 |
| Monks in a rickshaw |
Bodhgaya is the most holy of religious sites for Buddhists. It is where Gautama Buddha found enlightenment in 534 BC. It is one of the four most important places as a pilgrimage destination for Buddhists and tourists from all over the world.
None of my friends or colleagues had been to Bodhgaya, so I was somewhat reluctant to give it a try. But when my friend, Jane, was planning a trip to see me, she mentioned that she was interested in visiting a place that celebrated Buddhism. So, off we went. No regrets!
 |
| Mahabodhi Temple, a UNESCO World Heritage Site |
|
|
The Mahabodhi Temple was built around 1,500 years ago. King Ashoka built the temple to honor Buddha's enlightenment. After Buddhism began to decline in India, the temple became buried in dirt and sand until 1883 when it was restored.
 |
| Bodhi tree where Buddha found enlightenment |
 |
| Mural depicting Siddhartha as he meditated and fasted for nearly six years |
This bodhi tree is actually the fifth bodhi tree since Buddha sat for 3 days and nights. Storms and human damage have required new plantings.
 |
| Tibetan woman performing prostrations in front of the temple |
 |
| Sadhu reading the palm of a monk |
Jane and I sat down with the sadhu to see what he was saying. Unfortunately, he did not speak any English. He tied a string around our necks, tapped us on our heads with an ancient text, smiled, laughed and then put his hand out for a donation. Worth every rupee!
 |
| Girl selling plates of flowers for offerings at the temple |
 |
| Monk and dog |
The Mahabodhi Temple complex is a serene and welcoming place to sit and meditate/pray. It was our intention to go to the temple at 6 a.m. both mornings to listen to the thousands of monks and nuns chanting. Unfortunately, it was pouring rain both mornings and we crawled back into bed. Regret that!
 |
| Flower mandala |
These mandalas were being worked on every day. First, someone would place all the cups of water in patterns. Then the flowers were slowly placed throughout the day by monks and nuns.
 |
| Placing the cups filled with water |
 |
| Hundreds of young monks arriving at the temple |
 |
| 80 meter Buddha in town |
I was quite surprised to discover that the entire town is dotted with exquisite temples, monasteries and Buddhas representing many nations around the world. We were a bit concerned that there might not be much else to do after visiting the main temple. Wrong! Never got to see all the temples in three days.
 |
| Bhutan temple and monastery |
 |
| Monks creating butter-wax offerings |
We stumbled upon these monks one morning while visiting the Bhutanese Temple. Their level of concentration was mesmerizing.
 |
| Jane inside the Bhutan Temple |
 |
| Inside Japanese Temple |
 |
| Outside the Karma Temple |
 |
| Monks learning to ride bikes. Joy! |
 |
| Deeply touching |
**Note: In July of 2013, bombs went off on the complex of the Mahabodhi Temple. Two other bombs were found in town, one at the 80 meter Buddha, and were deactivated. The bombings were set off by an Islamic terroist organization in revenge for Muslim killings in Burma.
India never ceases to amaze me. Despite the challenges of trying to get from one place to another in India, finding adequate hotels (with hot water and electricity), clean food. water, and toilets, it is always worth the work.
Knowing that I only have a few short months left in India, I feel so blessed to have discovered so many incredible places and people of India!
