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Bodhgaya


India City: Bodhgaya

Population : 25,585
Languages : Bhojpuri, Hindi and English
Best Time to Visit : Winters STD Codes : 0631

Thousands of Buddhist pilgrims from all over the world throng to Bodh Gaya every year. Bodh Gaya is one of the four holiest cities of Buddhist faith. The Mahabodhi temple is the main attraction of Bodh Gaya and is located near the spot where Lord Buddha attained spiritual enlightenment. Bodh Gaya is not only an important Buddhist pilgrim center, but it is also an important center for the study of Buddhism.

Bodh Gaya is located in the central part of the state of Bihar, in the northeastern part of India. It is the part of the great Ganges plains. It is situated on the west of the Falgu River, which is a tributary of River Ganga (Ganges). It is 13 km south of Gaya and 113 km south of Patna city. The climate of Bodh Gaya is tropical. Summers are generally hot (April-June), while winters are cool (October-February). The best time to visit Bodh Gaya is during winter (October-February).

The main tourist attraction in Bodh Gaya is the Mahabodhi temple. The original Bodhi tree under which Buddha gained enlightenment had died, but the present tree is a descendant of the original tree, which was obtained from Anuradhapura in Sri Lanka, where it was taken by Sanghamitra, King Ashoka's daughter in 3rd century BC. The red sandstone slab under this tree is said to be the throne on which Buddha sat. The Mahabodhi temple stands on the 3rd-century-BC shrine, erected by Ashoka. It is intricately carved and houses a large gilded image of Buddha. The present temple has been restored to its past glory. A number of countries like Japan, Burma, China, Sri Lanka, Korea, Nepal, etc., where Buddhism is an important faith, have built their respective monasteries and temples in Bodhgaya. Theses monasteries and temples offer to the tourist different architectural styles of these countries. The Archeological Museum of Bodh Gaya is another important place to visit in this small town.

Bodh Gaya is not only an important Buddhist pilgrim center and an archeological site, but also it also for famous for the various meditation courses offered by a number of institutes, in and around the town. Most of the courses are conducted in winters (October-February).

The town of Gaya is 13 km from Bodhgaya, which is also located on the Falgu River. As Bodh Gaya is for the Buddhists, Gaya is an important pilgrim place for the Hindus.

Bodh Gaya does not have an airport of its own. There is no railway station in Bodh Gaya and it can only be reached by road. The main bus stop in Bodh Gaya is located near Sujata Bridge on the Falgu River on the northeastern edge of the town. There is bus service to the town of Gaya , which is 13 km north of Bodhgaya. Bus service to Varanasi is also good. Auto-rickshaws ply back and forth Gaya and Bodhgaya, but they are overcrowded most of the time.

There are a number of budget hotels and places of cheap accommodation in Bodhgaya, within walking distance from the main bus stand. There are few mid-range and high-end hotels in Bodh Gaya and the ITDC hotel Bodh Gaya Ashok is the main hotel in the higher category. Some of the monasteries belonging to other countries also provide accommodation to the tourists.