Mahabodhi Temple is one of the most famous Buddhist Temples in India, located at Bodhgaya (Bodh Gaya), in Gaya district of Bihar. Bodh Gaya is about 96 km from Patna and it is the place where Siddhartha Gautama (Lord Buddha) attained enlightenment. This temple is one of the 84, 000 shrines erected by King Ashoka the Great in the 3rd century BC. Mahabodhi Temple has the credit of being one of earliest Buddhist temples in India exclusively built in brick, from the late Gupta period. The Mahabodhi Temple, Bodhgaya was declared in 2002 as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Bodhgaya Mahabodhi Temple is also one of the four holy sites related to the life of the Lord Buddha. The other three Buddha's Holy Sites are Lumbini - the Birthplace of the Lord Buddha located in the Rupandehi district of Nepal; Sarnath - located 13 km north-east of Varanasi, Sarnath is the deer park where Gautam Buddha first taught the Dharma; and Kushinagar - located in Uttar Pradesh near border of Nepal, Kusinagar is the place where Gautum Buddha attained Mahaparinirvana (Salvation) . The most sacred venue in Buddhism, Mahabodhi Temple at Bodhgaya is visited by both Buddhist and Hindu pilgrims.
Bodhi Tree or Mahabodhi Tree
Mahabodhi Temple stands majestically near the descendent of the original Bodhi tree. Also known as Mahabodhi Tree, the Bodhi tree is about 80 feet high and about 115 years old. Buddhist texts say that Lord Buddha, after his enlightenment, spent a whole week in front of the tree. A red sandstone slab called as ‘Vajrasan’, or diamond throne is seen under the tree. This is said to be the slab on which Gautam Buddha sat.
Archaeological Museum in Bodhgaya Bihar
Bodhgaya Archaeological Museum, established in 1956, forms part of the temple complex and houses a good collection of Buddha statues in terracotta and stone. Displays also include other artifacts, including stone carvings of Buddhist and Brahmanical faith of Pala period and Zodiac signs on railings of Sunga age. Visitors are allowed in to the Bodh Gaya Archaeological Museum is from 10.00 am to 5.00 pm; the museum is closed on Fridays.
Legend of Mahabodhi Temple Bodhgaya
Legends say that Siddhartha Gautama was a young Indian Prince who wanted to put an end to the suffering of the people. He reached the banks of Falgu River, near the city of Gaya, and sat in meditation under a peepul tree (Sacred Fig), which later came to be known as the Bodhi tree. It is said that after three days and three nights, Siddharta attained enlightenment and the Mahabodhi Temple was built to mark that location.
Other Attractions
Bodhgaya is also known for its Buddhist monasteries. The Indosan Nipponji Japanese Temple bears a magnificent Buddha statue and the Thai temple has shiny golden roofs and stylishly curved lines. Other monasteries include Tibetan monasteries and the houses of worship maintained by Sri Lankan, Bhutanese, Chinese, Vietnamese and Nepalese monks.
Mahabodhi Temple Visiting Time
Visitors are allowed every day from 6 am to noon and from 2 pm to 6.30 pm. The best time to visit is between October and March.
How to reach Mahabodhi Temple, Bodhgaya?
Reaching Bodhgaya by Air / Flight
Gaya Airport, also known as Bodhgaya Airport, is just 5 km from Bodhgaya.
Reaching Mahabodhi Temple by Road / Bus
Bodhgaya is about 13 km from Gaya, 450 km west of Calcutta, and 90 km south of Patna, in Bihar.
Reaching Mahabodhi Temple by Train / Railway Station
Gaya Junction Railway Station is the nearest railway station to reach Mahabodhi Temple, Bodhgaya.
Hotels in Bodhgaya, Bihar
There are numerous hotels in Bodhgaya, offering excellent accommodation facilities for tourists visiting Bodh Gaya. Hotels in Bodhgaya range from low budget hotels to 5 star deluxe hotels offering world class accommodation facilities for Bodhgaya pilgrims as well as national and international tourists. Tourists / Devotees planning to visit Bodhgaya can search for hotels in Bodhgaya and directly book your hotel using any online Hotel Booking website.
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