Kusinagar
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Kushinagar Kushinara |
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|---|---|
| Town | |
 Kushinagar
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| Coordinates: 26°44′28″N 83°53′17″E / 26.741°N 83.888°ECoordinates: 26°44′28″N 83°53′17″E / 26.741°N 83.888°E | |
| State | Uttar Pradesh |
| District | Kushinagar |
| Government | |
| • Type | Nagar Panchayat |
| • District Magistrate | Mr. Shambhu Kumar |
| • Additional District Magistrate | K.L. Tiwari |
| Population (2011) | |
| • Total | 22,214 |
| Languages | |
| • Official | Hindi |
| Time zone | IST (UTC+5:30) |
| Website | www |
Kushinagar, Kusinagar or Kusinara is a town and a nagar Panchayat in the Kushinagar district of the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh located around NH-28, and is 52 km east of Gorakhpur city. It is an important Buddhist pilgrimage site, where Buddhists believe Gautama Buddha attained Parinirvana after his death. Outside India, it is an International Buddhist Pilgrimage Centre. The followers of Buddhism, especially from Asian countries, wish to visit this place at least once in their lifetime.
According to one theory, Kushwati was capital of Kosala Kingdom and according to Ramayana it was built by King Kush, son of Rama, protagonist of the epic Ramayana. While according to Buddhist tradition Kushawati was named prior to the king Kush. The naming of Kushwati is believed to be due to abundance of Kush grass found in this region.
As of 2011 India census, Kushinagar had a population of 22,214, with 3462 households. Males constitute 52% (11,502 Men) of the population and females 48% (10,712 Women). Kushinagar has an average literacy rate of 78.43%, higher than the national average of 74%, male literacy is 85%, and female literacy is 72%. In Kushinagar, 11% of the population is under 10 years of age. Schedule Caste (SC) constitutes 5.03% while Schedule Tribe (ST) were 2.39% of total population in Kushinagar Nagar Panchayat.
The present Kushinagar is identified with Kushawati( in pre-Buddha period ) and Kushinara (in Buddha period). Kushinara was the capital of Mallas which was one of the sixteen mahajanpads of the 6th Century B.C. Since then, it remained an integral part of the erstwhile empires of Maurya, Shunga, Kushana, Gupta and Harsha dynasties.
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