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Bodh Gaya
Bodh Gaya is a village in the state of Bihar. As the
site of the Buddha Shakyamuni's enlightenment, Bodh Gaya 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.
For Buddhists, Bodh Gaya is the most important of
the main four pilgrimage sites related to the life of Gautama
Buddha, the other three being Kushinagar,
Lumbini,
and Sarnath. In 2002, Mahabodhi Temple, located in Bodh Gaya, became
a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The surrounding town, by contrast, is dusty, noisy and somewhat
polluted, due in large part to the large numbers of pilgrims and
tourists who visit there. A new development plan has been proposed
to "ensure a sustainable and prosperous future" for Bodh Gaya, but
has become controversial because such a plan may require the
relocation of whole neighborhoods.
Bihar State Tourism Development Corporation (Bihar
Tourism (Tel: 0612-225411)) provides travel facility from state
capital Patna to visit Bodh circuit (Bodhgaya, Rajgir, Nalanda,
Vaishali, Kesaria, Lumbini, Kushinagar, Sarnath), Jain Circuit (Rajgir,
Pawapuri) and Sikh Circuit in Biha
The nearest airport is at Gaya (16 km) - Druk Air flies from Bangkok
once a week. Thai Airways flies to Gaya daily. Indian Airlines flies
from Kolkata on Fridays at 10.00 a.m. and Returns back on Mondays
from Gaya at around 15.00 hrs.
Alternatively, you may take a flight to the Patna Airport (110 km
away) and take a train or a taxi to Bodh Gaya as Patna has multiple
daily direct flights to Delhi, Kolkata and Mumbai.
By train
The nearest Railway station is Gaya (16 km). From there you can take
a bus or a three wheel taxi to Bodh Gaya. Three-wheel taxi price is
extremely variable, depending on time of day, but should be between
80-120 Rs. You should bargain considerably, there is rarely a
shortage of service.
The train from Patna (which as the nearest good size airport and
railhead) to Gaya costs 34 rupees (as of January 2008). The express
trains take about two hours. Best train travel from Calcutta is
about 8 hours; from Delhi, about 15 hours.
The road from Patna is in condition at the moment, train is also
recommended.
Place to see / Sightseeing
Most temples open from 6 am to sunset and close
between noon and 2 pm.
Bodhi Tree - it is believed that this tree is a direct descendant
of the one under which the Buddha Sakyamuni attained enlightenment,
inside the Mahabodhi complex.
Mahabodhi Stupa
Thai Monastery,
80-foot Buddha Statue
Japanese temple (Indosan Nippon), Temple Road, 2200743.
5am-6pm. edit Daily meditation at 6 AM and 5 PM.
Archaelogical Museum, closed Fridays, IR 2 (foreigners and locals
alike)
Tergar Monastery, Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche
Phowa Center, Choeje Ayang Rinpoche
Gendhen Phelgyeling Monastery
Karma Dhargye Chokhorling Monastery, Beru Khyentse Rinpoche
Root Institute, Zopa Rinpoche
Kagyu Monlam Chenmo, prayer festival, January
Nyingma Monlam Chenmo, prayer festival, January/February
Bodhgaya Multimedia Museum, Located next to the Mahabodhi
Temple,Open all 7 days of the week. Museum provides the historical
and Geographical context for the life of Buddha through a set of
Multimedia films and 3D Animation movie. Phone:9199778545.
Barabar caves, the oldest surviving rock-cut caves in India,
mostly dating from the Mauryan period (322–185 BCE), and some with
Ashokan inscriptions, located in the Jehanabad District, 24 km north
of Gaya.
Place to Sleep / Hotels in Bodh Gaya.
Monastery guest houses offer a cheap option to hotels, though guests
are expected to adhere to their house rules. They do not charge
fixed nightly rates, but instead accept donations (ask other guests
for the going rate). There is a whole string of guesthouses just
opposite the park from the Mahabodhi Temple. All pretty much the
same well maintained with restaurants on the ground floor at around
Rs 200 a single.
Bhutan Monastery. Pleasant but basic single and family rooms, some
with private bathroom edit
Burmese Vihara, Gaya Road. Very basic accommodation. The Vihara
exists mainly to cater to groups of Burmese pilgrims, but there are
often rooms available for others. Rules are posted prominently. Food
service is only for those arriving in groups, and by prior
arrangement.
Mahabodhi Society. Private rooms and dorms available.
Rainbow Guesthouse, next to Burmese Vihara on Gaya Road. Basic
rooms, are cleaned more thoroughly on request, friendly and reliable
staff.
Sakya Monastery Guesthouse, Mastipur Village (Near Bhutan
Monastery), 91 631 2200770. Clean, simple, friendly, peaceful and
calm environment.
Siddhartha Vihar, Bihar Tourist Complex, +91 631'' 220-0445.
Simple, but comfortable rooms.
Hotel Sujata, Buddha Marg,+''91 631''
220-0481/220-0761/220-0011 fax: ''+91 631'' 220-0511), checkin:
1- 03-09; checkout: 3-03-09. Clean environment and good restaurant.
Welcome Guest House, 2 mins walk from Tamplenear Mahabodhi Temple
(opp-jayprakash prak), ''+91 631'' 2200377 ,
. checkout: Noon. Cheap and pleasant dorm accommodation.
Royal Residency, Domuhan Road, ''+91 631'' 220-0124 (fax: ''+91
631'' 220-0181). Comfortable rooms with Japanese style hot tub. |
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States of India:
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