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Bodh Gaya is one of the important pilgrimage destinations in India for the followers of Buddhism. This is the exact place where Buddha got enlightened after meditating under the Bodhi tree. The Mahabodhi Temple is constructed at the exact spot where Lord Buddha got enlightenment. This sacred place is visited by innumerable visitors due to its religious significance. Not only Indians, but people from other countries visit Bodh Gaya to experience the spiritual essence of Buddhist sacred spots here. The reputed tour operators offer various tour packages to the pilgrims who want to explore Bodh Gaya and its holy spots.
Best Places to Visit in Bodh Gaya
A few popular places to visit in Bodh Gaya are as follows:
Mahabodhi Temple
It is one of the most popular Buddhist temples in Bodh Gaya. Also known as “Great Awakening Temple”, it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, which is believed to be the place where Lord Buddha got enlightenment. The temple has a vast area of 4.8 hectares. The Bodhi Tree is believed to be the descendant of the original tree where Gautam Buddha gained enlightenment. The original Mahabodhi Temple was constructed by King Ashoka after turning to Buddhism.
Thai Monastery
Constructed in the year 1956 by a Thailand Monarch, the Thai Monastery is also one of the best places to visit in Bodh Gaya. Located in lush green surroundings, this monastery is a testament to the expansion of Buddhism across the world. It is a symbol of cultural links between India and Thailand. Once you enter the monastery, you will be amazed to see the grand entrance, which is adorned with colorful murals. They depict the scenes from the Buddhist scriptures. The architecture of the Thai Monastery is quite impressive and creates a spiritual atmosphere for the visitors.
Royal Bhutan Monastery
Another worth-seeing place in Bodh Gaya is the Royal Bhutan Monastery. This is a beautiful Buddhist monastery that attracts people from all over the world. The monastery features many clay carvings that depict the events of Lord Buddha’s life. This monastery was created by the King of Bhutan to pay homage to Lord Buddha. Royal Bhutan Monastery impresses the visitors with its breath-taking architecture and serenity.
Brahmayoni Temple
You can also visit the Brahmayoni Temple during your Bodh Gaya tour. People have a deep reverence for this temple and visit it in large numbers. The temple is considered the most sacred place for the devotees. However, they need to climb 424 high stone steps to reach the temple, which is located at the top of the hill.
There are two caves in the hill named Maitreyiyoni and Brahmayoni. According to a legend, Lord Buddha delivered the fire-sermon to many fire worshipping ascetics on this hill, and all of the ascetics got enlightened after listening to it. You will feel the divinity of this temple when you are here. The Brahmayoni temple is named after the Brahmayoni Hill. This hill has a great historical significance because it is believed to be the exact place where he gave the Fire Sermon to a large number of ascetics.
Cankamana
It is one of the holiest places situated in the Mahabodhi Temple complex in Bodhigaya. The literal name of ‘Cankamana’ is the ‘walking path’, which refers to the place where the Buddha is believed to walk up and down during his meditation session after getting enlightenment. It is believed that Lord Buddha used to walk 24 steps at this spot, which represented the 24 hours of a day. It is a rectangular platform made with the help of smooth stones. This platform is decorated with beautiful inscriptions and carvings, which showcase the history and culture of this region. Visitors from different parts of the country come here to offer prayers and perform important rituals.
Chinese Temple
It is another place to visit in Bodh Gaya. This is a holy site for Buddhists and is situated 1 km away from the Bodh Gaya bus station. The temple is located in front of the Mahabodhi Temple complex and is one of the most visited places in Bodh Gaya. It is a beautiful Buddhist temple constructed by Chinese-Buddhist monks in the year 1945. The temple was renovated in 1997. The architecture of the temple is a perfect mixture of Indian and Chinese designs. The exterior of the temple looks exactly like a Chinese monastery. The Chinese Temple has a Buddha statue that is approximately 200 years old. It was brought from China. You will find 3 golden statues of Buddha here, apart from the main temple.
Indosan Nippon Japanese Temple
It is one of the popular Buddhist temples to visit in Bodh Gaya. It is located only 500 m away from the Buddha statue. It was constructed with the help of international Buddhist communities in the year 1972. Located near the Royal Bhutan Monastery, this temple was constructed to promote Buddhism and the teachings of Lord Buddha. Indosan Nippon Japanese Temple is known for its unique Japanese architecture. It showcases the culture and traditions of Buddhism. One of the striking features of the temple is its intricate carvings that attract tourists from all over the country.
Best Time to Visit Bodh Gaya
You can explore Bodh Gaya in the following seasons:
Winter Season
The winter season is ideal for visiting Bodh Gaya. The weather is good during this season, which helps travelers to explore Bodh Gaya without worrying about the heat. The temperature remains 4 to 25 degrees Celsius during the winter season. If you are planning to visit this season, do not miss the Kalchakra festival, which is organized during this time.
Monsoon Season (July to September)
This is another good season to explore Bodh Gaya. This place comes alive in the rainy season. The rains decrease the temperature of Bodh Gaya and help travelers to explore this area without any difficulty. Thus, you can book a trip to Bodh Gaya in this season without having any second thoughts.
Summer Season (March to June)
The temperature of Bodh Gaya in the summer season remains 25 to 45 degrees Celsius. Thus, very few people visit this place during this period. Hence, it is the least favourable time of the year to visit this place.
Shopping in Bodh Gaya
Tibetan Refugee Market
Situated near the Mahabodhi Temple, this market is one of the most famous shopping places in Bodhgaya. The whole market is run and managed by Tibetan artisans and families. You can buy a wide range of articles here, such as bronze Buddha statues, Thangkas, Handmade Tibetan prayer wheels, stoles, handcrafted bags, singing bowls, woolen shawls, etc. This market is quite popular for the authenticity of the items that are sold here. The atmosphere of this market is spiritual, and the prices are in sync with your requirements.
Kundan Bazaar
This market is also one of the best places for shopping in Bodh Gaya. There is a small shop at a guest house, which is known as “Kundan bazaar guest house”. The shop is visited by innumerable tourists. It has a great collection of Lord Buddha Figurines, clothing, gift items, and Buddhism-related books. Each item sold in this shop is qualitative. The price of the items at this bazaar is within your budget. However, you can get more discounts if you bargain here.
Bodh Gaya Handicrafts
This is undoubtedly the best place to find hand-crafted items. Each item of this craft stall is highly qualitative. All hand crafted articles of this stall are made by local artisans. You can purchase any item here at the best prices if you are good at bargaining. This is a dedicated stall for handcrafted items. Hence, only serious shoppers turn to this stall and buy items from here.
How to Reach Bodh Gaya?
There are several ways through which you can reach Bodh Gaya. You can reach here in the following ways:
By Road
Bodh Gaya is connected with Patna and other cities by road. Bihar State Tourism Corporation offers a bus service to many cities such as Rajgir, Varanasi, and Nalanda. Apart from the standard buses, the deluxe buses also ply regularly between these places. You can also book Volvo air-conditioned buses to reach Bodh Gaya. Taxis are also available for tourists who run between Bodh Gaya and Gaya.
By Train
Gaya is the nearest railway station to Bodh Gaya. It is only 13 kilometers away from here. Gaya is connected to each major city, such as Delhi, Kolkata, etc. If you are coming from Delhi and Kolkata, you can easily reach Gaya as there are many direct trains to these locations. After reaching Gaya, you can reach Bodh Gaya via a taxi.
By Air
Gaya airport is 17 kilometres away from Bodh Gaya. However, the frequency of flights at this airport is not good. There are many international flights to Gaya. Thus, the international passengers can easily reach Gaya by flight and resume their journey to Bodh Gaya. You can also reach Gaya from Patna by flight. The distance between these two places is 135 km. Patna is connected with all the major cities of the country, such as Lucknow, Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai, etc.
