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Destinations | Interest Wise | Buddhism in Assam

Known as a bustling seat of ancient Tantrism and one of the few remaining places in India that still prides itself in preserving the practices of the occult, very few outside of Assam would know that many centuries ago, Assam was a hotbed of Buddhism too.

Changing trends in religious influences and social metamorphosis might or might not have changed who or how some ancient shrines that have survived till modern day Assam are worshipped today, but artefacts, archaeological findings and word of mouth appear to demonstrate the Buddhism has had its days of glory in ancient Assam.

Beliefs state the Padmasambhava, the founder of Tibetan (also known as Vajrayana) Buddhism, died in Hajo, a town 28 kilometers from Guwahati. Nagarjuna, another leader of Mahayana Buddhism, is said to have erected a Caitya(Memorial) in Hajo around the 1st or 2nd century AD. Some scholars believe that this Caitya was converted into a Hindu temple around the 3rd or 4th century AD. The temple of Hayagriva-Madhava in Hajo is considered a pilgrimage from Southeast Asia.
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