Bodhgaya is the city where Prince Siddhartha attained enlightenment, 2600 years ago and became Buddha – the ‘Awakened one’. Visiting this spiritual city gives a bright insight into the city’s rich religious connection.
History
Bodhgaya is famously known for being the place of Buddha’s enlightenment. The city was named ‘Sambodhi’ in the year 260 BC. Emperor Ashoka decided to build a temple in order to celebrate Buddha’s enlightenment. By the 13th century, the interest in the city decreased and the temple was lost in the ruins. Reconstruction was carried out eventually, by the orders of a retired British army engineer. The city was then named Bodh Gaya.
Mahabodhi Temple Complex
This UNESCO World Heritage Site consists of the main temple, the Bodhi Tree and six other sacred spots. Less than a 15-minute drive from Oaks Bodhgaya and within close vicinity to other Bodhgaya hotels, this temple holds a lot of religious value. Several believe this will be the last site to go down before the destruction of the universe.
Grand Buddha Statue
This statue was built over a period of seven years with the help of 12,000 masons and at the time it was inaugurated, it was the largest Buddha statue in India. The Buddha statue is in such a position where he’s sitting on a lotus and is 80 feet tall.
Archaeological Society of Museum
This museum houses plenty of artefacts recovered during the times of excavations in the area. Some of these items date back to the period when Ashoka was emperor.
Catalina Forbes is a travel writer who bases her content on many thrilling escapades experienced across
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