Namaste!!
I
am writing today to share one of the most incredibly beautiful and peaceful trips
of my life to Bodh Gaya, an Indian town in the state of Bihar where Prince
Siddhartha became an enlightened one under a bodhi tree 2600 years ago and
became Buddha.
About the Place
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| The Great Buddha Statue |
Historically known as Uruvela, Sambodhi, Vajrasana or Mahabodhi,
Bodh Gaya is a sacred place for Buddhists all over the world. Buddhism at
present is world's fourth-largest religion with over 520 million followers, or
over 7% of the global population. Tourists from all around the world especially
from South East Asia, Central Asia, China, Tibet, Korea and Japan are the major
visitors to this land of Buddhism. I visited the place on 24 September 2018, a
day in my life that will hold a spot forever in my heart and mind.
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| Glimpses of Mahabodhi Temple |
Transport
You can
reach Bodh Gaya according to your convenience as there are lot of options
available including trains, buses and flights. My flight was from Bengaluru to
Patna and from Patna I took a train to reach Gaya. I had to face a little
hurdle as I was unsure about the mode of transport to choose but eventually made
it somehow to the railway station.
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| In the midst of barren fields and ushered by the waves of warmness, stands still the 64 feet statue of an enlightened soul. |
Ø Train Passengers
If
you are coming to Bodh Gaya by train, you need to get down in Gaya railway
station which is the nearest railway station where trains from cities such as Patna,
Varanasi, New Delhi, Kolkata, Puri, Bangalore and other places in Bihar and
India will be available. Bodh Gaya is approximately 16 kms from Gaya railway station.
You can either take a bus or an auto to reach Bodh Gaya. If you are coming from
Patna by train, it will take approximately 3/3.5 hours to reach Bodh Gaya. Indian Railways operates a
special Buddhist Circuit Tourist Train and is known as Mahaparinirvan Express. The
Buddhist tourist train covers all the places which had a significant impact on
Buddha’s life and teachings. Board the Buddhist train from Safdarjung Railway
Station, Delhi as it heads for religious and traditional Gaya. You can find
more information at Buddhist Circuit Tourist Train.
Ø Flight Passengers
If you are travelling
by flight from any part of India or a different country, you need to reach Gaya
airport i.e. 11 kilometres from Bodh Gaya. In India, there are direct flights
from all major Indian cities such as New Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Bengaluru,
Ahmedabad, Chennai, Kolkata, etc. For international passengers Druk Air,
IndiGo, Thai Smile, Myanmar Airways International, Thai AirAsia, Bhutan
Airlines and Air India all fly directly to Gaya. Check out Skyscanner for more information.
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| The architecture of the Tibetan temple and its overall silence and peace will surely enchant you if you visit. |
Places to explore in Bodh Gaya
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| Vintage Bodh Gaya |
According to the Buddhists,
Bodhgaya is one of the four key pilgrimage sites that is allied with Gautam
Buddha’s life. Listing out some of the places that you can explore in Bodh Gaya.
- Mahabodhi Temple
- Bodhi Tree
- Daijokyo Buddhist Temple
- Thai Monastery
- Muchalinda Lake
- Royal Bhutan Monastery
- Brahmayoni Temple
- Chinese Temple
- Dungeshwari Hills
- Burmese Vihara Monastery
- Sujatha Temple
- Archaeological Society of India Museum
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| Palyul Namdroling Temple |
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| Tibetan Temple |
Accommodation
You
will get lots of high end as well budget hotels in Bodh Gaya. As I was staying in
Gaya and only went for a day trip to Bodh Gaya so I didn’t book any hotels.
However, you will get plenty of options for accommodations. Please check out tripadvisor for hotel bookings.
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| Out of the chaos of human civilization, stands still the Mahabodhi Temple (dome-shaped construction behind the electric pole), constructed by King Ashoka somewhere between 250-233 BC. There is a Diamond Throne apparently built by Ashoka at the same place near the Bodhi Tree where Gautam Buddha sat. |
My experience
in Bodh Gaya
Even though I was in Bodh Gaya only for a day, the reminiscences
of the holy place are well preserved and treasured deep within. I will not be
able to put up exact words to define how I felt at that time but nonetheless I will
definitely like to recommend this holy place to anyone who believes in spending
time in total quietness and tranquillity irrespective of religious faith. The
moment I came near to the entrance of Mahabodhi Temple, I had a feeling this is
where I belong. To be in a place which
you have heard for years and always wanted to be there is an astonishing feeling
when you are actually there, a feeling that cannot be put in words.
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Metta Buddharam
Temple, Thai Temple
|
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| The majestic colours and the flamboyant design sparkles up the enlightened ascended master in his truest form. |
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Royal Bhutan
Monastery
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When I saw the Bodhi Tree, the tree under which Prince
Siddhartha attained Nirvana and became Buddha for the rest of the world, it
made me completely astounded. Thinking about the present world where we are
heading to; Prince Siddhartha 2600 years back could figure out the existence of
the universe leaving behind all forms of material life is truly remarkable. The
Mahabodhi Tree is inside the temple and strictly people should be quiet as most
of the people will be seen meditating or reciting mantras. The vibe of the
place is stunningly peaceful and the very fact that Buddha attained
enlightenment at the same place makes you think deeper and deeper how things had
been thousands of years ago.
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| The Great Buddha Statue |
I could click only few pictures that I have shared in
this blog as I was intensely lost in deep thoughts but in my opinion, you really
don't need a phone or a DSLR if you are visiting this place for seeking solitude.
All you need to do is close your eyes and be at peace.
Hope this helps. Stay tuned for more blogs. 🙂
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| Addie and his sister |
Hope this helps. Stay tuned for more blogs. 🙂
Let’s travel...!! 😊
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