Bodh Gaya Things to Do

After attaining enlightenment, Buddha spent seven weeks in the area of the Bodhi tree. The first week he spent sitting under the tree. The second week he spent looking at the tree from the Animeshlochana Stupa, a spot now marked by a small white temple to your right as you enter the gate of the Mahabodhi temple. Animeshlochana means “the place of unwinking gazing.” There are signs dotted around the complex which detail what Buddha did when and where he did it.

The Bodhi Tree here, behind the temple, is said to be a descendent of the tree under which Buddha attained enlightenment. Emperor Ashoka’s daughter (Sanghamitta) carried a sapling of the original Bodhi (pipal) tree under which the Buddha sat to Sri Lanka. That tree is at Anuradhapura in Sri Lanka. A cutting from that tree was planted in Bodhgaya when the original tree died. Under the tree is a red sandstone slab said to be the Vajrasana, diamond throne, upon which Buddha sat and attained nirvana. The tree is located behind the temple and is about 24m (80 ft) high and 125 years old.

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By the northern wall of the compound is the Lotus Pond, called Mucalinda Lake (abode of the snake king). Buddha is said to have spent the sixth week in meditation here. There is a life-sized Buddha covered by a cobra. A cobra is said to have saved Buddha from drowning while he was in deep meditation. This pond is full of beautiful lotus flowers. In front of the pond are the remains of an Ashoka pillar, which is now about 6m (20 ft) high.

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The Mahabodhi Temple (meaning "Great Awakening Temple") is the location where the location where Siddhartha Gautama, the Buddha, attained enlightenment under a Bodhi tree some 2,500 years ago. In approximately 250 BC, about 250 years after the Buddha attained Enlightenment, Buddhist Emperor Asoka visited Bodh Gaya with the intention of establishing a monastery and shrine. As part of the temple he built, the diamond throne (called the Vajrasana), attempting to mark the exact spot of the Buddha's enlightenment, was established. Asoka is considered the founder of the Mahabodhi Temple. The current temple structure dates back to the 6th century AD but was razed in the 11th century by invading Muslim armies. The temple was restored several times over the centuries, the last of which occured in 1882 under the direction of Sir Alexander Cunningham.

The temple is constructed of brick and is one of the oldest brick structures to have survived in eastern India. It's considered to be a fine example of Indian brickwork and was highly influential in the development of later architectural traditions. According to UNESCO, of which it now holds World Heritage status, the present temple is "one of the earliest and most imposing structures built entirely in brick from the late Gupta period”. The main spire is 54m (177ft) high and inside features a large gilded image of Buddha. The temple is also holy to Hindu's as Buddha is believed to be the ninth incarnation of Vishnu. More photo's can be found in one of my travelogues.

Open: 5am-9pm. Admission is free. Stills camera charge is Rs20.

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This is probably the closest I'll ever get to Bhutan. The temples interior features three Buddha statues and is beautifully decorated with paintings. The buildings outside represent Bhutanese architecture that I remember seeing from Michael Palin's Himalayan TV series when he visited the country. However, I don't think they have palm trees there!

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This was my favourite temple out of all the ones in Bodh Gaya apart from the Mahabodhi Temple of course! Its roof is shaped like a pagoda and inside are two huge paintings of crowds that are looking towards the main central buddha statue on the altar.

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At the end of Temple Road lies this 25 metre high Buddha statue that was unveiled by his Holiness the Dalai Lama on the 18th November 1989. The statue itself is made out of blocks of pink sandstone and stands on a lotus flower on top of a pedestal that are made out of yellow sandstone and red granite. The statue is flanked by ten chief disciples of Buddha which were erected in 1996.

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The next temple along on Temple St towards the Big Buddha statue is this, the Japanese Daijokyo Buddhist Temple. It was inaugurated by H.E. Shri Giani Zail Singh, a former President of India on the 13th February 1983. Outside the temple in the garden lie dozens of lanterns.