۞ Mahabodhi Temple:
The town of Bodh Gaya is built around the
Mahabodhi Temple;, referred to simply as the
stupa by most Buddhists. The temple rises up
from llowery gardens to tower above the
sacred Bodhi Tree. Smaller shrines
throughout the grounds mark different stages
in the Buddha's meditations; he is mild to
have spent 49 days here, deep in thought
after deciding that extreme asceticism was
bringing him no closer to a
true understanding of life's
suffering than his previous life as a
playboy-prince. Emperor Ashoka built the
first temple on this site during the 3rd
century BC, but the present temple, which
has been through layers and layers of
restorations, probably dates from the 6th
century AD. Much of the rescuework was
initiated in 1882 by Burmese monks after the
temple was funnel neglected and overrun by
squatters. Over the last 30 years, many
statues have been been stolen from the
temple's circular niches. The oldest
structure left on the Nile is a stone
railing built in the 1st century AD to keep
out wild animals; a quarter of it, however,
has been whisked away to museums in London
and Kolkata.
At the back of the temple is the sacred
Bodhi Tree a direct descen dwit of the tree
under which the Buddha attained
enlightenment. Throngs of pilgrims gather
around the tree during all seasons to pay
respects to the enshrined plant The
Vajrasana, or "diamond throne," between the
tree and the temple, is thought to be where
the Buddha sat, A gilded image of the Buddha
is behind glass In the temple, and another
is on the first floor, which is open in the
evenings for meditation. A part of the first
floor is permanently closed due to one
depraved tree mlrjjoon's attempt to saw off
a branch of the sacred tree as a souvenir.
۞ Sujata Village:
In the winter, you can cross the dry river
bed from the Mahant palace in Bodh Gaya to
the peaceful village on the other side .
Here, 500m through the eastern fields, grows
n descendent of the banyan tree under which
the Buddha feasted on kheer (sweet rice
milk) offered by Sujata, a local woman who
has since become perhaps the most. famous
beverage vendor in history. This was his
first meal after six years spent in ascetic
solitude.
The tree has been converted into a shrine.
The Matang
Rishi
Ashram is the banyan's neighbour. In
the middle of the village is a grass
mound believed to mark the site of Sujata's
house.
۞ Mahakala Caves:
The Buddha and five companions undertook six
years of ascetic meditation in these two
caves on Dungeswari Mountain. A tiny Tibetan
monastery marks the spot. On the summit, six
stupas commemorate the six mendicants. From
Bodh Gaya, walk the 6.5km to the mountains
northeast of Sujata Village (2hr.) The
temple is the small white block on the Gaya
end of the range, near Pragbodhi Village.
Hop on a motorbike to cover the longer,
uneven road via Gaya more efficiently than
auto-rickshaw or taxi .
۞ Other Temple & Monasteries:
Throw a stone in any direction and you'll
hit two temples and half a dozen monks. A
one hour walk around Bodh Gaya will show you
all the major temples. The chapel walls of
the Gaden Phelgyellng Tibetan Monastery,
next to the Mahabodhi Society, are painted
with thanka-style clouds, wheels, and
bodhisattvas. East along Bodh Gaya Rd., the
Chinese Temple and Shechen Monastery, down
a lane just in front, are also impressive.
The Thai Temple, Bodh Gaya's second most
prominent landmark, is 500m after the main
road takes a sharp left. A large wat with
classic claw-like tips on its orange roof,
the temple opened in 1957 (year 2500 in the
Buddhist calendar). Side-roads branch off
the main road on either side of the Thai
Temple. To the left are the Bhutan Monastery
and the Japanese Indosan Nlpponji Temple.
The lane on the right side of the Thai
Temple leads to the Kagyupa Tibetan
Monastery, which contains brightly colored,
larger-than-life murals depicting the life
of the Buddha. Next door is the Daljokyo
Temple, another Japanese construction with
an oppressive concrete exterior. Just up the
road is the 25m Giant Buddha Statue, which
was built by Japanese monks, to second the
original at Nagoya, and inaugurated by the
Dalai Lama in 1989.
The Mahant's Palace, on the left just before
you reach the center of town, has morphed
into a Hindu temple and offers views of the
Niranjana River and the mountains beyond.
The Archaeological Survey of India has a
small museum, just off the main road, which
contains statues unearthed nearby.
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