Bodhgaya Travel Information

Serene and quiet this tiny little village, holiest among holy places isBodhgaya, where the quest of Prince Siddharth was fulfilled after years of seeking the truth and the saga of Buddha began. He attained the supreme enlightenment and became 'The Buddha', the enlightened one.

Thus Buddhism was born here under the Peepal Tree. The Prince had been wandering in search of supreme peace for long six years hither and thither. But it was at Bodhgaya only where his holy mission was achieved.

Places of Interest

The Bodhi Tree
The present Bodhi Tree is probably the fifth succession of the original tree under which the Buddha had attained enlightenment.

Mahabodhi Temple
The Mahabodhi Temple stands east to the Bodhi Tree. Its architectural effect is superb. Its basement is 48 square feet and it rises in the form of a slender Pyramid, till is reaches its neck, which is cylindrical in shape. The total height of the temple is 170 feet and on the top of the temple are Chatras which symbolise sovereignty of religion. Four towers on its four corners rise gracefully giving the holy structure a poise and balance. This sacred edifice is like a grand banner unfurled by time to proclaim to the world the pious efforts of the Buddha to solve the knots of human miseries to ascend above worldly problems and to attain transcedental peace through wisdom good conduct and disciplined life. Inside the temple in the main sanctum, on an altar, is a colossal image of Buddha in asitting posture touching the earth by his right hand. In this posture the Buddha accomplished the supreme enlightenment. The statue is of back stone but it has been guilded by the devotees. The entire courtyard of the temple is studded with a large number of varieties of stupas - votive, decorative, memorative. These stupas are of all sizes built during the past 2500 years ago. Most of them are extremely elegant in structural beauty.

Vajrasana
Vajrasana, the seat of stability. The Buddha supposed to have say in meditation gazing east, under the Bodhi tree, where the Vajrasana, the stone platform is kept.

Ancient Railings
The ancient railings which surround the temple are of first century BC and are very interesting monuments of the country.

Chankaramana
This marks the sacred spot of the Buddha's meditative perambulations during the third week after pious enlightenment. It is believed that wherever the Buddha put his feet lotus sprang up.

Animeshlochana
It is belived that the Buddha spent one week here looking towards the great Mahabodhi Tree out of gratitude, without twinkling his eyes.

Ratnagar
The Buddha spent one week here, where it is believed that five colours came out of his body.

Lotus Tank
The sacred tank where it is believed that Buddha had spent one week.

How to reach there

There are daily flights from Delhi, Calcutta and Lucknow. Several trains leave Delhi daily for 15-hour journey to Patna. From Calcutta, the trip by rail takes around 12 hours.

Patna has extensive road connections with Bodhgaya(125 km, Calcutta (608 km), Nalanda (90 km), Pawapuri ( 90 km), Rajgir (102 Km) and many other places of tourist interest within Bihar and the neighbouring state of Uttar Pradesh.