Image Source: Wikimedia Commons image is in public domain captured by CDC personnel (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) 

Mahabodhi Temple

Introduction: Mahabodhi temple is a place of worship associated with the Buddhist faith. It became a UNESCOWorld Heritage Site in 2002. It is famous because it is the place where Buddha attained enlightenment under what has come to be known as the Bodhi tree. It is one of the four main pilgrimage sites related to the life of Buddha, the other three being Kushinagar, Lumbini, and Sarnath.

Geographical Location: It is located in the Gaya district in the Indianstate of Bihar. It is about 105 km by road south of Patna or about 250 km by road east of Varanasi.

Historical Timeline: The first construction of the temple is said to have been done by king Ashok in the 3 BCE. Not much has survived from that and the present structure owes its origin to the temple made during the Gupta period in the 7 CE. Since then the temple has undergone several renovations and ... More

Image Source: Wikimedia Commons image is in public domain captured by CDC personnel (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) 

Mahabodhi Temple

Introduction: Mahabodhi temple is a place of worship associated with the Buddhist faith. It became a UNESCOWorld Heritage Site in 2002. It is famous because it is the place where Buddha attained enlightenment under what has come to be known as the Bodhi tree. It is one of the four main pilgrimage sites related to the life of Buddha, the other three being Kushinagar, Lumbini, and Sarnath.

Geographical Location: It is located in the Gaya district in the Indianstate of Bihar. It is about 105 km by road south of Patna or about 250 km by road east of Varanasi.

Historical Timeline: The first construction of the temple is said to have been done by king Ashok in the 3 BCE. Not much has survived from that and the present structure owes its origin to the temple made during the Gupta period in the 7 CE. Since then the temple has undergone several renovations and repairs in different periods of time, especially since the 19th century, under the patronage and supervision of a number of devout Kings, wealthy merchants and philanthropists, both from India and abroad.

Deity: Buddha is the deity at Mahabodhi temple in Bodh Gaya.

Visit time: The visit timings of this temple is from 5 am to 9 pm on each day. The hours of the day are devoted to different activities in the following manner:

5:00 am - Opening of the main shrine (Mahabodhi Mahavihara)

5:30 am to 6:00 am - Sutta chanting and meditation

10:00 am - Offering of Kheer (rice cooked in milk and sugar)

6:00 pm to 6:30 pm - Sutta chanting (Mahayana tradition)

6:30 pm to 7:00 pm - Sutta chanting (Pali)

9:00 pm - Closing of the shrine

Nearby Places (Landmark, sightseeing): A 25 meters tall Buddha statue is located to the right of the Mahabodhi temple, which was unveiled in the year 1989 by his Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama.There is a Vietnamese temple which was funded and erected by the Government of Vietnam in 2002. The temple houses the Avalokiteswara Buddha statue which denotes peace. Since it has been recently built, one finds state of the art architectural techniques used for the construction of this magnificent shrine. Sujata Kuti is located 8 km away from the Bodh Gaya city, which has been built in the memory of Sujata, a the tribal women who had offered kheer to a starving Buddha. The kuti has a stupa which stands as a tribute to the woman's generosity. The Bodh Gaya Multimedia Museum portrays significant events of Buddha’s life, in a very interesting and informative manner. The entire show is categorised into four sections which are dedicated to different things, i.e. 3D animation, historical background, geographical coverage and thoughts of Buddha. The Dungeshwari Hills, located 15 km away from Bodh Gaya, are said to contain the cave where Buddha stayed for almost 6 years before he headed to the city of Bodh Gaya for seeking enlightenment. There is a famous temple of Lord Vishnu on the banks of the Falgu River, which is 15 km away from Bodh Gaya.

Accommodation: There are many places to stay that people can choose from according to their requirements. The temple has its own accommodations such as the Mahabodhi Society Pilgrims Rest house, Pilgrims Guest House, Pranama Baba Guest House, Budhbhumi Guest House. There are many private accommodations also available in the vicinity such as Deep Guest House.

Accessibility route: Buses of Bihar Transport Corporation (BSTDC) are available between Patna and Bodh Gaya via Rajgir. There is a special caravan service called Wonder on Wheel which is available between Patna and Bodh Gaya. This has been introduced by Bihar Tourism Department. Gaya Airport is situated 7 km from Bodh Gaya and the temple is 10 km from Gaya Railway Station. At both places one can hire local transport to reach the temple.

Calendar (Events): The Bodhgaya Temple Management Committee (BTMC) of the Mahabodhi temple, maintains a calendar which contains the detail of annual events. The details can be found on the link below: 

https://www.bodhgayatemple.com/images/pdf/Annual%20Puja%2019-2020.pdf