to Buddhism.
“The Asandh Stupa, also around 2,000 years old, is considered one of the tallest stupas in India. For many years, it remained neglected and was locally known as “Jarasandh ka Tila.” The ancient site of Agroha also contains a 2,000-year-old stupa, where an Ashokan pillar once stood. Today, this pillar exists in two halves, located at Hisar and Fatehabad,” said Sidhartha.
