Bodhgaya

Bodhgaya is a village in the state of Bihar. As the site of the Buddha Shakyamuni's enlightenment, Bodhgaya is the most revered of all Buddhist sacred sites. The main complex houses the famous Mahabodhi temple/stupa and a descendant of the original Bodhi Tree under which the Buddha gained enlightenment.

Prince Gautama achieved enlightenment in this sacred place under the Bodhi or Asvatta tree some 2500 years ago and came to be known as Lord Buddha. Bodhgaya is counted as one of the major Buddhist pilgrimage center apart from the other three viz, Lumbini where his highness had taken birth, Sarnath the place of the first lecture near Varanasi, and finally the place of his death at Kushinagar, near Gorakhpur.

The surroundings of Bodhgaya are all filled with temples and even the Tibetan pilgrims are seen coming for worship in the winters. The temple in Bodhgaya is made on a square platform, with four pillars around each corner. The 1700 years old image of Buddha inside the temple is in the Marshallings Audra touching the groundwater. Tourists from all over the world travel Bodhgaya, to study Buddhism and the art of meditation or to simple pay homage to Lord Buddha.

Bodhgaya is the most important Buddhist pilgrimage place in the world. Located in the state of Bihar, it's here that Lord Buddha became enlightened during intense meditation under a Bodhi tree. The exact spot is now marked by the sprawling Mahabodhi Temple complex. It's a very serene and peaceful place. Monks from all over the world can be found sitting at the foot of an enormous carved Buddha statue, reading holy scriptures in deep contemplation. The town is also home to dozens of Buddhist monasteries, maintained by various Buddhist countries.