Bodhi Temple Bodh Gaya,Maha Bodhi Buddhist Temple,Buddhist Maha Bodhi Temple,Maha Bodhi Temple at Bodh Gaya

Location	Bodh Gaya, Bihar, India.
Built By	Emperor Ashoka
Prime Attractions	Bodhi Tree, Jewel Path, Vajraasana, Lotus Pond and Dharma Chakra.
Best Time To Visit	October to March
Visiting Hours	Open everyDay between 5 am to 9 pm.

About Bodhi Temple
The Bodhi Temple, built in the 3rd century is an important Buddhist pilgrimage centre. Buddhist pilgrims and tourists from all parts of the world, visit Bodh Gaya to study Buddhism and the art of meditation. The visitors throng the temple to simply get the aura of solemn beauty that surrounds the place. Bodhi temple has been declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. It is the place where Lord Sakyamuni (Gautam Buddha), entered into meditation after being moved by the sufferings of mankind. The temple has ruined shrines and memorial, which were erected at the site to commemorate the incidents before and after enlightenment. In addition to a important Buddhist centre, the Bodhi Temple is also a significant archaeological site. The Buddhists from Sri Lanka, Thailand, Burma, Tibet, Bhutan and Japan have established monasteries and temples near the Bodhi Temple.

Bodhi Tree
Maha Bodhi temple Buddha Gaya India

The Bodhi Tree which stands toDay is probably the descendant of the original Banyan tree. The Lord Buddha sat under the Banyan tree, on a stone platform, in Vajrasana, the seat of stability, and attained Nirvana (enlightenment).

Chankramana
The place marks the sacred spot of the Buddha's meditative perambulations during the third week after enlightenment. It is believed that the Lord Budhha strolled here while in deep thought.

The Inner Courtyard
The flight of steps lead to the inner courtyard, through a intricately carved granite gateway. On the left a huge circular stone has kept in a small shrine, which has the Buddha's footprints or Buddhapada. A chamber at the top has a image of Buddha's mother Mayadevi.

Architecture of Bodhi Temple
The superbly planned and well balanced architecture of Bodhi Temple, is the blend of several cultures. The temple architecture depicts the style of Gupta Dynasty and subsequent periods. The basement of the temple is 15 metre square, 15 metre in length and breadth and 52 metre in height. The temples rises in the shape of a beautiful pyramid, tapering off from a square platform. On the four sides of the temple, four towers rise to some height. Within the temple there is a colossal statue of the Lord Buddha, in Bhumisparsha mudra, 'touching the ground pose.' It is said that this 1700 years old image facing east is situated at the place where the Buddha was enlightened in meditation, with his back to the Bodhi tree. On the walls of the temple, Buddha is shown in different aspects. The inscriptions on the temple depict the visits of pilgrims from China, Sri Lanka, Mayanmar in the 7th and 10th Centuries A.D.

Attractions near Bodhi Temple
Shaivite Monastery
Situated adjacent to Bodhi Temple, the monastery has a cluster of four temples.

Situated amidst the enchanting greenery and jewelled by architectural marvels, these temples house many samadhis (Commemorative stones) in their vicinity.

Jagannath Temple
Located close to the Shaivite Monastery, the Jagannath Temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva. The temple has the carved glistening black stone statue of the deity.

Bodh Gaya Archaeological Museum
Buddhist pilgrims in Bodhgaya, India

The archaeological museum is must visit for religious art lovers. The museum has a huge collection of stone sculptures and other artifacts. The museum reflects the age of Buddha through several art forms. It houses the Buddhist sculpture collection from 1st Century B.C to 11th Century A.D.

How To Reach
Air : The nearest airport is Gaya (12 Kms) and Patna (135 Kms).. The flights of Indian Airlines connect Patna to Kolkata, Mumbai, Delhi, Ranchi, Lucknow and many other cities.

Rail : Gaya Railway Station (12 Kms) is the major railhead. The trains are available to Gaya from major towns and cities of the country.

Road : Bodh Gaya is well connected by good network of roads to Gaya (12 Kms), Patna (135 Kma), Nalanda (101 Kma), Rajgir (78 Kms) and Varanasi (252 Kms). Regular buses run from Gaya, Patna, Nalanda, Rajgir and Varanasi. Bihar State Tourism Development Corporation run buses from Patna twice a Day.

Local Transport : For local transport Taxis, Tongas, Auto Rickshaws, Cycle Rickshaws are available.

Accommodation
Bodh Gaya has several hotels, which offer comfortable stay. Bihar State Tourism Development Corporation runs three hotels - Siddhartha Vihar, Buddha Vihar and Sujata Vihar. The Indian Tourism development Corporation run Hotel Bodhgaya Ashok.

Bodhi Temple : Reservation Form

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