Bodh Gaya

Bodh Gaya sits on the west bank of the Niranjana (Phalgu) in central Bihar, about 12 km from Gaya town. It is where Prince Siddhartha sat down beneath a peepal tree, resolved not to rise until he understood the cause of suffering, and rose as the Buddha — which makes this ground the most significant place in the Buddhist world, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2002.

For Hindu pilgrims it carries a second meaning. Gaya, just up the road, is the foremost place in India to perform pind daan for one’s ancestors, and most families travelling from Ayodhya or Kashi take in both. The two traditions sit side by side here without friction — you will see saffron and maroon robes in the same lane.

What to see

Mahabodhi Temple

The 55-metre brick shikhara dates in its present form to the Gupta period, on foundations laid by Ashoka in the 3rd century BCE. Inside the sanctum sits the gilded Buddha in bhumisparsha mudra — the earth-touching gesture of the moment of enlightenment. Circumambulate the temple clockwise; the outer railing carries carved medallions that are among the oldest stonework on the site.

The Bodhi Tree and Vajrasana

The tree behind the temple is a descendant of the original, grown from a sapling of the Sri Lankan tree that was itself taken from the first. Beneath it, the polished sandstone Vajrasana or Diamond Throne marks the seat of enlightenment. Monks meditate here from before dawn; it is the quietest and most affecting hour of the day.

The Great Buddha Statue

The 80-foot sandstone and red granite Buddha, consecrated by the Dalai Lama in 1989, sits in the Daijokyo compound and is visible from much of the town. Seven years in the making, and the tallest Buddha in India when it was built.

The international monasteries

Every major Buddhist nation maintains a monastery here, each built in its own idiom, and most welcome visitors. The Royal Bhutan Monastery, the Thai Wat with its golden roof, the Japanese Indosan Nipponji, the Tibetan Karma Temple with its great prayer wheel, and the monasteries of Myanmar, Vietnam, China and Sri Lanka are all within a short walk of each other. Walking the circuit is the best way to spend an afternoon in Bodh Gaya.

Sujata Stupa and Dungeshwari Caves

Across the river, the Sujata Stupa marks the village of the milkmaid whose bowl of kheer ended the Buddha’s six years of extreme austerity. The Dungeshwari (Mahakala) Caves, some 12 km north, are where those austerities were practised — a steep but short climb to a small shrine with an emaciated Buddha image.

Gaya and Vishnupad

In Gaya town, the Vishnupad Temple is built over a footprint of Lord Vishnu set in solid rock, and the Phalgu ghats are where pind daan is performed.

Best time to visit

October to March is the season. December and January are cool and clear, and coincide with the teachings the Dalai Lama sometimes gives here — the town fills completely when he does, so book far ahead. April to June is severely hot on the Gangetic plain and best avoided; the monsoon is green and quiet but the Phalgu runs high.

Festivals

• Buddha Purnima — April or May, marking the birth, enlightenment and parinirvana together. The temple is lit through the night.
• Pitru Paksha Mela — September or October, the fortnight when lakhs of Hindu pilgrims come to Gaya for pind daan.
• Monlam prayer festival — the Tibetan great prayer gathering, usually in the winter months.
• Losar — Tibetan New Year, February or March, celebrated across the monasteries.

Getting there

Gaya Junction is 12 km away on the Delhi–Howrah main line, so it is well connected by rail. Gaya International Airport handles seasonal direct flights from Bangkok, Colombo, Yangon and Thimphu during the pilgrimage season, and domestic flights from Kolkata and Delhi. By road it is roughly 2 hours from Rajgir, 3 hours from Patna and about 6 hours from Varanasi. From Ayodhya it is a long day’s drive of some 500 km, which is why our yatra breaks the journey rather than running it in one stretch.

Practical notes

• Mobile phones are not permitted inside the Mahabodhi complex. There is a paid cloakroom at the entrance, but leaving them in the vehicle is faster.
• Shoes come off at the gate. Carry a pair of socks — the stone gets hot by mid-morning.
• Go at first light. The temple opens around 5am and the hour before the crowds arrive is the reason to come.
• Dress modestly and keep shoulders and knees covered; this is an active place of worship for several traditions at once.
• Two nights is the right length — one day for the Mahabodhi complex and the monastery circuit, one for Dungeshwari, Sujata and Gaya.