Bodhgaya Travel Guide

Bodhgaya is a city located in the state of Bihar in India. It is very well known for being the most sacred place for the Buddhists. It is a popular place among Buddhists because this was the place where Gautama Buddha have obtained Enlightenment known as Bodhi-mandala.

For Buddhists, Bodh Gaya is the most religious of the main four pilgrimage places including Kushinagar, Lumbini, and Sarnath as these places was relevant to the life of Gautama Buddha. In the year 2002, Mahabodhi Temple was declared as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. People from all over the world come to see these sites and Buddhists take his as the place for their worship and prayer. This place is especially known for the huge Mahabodhi Temple complex which is built by the Great King Ashoka.

Why Visit Bodhgaya?

• Bodhgaya is a place where you can have a detailed look of Buddhism as this place is the most religious place for the Buddhists. This place is having a huge temple called the Mahabodhi Temple which was built by King Ashoka. Bodhgaya in itself has a great historical significance because this place is known to be the root of Buddhism as Gautam Buddha got his enlightenment in this place under the famous Bodhi tree.
• If you enter the main temple complex houses of the famous Mahabodhi temple you will see a large Buddha Statue and inside the Mahabodhi temple complex you can also enjoy the Lotus Pond or the meditation garden. You can also see various evidence of the 3rd Century with coins and other things such as the Diamond throne which is known as Vajrasna.
• You will also see an 80-foot high statue of Buddha which is just located near the Mahabodhi temple.
• Do visit the various monasteries or temples from other Buddhist nations such as Bhutan, China, Taiwan, Japan, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Tibet; you can visit them all with just a leisure walk from the Mahabodhi temple.
• Among nearby places you can visit the Phalgu River which has a very strong mythological significance from the Ramayana era as it is covered with a long stretch of sand dunes.
• Do visit the Barabar caves, which are the oldest surviving rock-cut caves in the country, typically dating back from the Mauryan period and also with many inscriptions of Ashoka.

Bodhgaya Tips and Recommendations

• In Bodhgaya you can have some very serene and quiet living as this place is known for its religious significance of Buddhism, but beware of motorbike burglars.
• You can visit the nearby places of Bodhgaya such as Sarnath, Nalanda, Rajgir and Patna as they are also important places to know more about Buddhism.
• Do visit this place during the prayer festivals organized in the month of January. The festivals are known as Kagyu Monlam Chenmo, and Nyingma Monlam Chenmo.
• Do not miss to see visit the Bodhgaya Multimedia museum where you can see beautiful films on the life of Gautama Buddha and his way to Buddhism through various CD plays.

Location Map Of Bodhgaya

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