The visit to Bodh Gaya is a spiritual one. The historical monuments, archaeologically and architecturally important temples and depiction of Buddhism through various means are must visit places of Bodh Gaya. The following list will help you plan your visit.
Mahabodhi Temple
This 170 ft. high temple is believed to be founded by Mughal Emperor Akbar. In the middle of the temple, there is a statue of Buddha in sitting posture with one hand touching the ground, the posture in which he meditated to attain enlightenment. 2500 year old stupas around the place are elegantly built to give the ambience a peaceful feel that radiates from inside the body.
Bodhi Tree
After the original Bodhi tree was destroyed, the daughter of Emperor Ashoka planted a sapling from the Bodhi tree in Sri Lanka. The monks circumambulate the tree in clockwise direction and so does many tourists.
Great Buddha Statue
This 80 ft. statue of Buddha sitting in a meditative posture was built by Indian Sculptures is almost 1 km. away form the Mahabodhi Temple and is a great tourist attraction. Built around 30 years back, the massive statue still looks new. The alluring beauty of the garden around the statue adds to its beauty.
Bodh Gaya Multimedia Museum
Located next to the Mahabodhi temple, the museum through audio and visual depicts the life of Buddha and the history of Buddhism.
Other popular tourist attractions in Bodh Gaya include Japanese Temple, Root Institute, Lotus Tank, Chinese Temple and Monastery, Ratnagarh, Thai Monastery and Phowa Center.
