Pride of Place - Bodhgaya

Visit Bodhgaya...attain nirvana

Located in the Gaya district of Bihar, Bodhgaya   is one of the most sacred places and a Buddhist pilgrimage centre of high significance. It is famous for Mahabodhi temple and Bodhi tree. It is believed that Lord Buddha meditated under this tree. It is here that the Prince Gautama gained enlightenment and came to be known as Buddha.

People come here to explore Buddhism, its culture and tradition. Various monasteries and temples have been constructed here by international Buddhist communities.

One place...different names

Before Lord Buddha’s enlightenment, this city was known as Uruvela due to the presence of sand. After Lord Buddha's enlightenment, it came to be known as Bodhimanda, Vajrasana, Sambodhi and Mahabodhi.

Places of significance...

Bodhgaya is famous pilgrimage destination. Visitors visit the Mahabodhi Temple, Animesh Lochan Chaitya, Chankramana, etc.

Bodh Gaya: Situated on the bank of river Neranjana, Bodh Gaya is a religious site and place of pilgrimage associated with the Mahabodhi Temple Complex in Gaya district in the Indian state of Bihar. It is famous for being the place where Gautama Buddha obtained Enlightenment (Bodhimandala, which means a state of having infinite knowledge, and being able to accomplish the Noble and Universal truths.

For Buddhists, Bodh Gaya is the most important of the main four pilgrimage sites related to the life of Gautama Buddha, the other three being Kushinagar (where lord Buddha attained nirvana), Lumbini (where Lord Buddha was born)and Sarnath (where Lord Buddha first taught).    

Mahabodhi Temple:  Mahabodhi Temple attained the status of UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2002. The complex, located about 110 kilometres from Patna, contains the Mahabodhi Temple with the diamond throne (called the Vajrasana) and the holy Bodhi tree.

Kind Ashoka is believed to be the founder of Mahabodhi Temple, who visited Bodh Gaya 250 years after the Enlightenment of the Buddha. The original temple consisted of an elongated spire crowned by a miniature stupa and a chhatravali on a platform. A double flight of steps led up to the platform and the upper sanctum. The mouldings on the spire contained Buddha images. This temple was however lost with time, but was later restored by Sir Alexander Cunningham in the late 19th century.

Other Buddhist temples:  In the Mahabodhi Temple complex, several Buddhist temples and monasteries have been built by the people of various countries like Bhutan, China, Japan, Myanmar, Nepal, Sikkim, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Tibet and Vietnam. Hence, these buildings reflect the architectural style of their respective countries.