Bodh Gaya

Bodh Gaya is a town in the state of Bihar. It was the site of the Buddha Shakyamuni's enlightenment, and is the most revered of all Buddhist sacred sites and is part of the Buddhist Circuit.

The main temple complex houses the famous Mahabodhi temple/stupa and a descendant of the original Bodhi Tree under which the Buddha gained enlightenment. There are also temples or monasteries from many other nations with a Buddhist tradition such as Thailand, Tibet and Japan.

The town is a popular spot for tourists from across the Buddhist world. Consequently, a large tourist industry has sprung up along with huge numbers of unscrupulous hustlers, scammers, and beggars, but strict security ensures that that those who indulge in these activities do not disturb the atmosphere inside the stupa compound.

Understand
The man who became the Buddha was born in Lumbini, now in Nepal. He was the son of the local ruler, raised in some luxury and well-educated by the standards of the place and time. As a young man he became a seeker of knowledge, giving up luxuries, travelling a good deal, and learning from several teachers. Bodh Gaya is where he achieved enlightenment while meditating under a tree.

By plane
The nearest airport is at Gaya (10 km) - Druk Air flies from Paro once a week from November to March. Thai Airways flies to Gaya daily. Air India flies from several destinations including Kolkata and Delhi.

Alternatively, you may take a flight to 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 car
The road from Patna to Bodh Gaya is very rough and narrow, making the three-hour journey feel much longer.

By train
The nearest railway station is Gaya, 16 km away. From there you can take a bus or a three-wheel taxi (rickshaw) to Bodh Gaya. Rickshaw prices are variable, but the going rate was ₹20 for shared ride or ₹150 for entire rickshaw no matter what time of the day in April 2015. There is rarely a shortage of rickshaws.

The train from Patna to Gaya costs ₹25 for passenger train and ₹50 for express non-reserved seat. The fastest express trains in the early morning take about two and half hours and slow passenger trains take about four hours, which is still comparable to buses. Trains leave one to two hour interval.

Best train travel from Kolkata is about 8 hours; from Delhi, about 15 hours (2nd class air con costs ₹161 - book upstairs at Gaya station then pay downstairs at window 29).

The Bodh Gaya train booking office is located opposite the Bank of India (just past the Thai Temple - about 1km from the centre of town)

By bus


Departing from: Private buses leave in the morning from Varanasi, Nalanda, and Rajgir. In addition, from November to March, special services ply the route from Phuentsholing through Siliguri.
 * Kolkata. Daily 4:30 (Sri Ram Travels - non-A/C sleeper), 5PM (Maharani Express - A/C sleeper), 7PM Bengal Tiger - A/C sleeper). Respectively, ₹450, ₹650, ₹1,100. 11-12 hours.
 * Siliguri. Daily, 3PM from Siliguri Bus Station (Jay Jagdambey Bus Company - A/C sleeper). ₹699. Approx 17 hours..

By car
By far the most convenient way to get around Bodh Gaya are the auto-rickshaws, cycle-rickshaws, and tourist taxis. As always, make sure to bargain and agree on a price before setting out on the trip. The costs are usually quite low; a few rupees will likely get you most places in the city.

By foot
Bodh Gaya is very walkable. Most of the major destinations and are within 2 km (about a half-hour walk) from the Mahabdohi Temple complex. There are lots of pilgrims visiting for much of the year, so the streets will have people in them.

See
Most temples open from 6AM to sunset and close between noon and 2PM.


 * Bodhi Tree: During the first week, the Buddha remained under the Bodhi tree. A descendant of this tree can be seen on the western side of the temple today.
 * Animeshlocha Stupa: During the second week, the Buddha sat in a spot and stared at the Bodhi tree. This spot is now the Animeshlocha Stupa, or "unblinking stupa," where a statue of Buddha sits staring at the tree in the northern part of the temple.
 * Ratnachakrama: During the third week, the Buddha paced back and forth between the tree and the stupa. This path is marked by the Ratnachakrama (Jewelled Ambulatory), which is near the north wall of the main temple. Lotuses sprang up from where he walked, and today, there are raised stone lotuses marking his steps.
 * Ratnaghar Chaitya: This is the spot where Buddha spent the fourth week, to the northeastern part of the temple.
 * Ajapala Nigrodh Pillar: The Buddha spent the fifth week meditating and answering the questions of the Brahmans under the Ajapala Nigrodh tree, a spot which is commemorated with a large pillar, on the central path past the east entrance.
 * Lotus Pond: The Buddha spent the sixth week next to the Lotus Pond, to the south of the main complex.
 * Rajyatana Tree: The seventh and final week was spent under the Rajyatana Tree, whose spot is marked in the southeastern corner of the temple with an actual tree.
 * Rajyatana Tree: The seventh and final week was spent under the Rajyatana Tree, whose spot is marked in the southeastern corner of the temple with an actual tree.

Do
Bodh Gaya is essentially a pilgrimage destination for Buddhists and all of its main attractions are related to this. The subsidiary tourist industry that has grown up around it (shopping, eating, and accommodation) is not really the main attraction. However, there are a number of shops in the main town that specialize in cheap souvenirs that are specific to Bodh Gaya, which may be of interest to some pilgrims.

The main activity for pilgrims is to circumambulate the stupa and to practice meditation under the bodhi tree. Non-Buddhists may just savour the peaceful and refined atmosphere in and around the stupa. The lighting that was installed in 2020 has brought an especially warm and serene ambience to the main site, making the evening a good time to time to walk around the stupa or to just sit quietly under the tree.

Learn
While there is plenty to learn from just walking around in Bodh Gaya, there are some institutions that offer instruction specifically geared toward travellers and pilgrims.



Eat
Many restaurants and cafes are seasonal, and so from the beginning of April untito the end of September many of the places listed will be closed.



Alcohol
While there are no alcohol outlets in Bodh Gaya, hotels and guesthouses serve beer (₹100-150), provided it is drunk indoors out of public view.

Monasteries
Monastery guest houses offer a cheap alternative 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 ₹200 a single. Another group of mostly simple guesthouses is north of Kalachakra Maidan.



Internet
Many of the restaurants listed in the "Eat" section provide free WiFi.

Temples
As in many sacred places, you must take off your shoes before entering the inner parts of the main Mahabodhi Temple complex, as well as any of the monasteries around the area. In fact, due to this, it is recommend you wear sandals or shoes that are easy to slip on and off. A guideline more specific to Mahabodhi is to circumambulate the stupa and other sacred objects in a clock-wise direction. Although it should go without saying, do not climb onto statues, monuments and other sacred objects.

As it is a very religious town filled with pilgrims and monks, dressing modestly is a sign of respect. Loose-fitting clothing should suffice.

Sacred cow doctrine
As India is the home of the sacred cow doctrine, seeing cows wandering the streets of Bodh Gaya is not an uncommon sight. It is illegal to strike or otherwise offend cows, so refrain from doing this. Furthermore, be sure drivers of any rickshaws you are in are cautious, as hitting a cow with a vehicle is a very serious crime. Foreigners have been fined heavily for these offences.

Beggars
For a non-Indian it is almost impossible to walk twenty meters in the streets without being accosted. Riksha-Wallahs and the hordes of beggars, particularly the groups of children sent to beg instead of going to school, are much more persistent than in other places.

Go next

 * Deo, Bihar – Visit this place for a glimpse of Famous Sun Temple.
 * Kolkata - The cultural capital of north east India. 11-13 hours by bus or train.
 * Nalanda – This Buddhist university was established in 450CE. There are extensive ruins, but no inhabitants. Nalanda Museum is open 10AM-5PM daily except Friday. Shared jeeps plying the route between Rajgir and Bihar Sharif make a stop at the turnoff for Nalanda. Rickshaws and other vehicles are available from there to the main gate, a distance of 2 km. PWD operates a guest house near the gate.
 * Patna - 130 km by road, deluxe buses for Patna available from BSTDC (enquiry phone No. +91 631 220 0672) Bodhgaya Hotel (7AM, 2PM daily). Local and express trains from Gaya Junction.
 * Rajgir – The site of Gridhakuta (Vulture's Peak), where the Buddha stayed and gave teachings on the Mahayana (the second turning of the wheel), and Venuvana, the first Buddhist monastery. Rajgir is also an area known for its hot springs, which are open to the public. There are daily bus tours that depart from behind the Birla temple (close to Cafe OM) and cover Rajgir, Nalanda and around 10 to 12 other interesting sights on the way. These buses leave at around 8AM and return at 7PM. Be ready for a really bumpy ride, which is well worth the effort. Charges are surprisingly low. If you ask any travel agent within Bodh Gaya about this, they will most likely not tell you about this cheap option. It is preferable to book your tickets a day in advance, as at times there are large groups of pilgrims. If you want to venture out on your own, there is an option of changing buses at Bihar Sharif.
 * Sarnath: Sarnath is another of the four main pilgrimage sites in Buddhism. It is a suburb of the holy city of Varanasi.
 * Siliguri - One of India's most liberal cities. Gateway to Darjeeling, Sikkim, Bhutan, and North-East India Buses at 1PM (Jai-Jagdamba Travels) and 3PM (Sameer Travels). Journey takes around 17 hours.
 * Varanasi - buses at 6AM (local bus - 7-8 hours) and 4PM (A/C bus - around 6 hours) - Jai-Jagdamba Travels.