Bodhi Tree
Buddhist Temples | admin | March 4, 2010 at 4:02 amBodhi tree is located at Sri Mahabodhi Temple in Bodhgaya in Gaya district in the state of Bihar in India. The Bodhi Tree (also called ‘Sri Maha Bodhi’ or ‘Bo’ in Sinhalese) is a large and ancient sacred fig tree under which Siddhartha Gautama, the founder of Buddhism and later known as Gautama Buddha, achieved enlightenment. In religious belief, the Bodhi tree is recognized by its heart-shaped leaves, which are prominently displayed. The Mahabodhi Temple has been listed under UNESCO World Heritage site.
The Bodhi tree of Bodhgaya is a frequently visited pilgrim destinations and is considered the most important of the all Buddhist pilgrimage sites including Kushinagar, Lumbini and Sarnath. Anandabodhi tree in Sarvasti and Bodhi tree in Anuradhapura in Sri Lanka also have great significance in the history of Buddhism.
History:
As per the Buddhist texts, Lord Buddha had spent a whole week in front of the Bodhi tree after attaining Enlightenment.
A small temple underneath the Bodhi tree, Bodh Gaya, was built in 7th century, after the original one was built by King Ashoka in 3rd century BCE. Emperor Asoka diligently paid homage to the Bodhi tree and held a festival every year in the month of Kartika in its honour.
It is believed that the tree at Bodhgaya under which Lord Buddha had attained enlightenment is the fifth succession of the original Bodhi tree.
The name Bodh Gaya, however, did not exist until the 18th century. The main monastery of Bodhgaya was called by the name of Bodhimanda Vihara.
Other tourist places in bodhgaya:
- Mahabodhi Temple
- Archaeological Museum
- Monasteries
- The Great Buddha Statue
- Dungeshwari Cave Temples
- Animesh Lochan Chaitya
- Chankramana
- Ratnagarh
Climate:
Summer lasts from March to May and it is really hot around this time. Winters on the other hand, are quite pleasant. June to August is the rainy season here.
Best time to visit:
October to March is the ideal time to visit Bodhgaya.
Reaching Bodh Gaya:
By air:
Gaya is the nearest airport which is located about 17 km from Bodhgaya. It can also be accessed from Patna Airport, which is about 135 km away.
By rail:
Gaya is the nearest railhead and is well connected with various parts of India.
By road:
Bodhgaya can be reached through National Highway 83 that connects Patna and Dobhi or through National Highway 2 (Kolkata-Delhi). NH-2 joins NH-83 at Dobhi. Gaya is connected with Grand Trunk Road. Nalanda, Rajgir and Varanasi can be reached from Gaya.
Bodhgaya Accommodation:
- Delta International Hotel, Bodhgaya
- Hotel Mahamaya
- Hotel Shashi International
- Hotel Tathagat International
- Hotel Tokyo Vihar
- Lotus Nikko Bodhgaya
- Siddhartha International
- Sujata Hotel
- Hotel Taj Darbar
| tourist places in bodhgaya |
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In religious iconography, the Bodhi tree is recognizable by its heart-shaped leaves, which are usually prominently displayed. It takes 100 to 3,000 years for a bodhi tree to fully grow