This years’ my weekend side trip was to Bodhgaya. Bodhgaya is located in the Gaya district of Bihar. Thousands of pilgrims visit Bodhgaya for prayer, meditation & study. It was here that the Prince Siddhartha attained enlightenment and became Shri Buddha. The most holy spot in this tiny temple town, is a bodhi tree that flourishes in the middle of a beautiful garden setting, its roots embedded in the same soil as its respected ancestor. I saw many monasteries and temples built by foreign Buddhist communities in Bodhagaya.
[caption id="attachment_961" align="alignnone" width="300"]
The Great Buddha statue[/caption]
The origins of Buddhism can be very well understood by visiting Bodhagaya. You all know that Bodhgaya is a World Heritage Site. This is a great place for those looking for a peaceful and spiritual environment.
I had a visit to almost all the main tourist attractions of Bodhgaya. Among them, the two main attractions that you should not miss in your trip to Bodhgaya are the Mahabodhi temple complex and the Great Buddha statue (a grand, 80 feet high statue). It is here in the Mahabodhi temple you can see the Maha Bodhi tree under which Buddha meditated for years and attained enlightenment.
I found there the best range of accommodation. The hospitality of the people there was also really very good. The best time to visit Bodhgaya is from November to March. If you have a plan to see Dalai Lama then you should visit in the peak season, ie; December to January. It is in this time when he visits Bodhgaya.