Bodh Gaya
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. This is the place where Gautama Buddha attained Enlightenment under the Bodhi tree. The site of the world renowned, Mahabodhi Temple, Bodh Gaya is the most sacred pilgrimage place for Buddhists. 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.