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Bodhgaya
Population : 25,585
Languages : Bhojpuri, Hindi and English
Best Time to Visit : Winters STD Codes : 0631
Bodhgaya 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.
Bodhgaya is located in the central part of the state of Bihar,
in the northeastern part of India. It is the part of the great
Ganges plains. It is situated on the west of the Falgu River,
which is a tributary of River Ganga (Ganges). It is 13 km
south of Gaya and 113 km south of Patna city. The climate
of Bodhgaya is tropical. Summers are generally hot (April-June),
while winters are cool (October-February).
The best time to visit Bodhgaya is during winter (October-February).
Places of Interest
The main tourist attraction in Bodhgaya is the
Mahabodhi temple. The original Bodhi tree under which Buddha
gained enlightenment had died, but the present tree is a descendant
of the original tree, which was obtained from Anuradhapura
in Sri Lanka, where it was taken by Sanghamitra, King Ashoka's
daughter in 3rd century BC. The red sandstone slab under this
tree is said to be the throne on which Buddha sat. The Mahabodhi
temple stands on the 3rd-century-BC shrine, erected by Ashoka.
It is intricately carved and houses a large gilded image of
Buddha. The present temple has been restored to its past glory.
A number of countries like Japan, Burma, China, Sri Lanka,
Korea, Nepal, etc., where Buddhism is an important faith,
have built their respective monasteries and temples in Bodhgaya.
Theses monasteries and temples offer to the tourist different
architectural styles of these countries. The Archeological
Museum of Bodhgaya is another important place to visit in
this small town.
Thousands of Buddhist pilgrims from all over the world throng
to Bodhgaya every year.
Bodhgaya is not only an important Buddhist pilgrim center
and an archeological site, but also it also for famous for
the various meditation courses offered by a number of institutes,
in and around the town. Most of the courses are conducted
in winters (October-February).
SITES NEARBY
The town of Gaya is 13 km from Bodhgaya, which is also located
on the Falgu River. As Bodhgaya is for the Buddhists, Gaya
is an important pilgrim place for the Hindus.
HOW TO REACH
Bodhgaya does not have an airport of its own. There is no
railway station in Bodhgaya and it can only be reached by
road. The main bus stop in Bodhgaya is located near Sujata
Bridge on the Falgu River on the northeastern edge of the
town. There is bus service to the town of Gaya, which is 13
km north of Bodhgaya. Bus service to Varanasi is also good.
Auto-rickshaws ply back and forth Gaya and Bodhgaya, but they
are overcrowded most of the time.
PLACES TO STAY
There are a number of budget hotels and places of cheap accommodation
in Bodhgaya, within walking distance from the main bus stand.
There are few mid-range and high-end hotels in Bodhgaya and
the ITDC hotel Bodhgaya Ashok is the main hotel in the higher
category. Some of the monasteries belonging to other countries
also provide accommodation to the tourists.
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