Bodhgaya

Editor's Note

For all those on a spiritual quest, Bodhgaya in Bihar is one of the four holiest cities of Buddhist faith. It is deeply associated with the life of Gautam Buddha and it boasts of historical and archeological treasures and witnesses a myriad of tourists and visitors each year to catch a glimpse of its architectural marvels. Devoted Buddhists from Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Tibet, Thailand, China, Bhutan and Japan, and tourists from all over throng Bodhgaya to study Buddhism and the art of meditation. The main attraction here is the Mahabodhi Temple, within which is housed the Bodhi Tree, where Buddha attained salvation. Among other interesting temples are the Japanese Temple with its gold statues and the Thai Temple with its ornate Tibetan paintings and a Bhutanese shrine with bright colored carvings of their god. The real essence of Buddhism, you must not miss the Buddh Purnima celebrations or the 3-week long festival for world peace, which offer meditation and scripture recitations and distribution of alms to the poor. This absolutely enchanting Buddhist pilgrimage is not just a historical site, but is a center of living faith.