Gaya is an important city in the Indian state of Bihar. The city of Gaya is an integral part of the cultural heritage of India. Its significance as a centre of learning and from the religious viewpoint is immense. For the Hindus, Gaya is a place where an important ritual for the peace of the departed soul is completed. For the Buddhists, the place holds significance for this is the place where Lord Buddha preached the Fire Sermon on the Brahmayoni Hill, formerly called the Gayasisa. Bodh Gaya is a place in the Gaya district situated 15 kilometer from the main town of Gaya. Apart from Bodh Gaya, the other three important places related to Buddha’s life are Lumbini, Kushinagar and Sarnath. The magnificent Mahabodhi Temple was nominated as a World Heritage Site under UNESCO in the year 2002.
The present site of the Mahabodhi Temple was earlier known as the Bodhimanda. Surrounding it was a huge monastic settlement. In Pali, the primary monastery was called Bodhimanda-Vihara.
The present city of Bodh Gaya became famous only after the Prince Gautama Siddhartha attained enlightenment. After renouncing all the worldly pleasures, the prince wandered off from his palace in search of his questions. After a lot of wandering, he gradually reached the banks of the river Falgu. Sitting under a Bodhi tree, he started meditating to find the answers to his questions. After three days and three nights, he attained the ethereal state of enlightenment and insight and came to be known as Buddha. Preaching the world the importance of righteousness, Buddha finally settled at Sarnath and laid the foundation of Buddhism. Since Bodh Gaya witnessed this heavenly phenomenon, a temple was built at this site and dedicated to the enlightened one. The surrounding areas to Gaya comprising of Nalanda, Rajgir, Vaishali and Pataliputra soon became important centers of learning.
Places to Visit in Bodh Gaya
The holy place of Bodh Gaya is integrally linked with the life of Gautama Siddhartha who upon attaining enlightenment came to be known as Buddha. Situated 15 kilometers away from the holy town of Gaya, Bodh Gaya is the site of the famous Maha Bodhi Temple. The Bodhi Tree is also located in the same premises as the Mahabodhi Temple. The most notable feature of the temple is its architectural excellence apart from the exclusive diamond throne also known as Vajrasana. The place is visited by devotees in large numbers during the Buddha Purnima festival.
Monasteries built earlier still remain intact and can be seen within the same temple complex. The monastery built by one of the contemporary of Samudragupta, Kittisirimegha catered to the Singhalese monks specially. The monastery is situated near the Mahabodhi Vihara.
For years now, a number of temples have grown around the main temple. As a mark of their respect and devotion to the enlightened one, people from countries like Bhutan, Tibet, China, Japan, Myanmar, Nepal, Sikkim, Sri Lanka and Vietnam have constructed a number of monasteries and temples. A mark of cultural integrity, these temples reflect the traditions of the host countries. The architecture of the temples is fine specimen of art. Worth noticing among them is the Nippon Temple built by the people of China in the shape of a pagoda and the Myanmar Temple also sporting similar architectural patterns. The Bronze Statue of Buddha in the Thai Temple and the 200 years old Statue of Buddha is equally noticeable. The massive 25 meter statue of Buddha placed in a garden adjacent to the Thai Temple is another object of tourist attraction.
Tourists can also visit the Ghats and Temples that have grown up on the banks of the Falgu River in Gaya. The Vishnupad Temple is the main attraction here. Devi Ahilyabai Holkar, the ruler of Indore built this temple back in the 18th century. Other attractions include the Mangala Gauri Shrine, the hills Shringa-Sthan, Brahmayoni and Ram-Shila.
Nalanda, Rajgir, Vaishali and Pataliputra, the seats of ancient learning, definitely make for important itineraries in your Bodh Gaya trip.
How To Reach Bodh Gaya
The most revered place of pilgrimage for the Buddhists, Bodh Gaya can be easily reached from the nearest town of Gaya. A famous tourist destination and a renowned place of worship, Bodh Gaya is located 15 kilometers away from the city of Gaya in Bihar. Thousands of Buddhists and tourists make it a point to visit Bodh Gaya during the grand festivities held during the Buddha Purnima.
Bodh Gaya can be reached conveniently from Gaya which in turn is connected to some of the major cities across the country via a good network of trains and flights. Road connectivity is also up to the mark.
As far as the air connectivity is concerned, Gaya Airport is the nearest airport to Bodh Gaya and is situated 17 kilometers away from Bodh Gaya.
International flights to Singapore, Colombo and Bangkok operate to and from here. There is however another airport that the tourists can opt for. The Patna Airport, situated 135 kilometers away from Bodh Gaya, handles domestic flights to Kolkata, Lucknow and Delhi.
Apart from the Patna railway station, tourists heading for Bodh Gaya can get down at the Gaya Junction. The Broad gauge routes along with the Grand Chord Line links this city in Bihar with the major metropolitan cities- Mumbai, Kolkata and Delhi. From the capital city, tourists can avail the Mahabodhi Express.
This train runs daily between Gaya and Delhi. Gaya is also connected to other important cities like Lucknow, Varanasi, Ranchi, Allahabad, Kanpur, Mathura, Agra, Bhopal, Indore, Nagpur and Jabalpur. Gaya is also linked with the capital city and Kiul by two smaller train lines. After reaching Gaya, visitors can take a car or a bus to reach Bodh Gaya.
The Grand Trunk Road, which is the NH 2, links Gaya with major places like Delhi, Kolkata, Varanasi, Kanpur, Allahabad and Amritsar. A number of good buses operate from Gaya as it is the main commuting hub to places like Nalanda, Rajgir, Patna and Varanasi. Buses are also available to Bodh Gaya. The main bus stand at Bodh Gaya is situated near the Sujata Bridge located in the north eastern part of the town.
Hotels in Bodh Gaya
A holiday in Bodh Gaya is bound to be interesting and informative. One of the ancient and historical cities in India, Gaya flourished under royal hands and with time. The centre’s of great learning and religion all have their roots in this holy place. Situated a little away from the main town of Gaya, Bodh Gaya became a dominant pilgrimage place in its own right. Hindus and Buddhists visit the place in record numbers and this has generated a number of good hotels in Bodh Gaya. Hotels are also run by the State Tourism Board and the presence of a handful budget hotels catering to the tourists, make your stay in this city comfortable.
Three star hotels in Bodh Gaya can be found in plenty and tourists can be assured of standard accommodations coupled with excellent facilities and amenities. The location of most of the three star category hotels are close to the main transport access points which makes commuting and touring the attractions easier. Some of the notable hotels are Taj Darbar, Hotel Siddhartha International, Hotel Royal Residency, Hotel Lotus Nikko, and Tathagat International. The Tokyo Vihar Hotel and the Mahamaya Hotel fall among the lesser priced ones.
For a budget stay tourists can also opt for the hotels run by the Bihar Tourism Development Corporation. Sujata Vihar, Buddha Vihar and the Siddhartha Vihar are the one’s run by them.
The Hotel Bodh Gaya Ashok is another reputed hotel managed by the Indian Tourism Development Corporation.