One of India’s 8 holiest Buddhist sites. The very spot where the Buddha stepped down from Tavatimsa Heaven on a miraculous triplee staircase of gold, silver, and crystal. Have you included Sankisa in your sacred journey?
Bhuvanendra Vikram SinghManaging Director, Prime Value Tours · 25+ years on the Buddhist Circuit
10 min readUpdated April 2026Thai & English
Pali / Sanskrit NameSankassa · Sankasya
Thai Nameสังกัสสะนคร (Sangkassa Nakhon)
Sacred SignificanceSite of Buddha’s Descent from Tavatimsa Heaven
LocationFarrukhabad District, Uttar Pradesh
Distance from Delhi~230 km (4–5 hrs by road)
Best SeasonOctober – March
In the sacred geography of Buddhism, there are places where the veil between the human world and the divine becomes thin. Sankisa is one such place perhaps the most spiritually charged site that most pilgrims have never heard of.
For Thai Buddhists making the great pilgrimage to India the land where the Dharma was born the well-known circuit of Bodh Gaya, Sarnath, Kushinagar, and Lumbini is deeply meaningful. But there is a site that completes this sacred circle, a place woven directly into the miraculous narrative of the Buddha’s life: Sankisa, where the Lord Buddha descended from Tavatimsa Heaven and returned to the human world.
After spending three months in the realm of the Thirty-Three Gods to teach the Abhidhamma Pitaka to his departed mother Queen Maya, the Buddha chose this small town in what is now Uttar Pradesh as the exact point of his return. He descended on a triple staircase — one of gold, one of silver, one of crystal — accompanied by Brahma and Sakka, the Lord of the Gods. The entire heavens opened, and the faithful who gathered to receive him could see, momentarily, all of existence at once.
This event, known in Pali as the Devarodhana, is counted among the Eight Great Miracles (Ashtamahasthana) of the Buddha’s life. Yet Sankisa remains one of the least-visited of the eight sacred sites. That is precisely what makes it extraordinary. When you arrive here, you will not find the crowds of Bodh Gaya or the noise of Varanasi. You will find silence, depth, and the undisturbed weight of sacred history exactly what a true pilgrimage demands.
At Prime Value Tours, we have been guiding Thai Buddhist pilgrim groups through this very site since 1999. In this guide, we share everything you need to know the history, the meaning, the experience, and the practical details so that your pilgrimage to Sankisa becomes one of the most spiritually profound journeys of your life.
The Buddha himself designated eight places as especially worthy of pilgrimage. He spoke of these sites in the Mahaparinibbana Sutta, saying that those who die on pilgrimage to these places with a heart full of devotion will be reborn in the heavenly realms. These eight sites the Ashtamahasthana — are:
Many tour operators in India offer the “Buddhist Circuit” covering only four or five of these sites. A complete pilgrimage covers all eight. For devout Thai Buddhists who travel thousands of kilometres to reach India, to omit Sankisa is to leave the sacred circle unfinished like reading a sutra and stopping before the final verse.
“Whoever, with a believing heart, shall visit these places the Birthplace, the Enlightenment, the First Sermon, the Final Passing these beings, after death, will be reborn in a heavenly realm of bliss.” The Buddha, Mahaparinibbana Sutta (DN 16)
To understand why standing at Sankisa moves pilgrims to tears, you must know its story.
Shortly after attaining Enlightenment, the Buddha looked back across his countless past lives and saw his mother, Queen Maya, who had died seven days after his birth and been reborn in Tavatimsa the Heaven of the Thirty-Three Gods. Filled with filial love and gratitude, the Buddha rose to Tavatimsa during the seventh year after his Enlightenment. There, for three months corresponding to the Buddhist Rains Retreat (Vassa), he taught her the entire Abhidhamma the highest and most profound level of Buddhist teaching so that she and the heavenly assembly could attain liberation.
When the time came to return, the God Sakka created a magnificent triple staircase descending from the heavens to the earth at Sankisa:
✦Golden Staircaseบันไดทองคำ
◆Silver Staircaseบันไดเงิน
💎Crystal Staircaseบันไดแก้วผลึก
The Buddha descended the central crystal staircase. Brahma descended on his right holding a white parasol. Sakka descended on his left holding a jewelled fan. The earth trembled with joy.
As the Buddha descended, the gods opened a corridor of vision: all those present could see, in a single moment of grace, all realms of existence simultaneously the heavens above, the hells below, and every world in between. It was as if the entire universe held its breath. This moment of Yamaka Patihariya the Twin Miracle is depicted in Buddhist art across Thailand, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, and Cambodia. And it happened here, at Sankisa.
When Emperor Ashoka visited Sankisa in the 3rd century BCE, he erected one of his famous stone pillars here, topped with an elephant capital the elephant being the sacred animal that heralded the Buddha’s birth. Though the pillar has fallen and broken over the millennia, its elephant capital still stands at the site today. To place your hand on that worn stone is to touch a continuity of devotion stretching back 2,300 years.
Unlike the elaborate temple complexes of Bodh Gaya or Sarnath, Sankisa preserves a quality of ancient, undisturbed stillness. This is not a shortcoming it is a gift. When you walk these grounds with an open heart, the absence of crowds and noise allows the spiritual depth of the place to speak directly to you.
✈️How to Reach
Fly into New Delhi (DEL). Prime Value Tours provides air-conditioned private coach from Delhi to Sankisa (~230 km, 4–5 hrs). Typically combined with Sravasti and Lucknow in a multi-day itinerary.
October to March — cool, dry, and comfortable. Avoid May–July (extreme heat, up to 45°C). Most Thai groups travel October–February to align with Thailand’s Buddhist calendar.
🏨Accommodation
Overnight in Kanpur (1.5 hrs from Sankisa) or continue to Lucknow. Prime Value Tours pre-selects clean, Thai-familiar hotels with vegetarian meal options for all groups.
👗Dress Code
Modest, respectful attire at all sacred sites shoulders and knees covered. White or light-coloured pilgrim clothing is most appropriate. Remove footwear before entering temple precincts.
🛡️Safety & Health
Uttar Pradesh is safe for organised group travel. Carry personal medications. Drink only bottled water. Our tours include a basic medical kit and emergency contact support throughout.
📿What to Bring
Offering flowers (lotus preferred), incense sticks, small candles, a personal prayer object, and a journal for reflections. Prayer beads (mala) are available for purchase near the site.
Since 1999, Prime Value Tours has been one of the most trusted specialist operators for Thai Buddhist pilgrim groups travelling from Thailand to India. We are not a general sightseeing company. We exist exclusively to serve Buddhist pilgrims.
Our Managing Director, Bhuvanendra Vikram Singh, has personally accompanied hundreds of Thai Buddhist groups along the sacred circuit including Sankisa over more than 25 years. He knows every road, every temple protocol, every logistical nuance of getting a group of 20–50 pilgrims from Bangkok to Sankisa and back in safety, comfort, and spiritual depth.
When you travel with Prime Value Tours, Sankisa is never treated as a “short stop.” We allocate full, meaningful time at each site. Our Thai-speaking liaisons ensure clear communication throughout the journey. Our coaches are air-conditioned, our accommodation is clean and vetted, and our meal arrangements respect the vegetarian requirements of Buddhist groups. Your pilgrimage is our privilege and our purpose.
Thai pilgrims most commonly ask us these questions before booking their India Buddhist tour.
Q1Where exactly is Sankisa located in India?
Sankisa (also known as Sankissa or Sankasya) is located in Farrukhabad District, Uttar Pradesh, approximately 47 km from Farrukhabad city. It is about 230 km southeast of New Delhi and can be reached in 4–5 hours by road. The site lies in the heart of the Gangetic plain, in the same sacred landscape as Sravasti, Kushinagar, Sarnath, and other Buddhist holy sites.
Q2Why is Sankisa considered one of the 8 most sacred Buddhist sites?
Sankisa is the site where the Lord Buddha descended from Tavatimsa Heaven after spending three months there teaching the Abhidhamma to his mother. He descended on a triple staircase of gold, silver, and crystal, accompanied by the gods Brahma and Sakka. This event — the Devarodhana — is one of the Eight Great Miracles (Ashtamahasthana) that the Buddha himself identified as worthy of pilgrimage. In the Mahaparinibbana Sutta, the Buddha stated that those who visit these eight sites with devotion will attain a blessed rebirth.
Q3Is Sankisa included in Prime Value Tours’ Buddhist Circuit package?
Yes. Prime Value Tours offers a Complete Buddhist Circuit itinerary that includes all eight sacred sites Lumbini, Bodh Gaya, Rajgir, Nalanda, Vaishali, Kushinagar, Sravasti, Sarnath (Varanasi), and Sankisa. We also offer an extended itinerary for groups who wish to spend additional time in meditation and prayer at each site. Contact us at info@primevaluetours.com to receive a customised proposal for your group.
Q4What is the best time of year for Thai pilgrims to visit Sankisa?
The ideal travel season for Sankisa and the entire Buddhist Circuit is October through March, when the climate in Uttar Pradesh is cool and dry. Temperatures range from 10°C to 25°C comfortable for outdoor worship, walking sacred grounds, and group ceremonies. We particularly recommend November, December, and February for Thai groups, as these months offer the most pleasant conditions. The summer months (April–June) should be avoided due to extreme heat.
Q5Is there a Thai Buddhist temple near Sankisa?
Yes. A Thai-style Buddhist temple (Wat) has been established close to the Sankisa site, featuring Thai-style Buddha images and a space for Thai-language devotional ceremonies. Prime Value Tours coordinates all arrangements for Thai groups to conduct formal puja at this temple. For groups with a travelling monk, we arrange the necessary space and ceremonial support in advance.
Q6How many days should we allocate for the complete Buddhist Circuit including Sankisa?
A standard group pilgrimage covering all 8 sacred sites including Sankisa requires a minimum of 10 to 12 days from arrival to departure at New Delhi. Prime Value Tours recommends 12–14 days for groups who wish to include meaningful time for meditation, chanting, and ceremonies at each site, rather than simply visiting. We can tailor the itinerary based on your group’s size, spiritual focus, and budget. Please email info@primevaluetours.com with your group details for a personalised quote.
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25 years of guiding Thai Buddhist pilgrims. Every site treated with the reverence it deserves. Every group given the time and space for genuine spiritual practice. This is Prime Value Tours.
Operating since 1999Thai-speaking tour supportPrivate air-conditioned coachesVegetarian meals arrangedAll 8 sacred sites covered
Contact Prime Value Tours:info@primevaluetours.com|+91 97211 22849|+91 542-250-0113|primevaluetours.com