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Bodh Gaya is considered one of the most important Buddhist pilgrimage sites, situated in the state of Bihar which resides on the North-eastern side of the Indian subcontinent. There are plenty of historic places to visit in Bodh Gaya. This site is not only important but also witnessed a crucial life event of Lord Buddha. It is the site where Siddhartha gained enlightenment and was known as Lord Buddha. It is the site of the famous ancient Mahabodhi Temple, Several Monasteries, and some important temples.
Mahabodhi Temple
Mahabodhi Temple is a famous UNESCO World Heritage Site, situated in the town of Bodh Gaya in Bihar. It is also called as "Great Awakening Temple, and this Buddhist temple is located on the spot where the Lord Buddha attained enlightenment. The Bodhi Tree is situated inside the temple and is believed to be the descendant of the actual tree under which Lord Buddha attained enlightenment.
This temple is not only important to the Buddhist religion and culture but it is also a significant symbol of Indian culture due to the philosophical development of Buddhism and its impact on India. This temple covered a wide area of 4.8 hectares and is a 55 metres hall. The original temple was constructed by Emperor Ashoka the Great after his conversion to Buddhism.
An inscription found here dated back to the 1st century and 2nd century reveals that the temple built by Ashoka was replaced by a new one. It is one of the religious places to visit in Bodh Gaya.
Great Statue Buddha
Great Statue Buddha is residing at a distance of 1 kilometre from the city centre and here you will be admiring the gigantic statue of Lord Buddha. It is the tallest statue of Lord Buddha in India and was instated by the 14th Dalai Lama in 1989.
This statue is in a meditation pose or "dhyana mudra" resting on a giant lotus. As per the Buddhist traditions and belief lotus is a very auspicious flower and it is directly related to those special symbols such as the Lotus, White Elephant, Horse and Chakra which reflects the presence of Lord Buddha.
It was constructed using intricately carved sandstone and red granite. It is one of those places to visit in Bodh Gaya which has been the centre of attraction.
Thai Monastery is one of the popular places to visit in Bodh Gaya and this monastery is famous for offering the Buddhist tradition and its inclusion among the Thai people. Thai Monastery houses a bronze statue of Lord Buddha which looks amazingly beautiful and this statue is a clear example of fine art.
Along with it, another statue of Lord Buddha with a height of 25 metres is erected in the garden. Thai Monastery is well known for its curved roof covered with exquisite tiles of gold. This monastery is the jewel of architecture in the town of Bodh Gaya and reflects the mastery of architecture.
Muchalinda Lake is a natural lake in the town of Bodh Gaya and one of the popular places to visit in Bodh Gaya. The Muchalinda Lake is located next to the main temple and has been a part of many popular beliefs and mythological legends, as per the Buddhist mythological tale, Lord Buddha was protected from the storm by snake king Muchalinda. It is one of the picturesque locations in the town and every year many travellers do visit this ancient site.
The Winter Season in Bodh Gaya stays from November to February and Bodh Gaya’s temperature fluctuates between 6 degrees Celsius to 25 degrees Celsius. Bodh Gaya’s weather in this season remains quite cool and pleasant and even in the month of December temperature drops down to 4 degrees Celsius as well.
It is an ideal season to engage in some sightseeing and explore the town under the foggy climate. Places like Mahabodhi Temple, Great Buddha Statue, Tibetan Refugee Market, Thai Monastery, Royal Bhutan Monastery and Chinese Temple are some exciting and attractive places to visit in Bodh Gaya this season.
During this season travellers can witness the highly popular Kalachakra Festival which brings joy to the town entirely. This is the season when you may find some tourist crowd here hence; it is suggested to make you booking on accommodation and travel in advance to avoid the hustle.
The Monsoon Season in Bodh Gaya is marked from July to September and Bodh Gaya's temperature stays between 24 degrees Celsius to 33 degrees Celsius. Monsoon brings a huge relief from dry and harsh summer. Bodh Gaya's weather is humid but breezy and it receives a sufficient amount of rainfall every year which makes the weather bearable to travellers.
This is also fine weather for sightseeing, trekking and exploring some spiritual centres. Places like Vietnamese Temple, Dungeshwari Hills, Archaeological Society of India Museum, Bodh Gaya Multimedia Museum and Muchalinda Lake are some ideal places to visit in Bodh Gaya this season.
The Summer Season in Bodh Gaya stays from March to June and Bodh Gaya’s temperature falls between 25 degrees Celsius to 45 degrees Celsius. Bodh Gaya's weather in this season is quite humid, dry and hot hence; it is not an ideal season to visit Bodh Gaya.
The days are filled with humidity but evening can be breezy sometimes and if you are in Bodh Gaya then only evening times are preferred for sightseeing. Tibetan Refugee Market, Thai Monastery, Royal Bhutan Monastery and Muchalinda Lake are some preferred places to visit in Bodh Gaya this season. If you are looking forward to having a budget-friendly trip to Bodh Gaya then it is the season for you to visit and you will get some great deals on accommodations.
How to Reach Bodh Gaya by Air- Gaya is the closest airbase for the town of Bodh Gaya at a distance of nearly 17 kilometres and is widely connected to other domestic cities like New Delhi, Kolkata, Lucknow, Shimla and Chandigarh.
However, it receives the lesser flights hence; the nearest international airport would be the Kolkata International Airport which is well connected to most of the domestic and several international cities such as Sharjah, Sri Lanka, Hong Kong and Bangkok.
Airline carriers such as Air India, Spice Jet, IndiGo, Jet Airways along with several international flights like the Fly Emirates, Qatar Airways, Air Asia and Druk Air do operate flights on regular basis. Once you reach the airport you can easily hire a taxi or take a cab for a further journey.
How to Reach Bodh Gaya by Train- Gaya Junction would be the nearest railhead to Bodh Gaya at a distance of 13 kilometres far and the second nearest railhead would be the Patna railway station which is approximately 110 kilometres away from Bodh Gaya.
Both junctions are well connected to other prime cities such as New Delhi, Lucknow, Kolkata, Shimla, Chandigarh, Indore, Jaipur, Jodhpur and Mumbai. Train options such as Sealdah- New Delhi Rajdhani Express, Kolkata Mail, Howrah Rajdhani Express and Howrah- New Delhi Rajdhani Express are some train options that run frequent trains to Gaya Junction and Patna Railway Station on regular basis. From outside the station, you can take state buses or hire a taxi to reach your destination.
How to Reach Bodh Gaya by Road- The main road connects the town of Bodh Gaya to the city of Gaya which is widely connected to other neighbouring cities such as Patna at a distance of nearly 130 kilometres, Varanasi which is 255 kilometres far, Lucknow at a distance of 550 kilometres, Kolkata which resides approximately 473 kilometres away and New Delhi at a distance of 1103 kilometres via smooth and well-maintained roads.
Bihar State Tourism Corporation-run state buses in standard and deluxe variety to Gaya for travellers. You can reach Bodh Gaya from Rajgir, Nalanda, Varanasi and Kathmandu via bus services. Travellers do travel to Bodh Gaya by their vehicles and if you are heading from Patna then NH-22 and SH-4 are the routes you take and from Varanasi, NH-19 would be the suitable option. There are some decent places to visit in Bodh Gaya.
There are good 5-star and some 4-star accommodation options which give you the premium services at a very reasonable cost. Marasa Sarovar Premiere- Bodh Gaya is located at Newataur and it provides you with the facilities such as Café, Restaurant, Coffee Shop, Kids' Meals, Dining Area, Paid Pickup and Drop, Currency Exchange, Yoga, Gym, Massage, Spa, Steam and Sauna, Lounge, Lawn, Seating Area, Library, Concierge Service, Bellboy Service and 24-Hour Helpdesk along with some other facilities. Maha Bodhi Hotel, Resort and Convention Centre is a 4-star hotel residing in Hariharpur and it offers you the amenities like Café, Restaurant, Coffee Shop, Dining Area, Kids' Meals, Kids Play Area, Paid Pickup and Drop, Gym, Indoor Games, Outdoor Sports, Lawn, Lounge, Seating Area, Bellboy Service and Multilingual Staff with some basic amenities.
Oaks Bodh Gaya is a 4-star hotel in an area of Kolhapur at a distance of 3.1 kilometres from the city centre and it gives you the services like Bakery, Café, Restaurant, Paid Shuttle Service, Kids Play Area, Currency Exchange, Yoga, Gym, Rental Vehicles, Indoor Games, Lawn, Library, Bellboy Service and Multilingual Staff.
Bodhi residency is situated at Pachhatti, near Burmese Temple at a distance of 1.3 kilometres from Mahabodhi Temple and it offers you the facilities like Paid Airport Transfers, Paid Pickup and Drop, Swimming Pool, Smoking Rooms, Free Wi-Fi, Free Parking, Seating Area, Business Centre, Doctor on Call and 24-Hours Helpdesk. All of these mentioned accommodation options are providing installed sanitisers, masks and gloves due to safety reasons.
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