Buddha Gaya, the birthplace of Buddhism, is a holy place located in Bihar’s Gaya district. The wandering prince Siddhartha sat under a bodhi tree and meditated. The first three days of his meditation and the seven weeks of enlightenment are closely associated with various places in Buddha Gaya. The day of Buddha’s enlightenment is celebrated here as Buddha Purnima.
Must Visit Places in Buddha Gaya:
The first thing to visit in Buddha Gaya is the Mahabodhi Temple. Built entirely of bricks, the temple stands as a testament to the Gupta period architecture. It has a 50m high temple Vajrasana in the center, holy stupas and other small spiral towers. Next is the Bodhi Tree, which is an integral part of Buddha Gaya tourism.
Followers of Buddhism greet each other with the phrase ‘May the Buddha’s peace be upon you’ after completing meditation under the Bodhi tree. A must-see is the 7-foot-tall Buddha statue, many elaborate clay sculptures, Buddhist scriptures and stone-carved Royal Bhutan Monastery.
Also, Big Buddha Statue, Tibetan Refugee Market, Thai Monastery, Falku River, Muchalinda Lake, Brahmayoni Temple, Sangamana, Chinese Temple, Vietnam Temple are must-see places here.
Highlights of Buddha Gaya
Many foreign countries, including Japan and China, have helped the Indian government in building facilities for Buddhist pilgrims. The place is bustling throughout the year with pilgrims coming from India and abroad to pay homage to the monasteries, temples and the Bodhi tree. Buddha Gaya, which is home to numerous monasteries and temples built by many Buddhist communities around the world, also sprinkles spiritual light on the people who live there.
Buddha Gaya is at its spiritual best during the Buddha Jayanti and the three-week festival for world peace, when the city is thronged with tourists from every part of the world. If you are planning to visit Buddha Gaya, you should plan it on some festive day to absorb the true feel of the place.
Pilgrims and Buddhist monks from every corner of the world come here to see the roots of the tree, worship the Great Buddha, and soak in the air of Buddhism that reverberates through every part of Buddha Gaya. If you think that only spirituality and Buddhism will attract you here, it is not true.
There are some amazing cafes and accommodation here at affordable prices. As there are many restaurants and resorts that serve a variety of cuisines, you can taste not only Indian cuisine but international cuisine as well.
