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Gaya is 100 kilometers south of Patna, the capital
city of Bihar.It is situated on the banks of Falgu River, it is a place
sanctified by both the Hindu and the Buddhist religions. It is surrounded by
small rocky hills by three sides and the river flowing on the fourth side.
The city has a mix of natural surroundings, age old buildings and narrow
bylanes.
Gaya is one of the important pilgrimages in India. The Hindus from all over
India qome here to offer pindas (funeral cakes) so that the souls of their
departed forefather may rest in peace. The Hindus in lakhs come to Gaya
during first fortnight of the month of Aswina, called the Pitripaksha with
the prayer that the souls of their departed fore fathers may rest in Heaven
for a long time. Fairs are also held on this occasion. It is said that the
offering of pindas at Gaya would release the soul of dead from earthly
bondage.
Gay lies 12 kms from Bodhgaya between Pretshila and Ramshila hills and
is washed by the shores of river Phalgu. Gaya has a large number of Buddhist
temples also. While Buddha was doing severe penance, he became weak, tired
and hungry. He rested under a tree where, he was offered food by a condemned
village woman named Sujata. To everybody's surprise Buddha accepted her
offerings. Legend has it, that after having consumed the food, Buddha's
countenance assumed a divine glow and he realised the Supreme Truth; that
neither extreme self indulgence nor self mortification is ever required.
What is needed is to follow the Middle Path. Sujata Sthan or Durgeshwari
Temple stands as a symbol commemorating this event.
Bodh Gaya "The Land Of Enlightenment Of Buddha” is the place where Prince
Gautama attained enlightenment and came to be known as Lord Buddha. Bodh
Gaya was the place where his holy mission was achieved. It is situated on
the banks of the river Niranjana (also called Falgu) and is 11 kms. from
Gaya.
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HOW
TO REACH
By Air : Gaya airport is connected internationaly.Patna airport is
112 Kms
By Rail : Gaya Railway station is well connected with New Delhi,
Kolkata, Varanasi, Allahabad & Patna.
By Road : Gaya is connected by road from Patna, Rajgir, Hazaribag,
Ranchi. Bihar State transport and private buses ply all the day.
WHEN TO GO
Best time to travel Gaya is October to February.
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WHAT TO SEE |
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Mahabodhi Temple : It is a Buddhist temple in Bodh
Gaya, the location where Siddhartha Gautama, the Buddha, attained
enlightenment. As one approaches the temple, there stands an ancient
arch that resembles a gate. It was reportedly placed there (along with
many other things) by the great emperor and Buddhist missionary, Ashoka,
in the third century BCE. To the left is one of several sets of
footprints of the Buddha on the temple grounds, which many believers
regard as authentic impressions left by the sage, rather than as mere
symbols. To the right stands one of many stupas (symbolic reliquaries)
that surround the temple. On either side of the main entrance are images
of the Buddha, with his hands in different positions (mudras) in each.
The one of the left suggests reassurance, while the one on the right
points to the earth as a witness to his enlightenment. Inside the
temple, the focal point is an eighteen-foot golden image of Siddhartha
Gautama. During seasons of pilgrimage (during the winter), the small
chamber that houses it will be jammed with devotees.
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Bodhi Tree : At the rear of the temple and behind
a concrete enclosure stand the famous Bo (or Bodhi) Tree, under which
Siddhartha sat and attained enlightenment. Though the original tree, a
pipal or ficus religiosus, died long ago, it has been replaced several
times by saplings of tree that themselves had been grown from offshoots
of the original and sent to other locations
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Chankamana : Chankaramana or the Jewel Walk is a
raised platform with foot impressions of Buddha. It is believed that
Buddha pondered here on whether to reveal his knowledge to the world or
not. Inside it is a Tibetan monastery with a large Dharma Chakra or the
Wheel of Law.
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Pretshila Hill : This hill is about 10 kms from
the Ramshila hill and just below the hill is the Brahma Kund. After
taking bath in this pond people go for the Pind Dan (involving
performance of some religious rites and rituals. This is done for peace
of the departed soul of the ancestor.) The temple is an attraction for
the tourists due to its unique architecture and magnificent sculptures. |
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Vishnupad Temple : It is situated about 3 kms.
from the Gaya city is the Vishnupad temple. It is believed to have been
built over the footprints of Lord Vishnu. The 40 cm long footprint of
Lord Vishnu is imprinted in solid rock surrounded by a silver plated
basin inside the temple.
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The Museum : There is a large collection of stone
sculptures and other artifacts in this museum maintained by The
Archaeological survey of India. The bronze statues in the museum are
very attractive. It also has a small collection of Buddha statues and
pillars.
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Mucalinda Lake : The 64-feet Buddha Statue is in
dhayana mudra (meditation pose), seated on a lotus in the open air. The
statue is a patchwork of blocks, red granite stone and sand stone. It
took four years to complete it. The giant, impressive statue was
constructed with the efforts of the Daijokyo Sect in Japan.
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WHERE TO EAT
The hotels around the railway station and small eating joints are the
only options available to the tourists in Gaya. Khaja, a popular local
sweetmeat, is worth trying.
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