Bodh Gaya

The city of Bodhgaya, located in the state of Bihar, is known to most us as being somehow related to Gautam Buddha. However the actual association and the facts about the place have always eluded us. Bodhgaya is the place where the wandering prince Siddhartha sat in meditation below a Bodhi Tree. His three days of initial meditation and subsequent seven weeks of enlightenment have been closely associated with various places in Bodh Gaya.

History remembers Bodh Gaya as Bodhimanda and the main monastery as the Bodhimanda-vihra (Pali). Being one of the four most important sites related to the life of Gautama (Kushinagar, Lumbini, and Sarnath complete the quadrate). The present city is a historians', tourists' and religious minded people's delight and is replete with numerous places and monuments that have a direct bond with the Enlightened Prince. The area remained the hotbed for Buddhism upto the 13th century till it was conquered by the Turks.

The city complete with the pilgrimage sites is beautifully situated on the shores of the broad but shallow Lilanjan River (also known as Neranjara). After crossing Bodh Gaya, the river joins Mohana River and forms Phalgu River which is considered sacred. Amongst the hustle of the city also stand proudly, the shrines dedicated to the Buddha by various countries like China, Japan, Bangladesh, Vietnam etc. The river surrounding hills and caves and the history of the city itself make it a must visit place for any nature and peace lover.