13th & 14th December 2025 Leaving Australia, Travelling to Bodhgaya
Hello I”m Ayya Santacari Bhikkhuni and I’d love to share with you all the story of my participation in the Inaugural Mahapajapati Sacred Pilgrimage. At this point in the story I have only the regular happy snaps that we all do our best to take. Later on when I join the main Body of the Pilgrimage, we are joined by the professional press team from the Tzu Chi foundation, drawn from Taiwan and Singapore. To my delight they have given us access to their professional photographs. Since I am unable to credit each one to its respective photographer at this time, I have to credit them as a group. If any photographer who took a particular picture would like credit, please let me know.
Thai airlines looked after me very nicely leaving Adelaide in the afternoon of the 13th December, via Melbourne, Bangkok landing in Bodhgaya just before noon on the 14th. Thank you to all the sponsors who came together at such short notice to buy me a ticket to fly.
3 Bhikkhunis at Bangkok Airport
In Bangkok I first met up with Bornali Barua, a lady who had been a volunteer at AranyaBodhi in California when I was doing my Samaneri training with Ayya Tathaloka and Ayya Sobhana. Bornali is still volunteering for Dhammadharini at both of their locations and offered me a lovely meal of sticky rice and mango. Which was perfect as a migrain was decending at the time and I was able to eat it.
Bornali took this nice photo of myself with Ayya Silavaddhani Bhikkhuni and Ayya Anuviditha Bhikkhuni from Germany.
Seated between 2 Malaysian ladies between Bangkok and Bodhgaya the migrain landed and they cared for me very kindly as I brought up all the water I had drunk in the last few hours. Fortunately I didn’t eat the curry, and the mango rice was many hours earlier.
I dont remember much about landing in Bodhgaya, we were met, taken to an adequate hotel (the first wrong one looked very nice) where I was able to get my medicines out of my checked luggage (doh!) and sleep (yay). I think everyone else went to meet up at the Mahabodhi Society and visit the Bodhi tree. I determined to do that when getting back for my return flight.
15th December Program and Inspiration
Footsteps of Mahāpajāpatī Gotamī
Honouring Women In Dhamma
Commemorating the Great Renunciation Trail of Mahāpajāpatī & 500 Śākyan Women
An India-Nepal Shared Heritage!
Day 1: Monday, 15th December 2025
Route: Bodhgaya → Vaishali → Kushinagar
Significance of the Day
The journey from Bodhgaya to Vaishali follows the sacred footsteps of the Buddha—from the place of his enlightenment to the land where he delivered his final sermon. This pilgrimage reflects a profound transition in the Buddha’s life—from awakening under the Bodhi Tree in Bodhgaya to imparting his last teachings in Vaishali, before proceeding toward Kushinagar for Mahāparinibbāna.
Schedule & Activities
07:30 am Departure for Kushinagar via Vaishali
11:00 am – 12:00 pm Pack Lunch along the way
06:00 pm Arrival at Kushinagar and check-in at China Temple/ Myanmar Temple Refreshments followed by overnight stay
15th December Breakfast in Bodhgaya
In the morning of the 15th, Bhikkhuni Vandana took us on a walk through the streets of Bodhgaya where I got to see how the people live.
Then, by some astonishing act of magic (or local knowledge) Bhikkhuni Vandana lead us to …
An actual “French” style cafe with esspresso latte and croisants and cake !!!!!! Oh My Goodness!!
What a lovely unexpected breakfast with some of the kindest Bhikkhunis on the trip. Lucky me!
very nice breakfast for those of us who stayed at the hotel Bhikkhunis Jutindhara, Vandana, Saddha, and Santacari
On the Road to Vaishali & Kushinagar (all day) 15th December 2025
Happy Bus 2 of 11.
After a long drive, Stopping for delicious vegan lunch provided by the Tzu Chi foundation. Some of the nuns did accept the flyblown local milk tea at this stop.
We are together on the road – it feels like it has all started, but we discover there are more to join us in Kapilavastu and the “Official” start will be the 16th or maybe the 17th.
Back on the Bus, Through The Border
and arriving at the one night stay at the China Temple in Kushinagar. Some of the busses went to the Myanmar Temple.
