| About Bodhgaya |
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| Introduction |
As the place of the Buddha's Enlightenment, Bodhgaya is the spiritual home of Buhddhists. It attracts tens of thousands of believers from all over the world. Bodhgaya situated near the river Niranjana, is one of the holiest Buddhist pilgrimage centres since it was here that Buddha attained enlightenment under the Bodhi tree.
Before Siddhartha (Lord Buddha or Sakya Muni, as he is also known in sacred literature) attained the supreme state of enlightenment called " Sammasambodhi", he spent six long years of penance and meditation in a wood in the precincts of modern Bodh Gaya, formerly known as Uruvilva or Uruvela, a hamlet which is identified with the modern village called Urel about 10-kms south of Gaya Railway Station. Gautama or Gotama sat here in meditation under an Ashwattha or Pippal tree and had attained to the Sambodhi or Perfect Enlightenment. This place occupies an important position in the history of Buddhism. Because of such holy association this locality ultimately came to be known as Buddha Gaya or Bodh Gaya within the Gaya District.
The population of this town is 22,000 and is situated at an altitude of 113 m. Maximum temperature in summer rises to 45-47 degree Celsius and minimum is 27 degree, while in winter maximum is 28 degree and minimum is 4 degree. It receives an annual rainfall of 1,860 mm. Most countries with vast Buddhist population have a temple or monastery here. The 25 m Great Buddha Statue in the Japanese Kamakura style was unveiled by his holiness Dalai Lama in 1989. |
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| Places of Interest |
What to Look For ?
The Mahabodhi Temple |
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The Mahabodhi temple is an imposing brick structure that is enclosed on three sides by an ancient stone railing. The temple celebrates the birth of Buddhism, for it is under a tree adjacent to this temple, that Prince Siddhartha became the Buddha by attaining enlightenment. |
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The Mahabodhi temple has a giant pyramidal structure (sikhara) which rises to a height of 54 m. It has a quadrangular base and four spires at the corners. It can be seen for miles around and distinguishes Bodhgaya from other Buddhist centres. Inside it you will find a gilded image of the Buddha. The bricks in the oldest part of the temple have been fitted together without the use of cement. It stands at the site of a shrine built by King Ashoka, who ruled over Magadha during the 3rd century BC. The present structure was most recently renovated in the 1880s, but is believed to have been rebuilt and restored during the 6 and 7th centuries and again in the 11th Century. Buddhists from other parts of the world have been closely linked to this temple. During the 4th century, the Sri Lankan King, Sri Meghavanna built a monastery in Bodhgaya. Another Sri Lankan monk Mahanama visited the place in 588 AD and built a shrine with a statue of the Buddha. The remains of this can still be seen near the northern staircase leading to the temple. The monastery was still there in the 7th century when Xuan Zhang travelled to India and it was also recorded by Dharmasvamin, another traveller and a monk from Sri Lanka, who visited the place in the 13th century. In the 19th century, the British Lt Governor of Bengal, Sir Ashley Eden appointed Sir Alexander Cunningham and J D Beglar to excavate and restore the temple. This four-year project began in 1880, and cost Rs 2,00,000, money raised mostly from overseas Buddhists. The restoration by Beglar was based on a miniature model found during excavation. There was a hue and cry about Beglar's lack of understanding of Indian architecture and some believe that his attempt actually damaged the ruins. In 1956 the temple was renovated with the help of large international grants. Today the restored temple looks majestic. However, in spite of its historical significance, the temple has not yet been declared a protected monument. |
| Stone Railing |
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Remains of a massive stone railing are at present found enclosing the Great Temple on three sides along its plinth. The western side of railing provides with a small entrance facing the Bodhi tree. The total height of the railing from ground level is about 10-ft. Part of the railing is of sandstone while part is of granite. |
| he railing bears carvings such as sculptured panels, medallions, and other ornamental patterns, those on the sandstone portion differing materially from those on the granite portion. The former contain relieves representing scenes from the Buddha's life, the sacred tree, the wheel, the stupa, the Gaja-Lakshmi, the sun-god with his horse-drawn chariot and human figures like kings, merchants, devotees etc. The latter contain mostly ornamental motifs such as the eagles, chaityas-etc- carved in the characteristic of the Gupta period. |
| Bodhi Tree |
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It is the most sacred Pippal Tree (ficus religiosa) under which Prince Siddhartha became Buddha the Enlightened One. It is believed to have continued to exist since the days of the Buddha. |
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| According to Buddhist tradition, the queen of Emperor Ashoka, Tishyarakshita, destroyed the tree out of rage but the Emperor immediately revived it. King Sashanka of Bengal again uprooted it but the King Purnavarman of Magadha revived it soon thereafter. The present tree is believed to be the fourth or fifth generation offspring of the original. |
| Vajrasana |
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Vajrasana or the Diamond Throne is a polished platform made of gray sandstone. It was perhaps placed by the Emperor Ashoka underneath the Bodhi tree against the western wall of the great temple. It represents that place where Lord Buddha sat in deep meditation and attained the Supreme Enlightenment. |
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| Jewel Walk |
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According to Buddhist tradition, Buddha walked to and fro near the sacred tree for seven days, immediately after attaining the Supreme Enlightenment. The spot where he so walked appear to have become sacred quite early and a shrine was built over it in about 1st century B.C. |
| Animesh Lochan |
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This whitewashed temple stands slightly off the walk to the Mahabodhi temple. It is a miniature of the Mahabodhi temple and is said to mark the spot where the Buddha spent a week gazing at the Bodhi tree in gratitude after attaining enlightenment. He is supposed to have stood here unblinking (animesh). Hindu pilgrims also frequent this spot since they worship Buddha as the ninth incarnation of Vishnu.
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| Muchalinda Tank |
| Close to the south of the Great Mahabodhi Temple is a sacred tank named after Nagaraja Muchalinda (the serpent king) who, according to tradition, protected Lord Buddha from storm and rains while he was engrossed in a deep meditation after attaining the Supreme Enlightenment. |
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| Stupas |
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The Mahabodhi temple complex is dotted with an abundance of stupas. A majority of them date back to the Pala period (8th to 12th century) though there are older ones too. These stupas were built by pilgrims who came from Buddhist countries like Burma (Myanmar), Sri Lanka, and Tibet. You can easily identify the colourfully painted Tibetan stupas. |
| Ashoka's Pillar |
| At the south-east corner of the temple stands a part of the Ashokan pillar. Originally erected at Bodhgaya, this pillar was found near Gaya and was moved here in 1956. |
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| Hindu Temples |
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Also within the premises of the Mahabodhi temple, is a row of Hindu shrines. These temples probably came up during the period of struggle between Brahmanical and Buddhist sects. The first of these shrines has an interesting collection of Buddha statues that are now confusingly dressed up to look like Hindu deities. Brahman priests here, who look distinctly different from the Buddhist monks, will probably ask you for a donation. |
| Niranjana or Falgu River |
| This river is a natural landmark that attracts tourists who like to wade in the water to cool off, especially in the summer. The river is wide, sandy and shallow even in the rainy season. It's a great picnic spot for tourists who want to sit around on the banks under shady trees. |
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| How To Reach |
| Bodhgaya is 12 km from Gaya, 140 km from Patna, 66 km from Rajgir and 482 km from Calcutta. |
| By Air : |
| Patna is the nearest airport with regular flights to Delhi, Ranchi, Lucknow, Calcutta, Chennai, Mumbai. Calcutta, 482 km, has an international airport.
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| Nearest Rail Head : |
| Gaya is the nearest railway station. Several superfast as well as express trains are available from Gaya. Gaya is on the main Delhi to Calcutta line and there are direct trains to Delhi, Calcutta, Varanasi, Puri and Patna. |
| By Road : |
| Bihar State Road Transport Corporation (SRTC) has bus services to Gaya, Patna, Nalanda and Rajgir. The main bus stand is opposite the Mahabodhi Temple. Private buses and taxis are also easily available |
| Where to Stay: |
| Bihar State Tourism Development Corporation's Hotels at Bodhgaya (12 kms). Tariff range: Rs.75/- for Dormitory bed and Rs. 650/- for Double bed rooms. Private Hotels, Rest houses and, Dharmshalas are also available at Gaya. |
| Tourist Season
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| Although the pilgrimage season starts in September, the best time to visit Bodhgaya is between November and February. This is when the daytime temperature is normally a pleasant 14° to 18°C in the night it drops to 4°C. In April, when the Buddha Jayanti is celebrated, a large number of devotees flock to Bodhgaya from the world over, but it is terribly hot. June is the hottest month and is certainly avoidable as the temperature can soar to a searing 47°C; in the night it drops to a still warm, 28°C. June-end to September is the monsoon. If you intend to meditate under the Bodhi tree, you will have to bear with either heat, rain or crowds of devotees. |
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