| Mahabodhi Temple - Bodhgaya |
| Bodh Gaya or Bodhgaya is a city in Gaya district of Bihar. Bodh Gaya or Bodhgaya is the place of Buddha's attainment of Enlightenment. This is located about 96 kilometers from Patna, contains the Mahabodhi Temple with the diamond throne called the Vajrasana and the holy Bodhi tree and was built over 2500 years ago. This tree is saplings of the Sri Maha Bodhi tree in Sri Lanka, itself a sapling of the original Bodhi tree. |
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| Bodhimanda (ground around the Bodhi-tree), Uruvela, Sambodhi, Vajrasana and Mahabodhi are the names in past of the city Bodhgaya. At present Mahabodhi Temple, the main monastery of Bodhgaya was called the Bodhimanda-vihara (Pali). Related to the life of Gautama Buddha for Buddhists Bodh Gaya is the most important of the main four pilgrimage sites the other three being Kushinagar, Lumbini, and Sarnath. |
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| According to Buddhist traditions, Prince Gautama Siddhartha as an ascetic wandering, reached the banks of Falgu River. Under bodhi tree he sat in meditation. Siddharta attained enlightenment and insight after three days and three nights of meditation. Spending seven weeks at seven different spots the Buddha travelled to Sarnath and started the lessons of Dharma. |
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As the time passed, the place became known as Bodh Gaya, the day of enlightenment as Buddha Purnima, and the tree as the Bodhi Tree. The place was visited by disciples of Gautama Siddhartha during the full moon in the month of Vaisakh, as per the Hindu calendar i.e. in the months of April-May.
Emperor Asoka visited Bodh Gaya after the Enlightenment of the Buddha approx 250 years. The original Mahabodhi temple was constructed by Emperor Asoka with an elongated spire crowned by a miniature stupa and a chhatravali on a platform. A double flight of steps led up to the platform and the upper sanctum. The temple was constructed or renovated in the 1st century during the Kushan period is the belief in some historians. The temple was abandoned and forgotten |
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| as the decline of Buddhism in India and the temple was buried under layers of soil and sand. As part of Sir Alexander Cunningham’s work for the British Archaeological Society in the late 19th century the temple was later restored. |
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| The Buddha Jayanti festival which falls on a full moon day in April/May every year is celebrated to commemorate the occasions of Buddha's birth anniversary as well as enlightenment is celebrated in delight fully. Nyingma Monlam Chenmo is held in January-February for about three weeks every year. This festival is celebrated for world peace and is generally attended by Dalai Lama (incarnation of Gautama Buddha) as well. |
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| To reach Bodhgaya |
By Air - The nearest airport is at Gaya 16km from the city.
By Train - The nearest railway station is Gaya (16km).
By Bus – A number of buses ply on the road connecting Bodhgaya and Gaya. |
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