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When it comes to spiritual enlightenment, there is no better place than Bodh Gaya. This sacred haven is replete of spiritual aura that can relax even the most disillusioned being. Legend has that Lord Buddha had once meditated under the Bodhi tree and its sapling was taken to Sri Lanka as well. Read on….. It is well said by Lord Buddha that, “it’s better to conquer yourself than to win a thousand battles. Then the victory is absolutely yours. It cannot be taken from you, not by angels or demons, heaven or hell”. The moment it comes to enlightenment and conquering oneself, Bodh Gaya is the only place that strikes mind. Bodh Gaya is a city in the district of Gaya in Bihar and is renowned for enlightenment of Buddhist. The sacred city of Bodh Gaya has been named after a demon, Gayasur. According to one of the mythical stories, Gayasur was brutally killed by Lord Vishnu by way of pressing his foot over the demon’s body and consequently, giant rocky hills were formed and exist even to this day. These form the main center of tourist and pilgrim attraction. Enlisted are the top five perennially visited places in Bodh Gaya: 1. The Bodhi Tree As the name suggests, it’s the sacred tree under which Lord Buddha meditated for 2500 years and accomplished his mission i.e. to conquer himself and attain the state of nirvana, also known as enlightenment. Likewise, Lord Budha, Siddartha Gautama also practiced austerities for six years here, but he was not successful in conquering his mind and soul here and for this reason, he left and sat under a pipal tree resolving that he’ll not give up and win over his heart and mind at any cost. Even today, devotees take home the leaves of Bodhi tree as a token of blessing from Lord Buddha. It is also said that a sapling of this Bodhi tree was taken to Srilanka and planted there, still standing tall with utmost grace. 2. Mahabodhi Temple Needless to say, the Mahabodhi Temple is a magnificent ancient temple built in the 3rd century at the very spot where Lord Buddha had meditated for countless years and successfully attained enlightenment. Asoka laid the foundation stone of this ancient temple in righteousness of Lord Buddha. A beautiful idol of the Lord nestles inside the stupa and is an absolute delight to watch. 3. The Great Buddha Statue This is a beautiful statue of Lord Buddha seen in a mediating posture. The entire statue is made of red granite and sandstone. Each and every loophole was taken into account and carefully considered while making this statue and thus, the completion process of the statue took more than eight years to finish. 4. Dungeshwari Caves Located 12 km from Bodhgaya are the dense Dungeshwari Caves. Lord Buddha himself used to live within these caves that now exude a deep sense of serenity and spiritual aura felt by many. The ever-flowing water, distinct flora and fauna, stone carvings, beautiful paintings of the Lord add a glimpse of perfection to each and every corner of this place. 5. Bodhi Sarovar Situated in the west of the Bodhi temple, this Sarovar is located in form of pond in Gaya district. This is where Lord Buddha bathed before his meditation process and is located close by the Mahabodhi temple. UNESCO describes this ancient temple as one of the most striking structures built entirely from brick in the late Gupta period. About Auther Suresh Nanda is a freelance writer and blogger and in this article, He writes about travel experience of Bodh Gaya. if you want to more about Suresh Nanda, Please visit http://www.sureshnanda.net/
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