The
holy town of Gaya, is the second largest city of Bihar, India, and it is also
the headquarters of Gaya District. Historically, Gaya was the part of the
ancient Magadh Empire. It is famous for being the place where Gautam Buddha is
said to have attained enlightenment (Bodhimandala).
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, Lumbini and Sarnath. In 2002, Mahabodhi Temple, located in Bodh Gaya, declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Gaya is located 100 kilometers south of Patna, the capital city of Bihar. The city is serenely placed on the banks of Falgu River, is a place sanctified by both the Hindu and the Buddhist religions. The Town is on a slightly raised ground in the valley between the Ramshila and Pretshila Hilla. It is surrounded by small rocky hills (Mangla-Gauri, Shringa-Sthan, Ram-Shila and Brahmyoni) by three sides and the river flowing on the fourth (eastern) side. An essential transit point to Bodhgaya, Gaya is a densely packed town. The city has a mix of natural surroundings, age old buildings and narrow bylanes.
The
fame of Buddhagaya as the sacred site where the Buddha attained Sambodhi goes
back to very early times giving it a religious significance. According to
Buddhist traditions, just before the full moon day of the month of Vesakah in
about 528 BCE, Prince Gautama Siddhartha, wandering as an ascetic, arrived on
the outskirts of the small village of Uruvela nestled on the banks of the sandy
Neranjara River, near the city of Gaya. There he sat in meditation under a
bodhi tree. After three days and three nights of meditation, Siddharta claimed
to have attained enlightenment and insight, and the answers that he had sought.
He then spent seven weeks at seven different spots in the vicinity meditating
and considering his experience. After seven weeks, he travelled to Sarnath,
where he began teaching Buddhism.
Disciples of Gautama Siddhartha began to visit the place during the full moon in the month of Vaisakh (April–May), as per the Hindu Calender. Over time, the place became known as Bodh Gaya, the day of enlightenment as Buddha Purnima, and the tree as the Bodhi Tree.
Bodhgaya Town
Lying 13 kms south of Gaya, this place is of immense importance to the Buddhists, as Lord Buddha attained his enlightenment here.
The
life of Gautam Buddha, the founder of Buddhism, is associated with the small
town of Bodhgaya. It is one of the four holiest cities of Buddhist faith. The
Mahabodhi temple is the main attraction of this town and is located near the
spot where Lord Buddha attained spiritual enlightenment. Bodhgaya is not only
an important Buddhist pilgrim center, but it is also an important center for
the study of Buddhism.
Mahabodhi Temple and other monasteries are the major attractions in Bodhgaya. Places associated with the life and times of Lord Buddha are located inside the Mahabodhi complex including the Bodhi Tree and a pond where according to legends, Lord Buddha mediated for few days.
Mahabodhi Temple
The
Mahabodhi Temble is located at the place of Lord Buddha's enlightenment. The
temple has a 50m (170 ft) tower. The present temple was restored around 1880.
There have been several other temples on this site. A previous temple was
destroyed by the Muslims in the 11th century. Parts of the intricately carved
railings to the south and west of the temple are very old. Some of the railings
are original and parts of the railings are reproductions. In the inner sanctuary
there is a huge Buddha. In the center of the temple there is also a Siva-linga
that was installed about 860. This temple is also sacred to the Hindus because
Lord Buddha is the ninth incarnation of Lord Vishnu.
Animesh Lochan Chaitya
Animesh Lochan Chaitya is one of the places associated with enlightenment of Lord Buddha. During the second week of enlightenment within the cycle of meditation, Lord Buddha spent seven days at this place looking at the Bodhi tree. It is believed that during this time, he did not blink his eye even once.
Animesh Lochan, meaning open eyes, is a major place of religious significance. It is also believed that Lord Buddha spent few days here walking between the Bodhi tree and the Animesh Lochan Chaitya. At present, this route is known as Ratnachankrama or the Jewel Walk.
Bodhi Tree
The
Bodhi tree here is said to be a descendent of the tree under which Budhha
attained enlightenment. A sapling of the original bodhi tree that the Buddha
sat under was carried by Emperor Ashoka's daughter (Sanghamitta) to Sri Lanka.
That tree is at Anuradhapura in Sri Lanka. A cutting from that tree was planted
in Budha Gaya when the original tree died. Under the tree is a red sandstone
slab that is said to be the Vajrasana, the diamond throne, that Buddha sat on
and attained nirvana. The tree is located behind the temple and is about 80
feet high and about 115 years old.
The other places of interest in Bodhgaya are 80 feet longer sculpture of Gautama Buddha, the Lotus Tank, Rajayatana, Buddha Kund, Brahm Yoni, Chinese Monastery and Temple, Buddhistic Monastery, Burmese Temple, International Buddhist House, Thai Monastery, Japanese Temple, Tibetan Monastery, and Archaeological Museum.
Reaching Bodhgaya
By Air: The closest airbase is at Gaya situated at just 7 kms distance. However, the big air network is Patna located at 135 kms away. The direct flights of Sahara Airlines and Indian Airlines allow a tourist to reach Patna easily. Flights from Lucknow, Calcutta, Delhi, Bombay, Ranchi and many other cities are available to reach Patna.
By Rail: The closest rail head is Gaya situated at just 17 kms away.
By Road: the big highways of
Bodhgaya allow visitors to reach Gaya by road easily. The only distance between
Bodhgaya and Gaya is only 17 kms. Nalanda is just 101 kms away, and Rajgir is
only 78 kms away.
