What to See 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 Ahilya Bai 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.