| Introduction |
| Introduction | Places of Interest | How to Reach |
| As the place of the Buddha's Enlightenment, Bodhgaya is the spiritual home of Buhddhists. It attracts tens of thousands of believers from all over the world. Bodhgaya situated near the river Niranjana, is one of the holiest Buddhist pilgrimage centres since it was here that Buddha attained enlightenment under the Bodhi tree. |
| Before Siddhartha (Lord Buddha or Sakya Muni, as he is also known in sacred literature) attained the supreme state of enlightenment called " Sammasambodhi", he spent six long years of penance and meditation in a wood in the precincts of modern Bodh Gaya, formerly known as Uruvilva or Uruvela, a hamlet which is identified with the modern village called Urel about 10-kms south of Gaya Railway Station. Gautama or Gotama sat here in meditation under an Ashwattha or Pippal tree and had attained to the Sambodhi or Perfect Enlightenment. This place occupies an important position in the history of Buddhism. Because of such holy association this locality ultimately came to be known as Buddha Gaya or Bodh Gaya within the Gaya District. |
| The population of this town is 22,000 and is situated at an altitude of 113 m. Maximum temperature in summer rises to 45-47 degree Celsius and minimum is 27 degree, while in winter maximum is 28 degree and minimum is 4 degree. It receives an annual rainfall of 1,860 mm. Most countries with vast Buddhist population have a temple or monastery here. The 25 m Great Buddha Statue in the Japanese Kamakura style was unveiled by his holiness Dalai Lama in 1989. |
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