India Travel Guide

Bodhgaya Travel Guide

Bodh Gaya is a village sacred to Buddhists in the state of Bihar. As the site of the Buddha Shakyamuni's enlightenment, Bodh Gaya is the most revered of all Buddhist sacred sites. The main complex houses the famous Mahabodhi temple/stupa and a descendant of the original Bodhi Tree under which the Buddha gained enlightenment.

Get in

By plane
The nearest airport is at Gaya (16 km) - Druk Air flies from Bangkok once a week. Thai Airways flies to Gaya daily. Indian Airlines flies from Kolkata on Fridays at 10.00 a.m. and Returns back on Mondays from Gaya at around 15.00 hrs.

By train
The nearest Railway station is Gaya (16 km). From there you can take a bus or a three wheel taxi to Bodh Gaya. Three-wheel taxi price is extremely variable, depending on time of day, but should be between 80-120 Rs. You should bargain considerably, there is rarely a shortage of service.

The train from Patna (which as the nearest good size airport and railhead) to Gaya costs 34 rupees (as of January 2008). The express trains take about two hours. Best train travel from Calcutta is about 8 hours; from Delhi, about 15 hours.

The road from Patna is in condition at the moment, train is also recommended.

By bus
There is a main road connecting Bodhgaya and Gaya. The Bihar State Tourist Development Coporation (Tel: 0612-225411) runs daily deluxe bus services to and from Bodh Gaya.

See
 
80-foot Buddha StatueMost temples open from 6 am to sunset and close between noon and 2 pm.

Bodhi Tree - it is believed that this tree is a direct descendant of the one under which the Buddha Sakyamuni attained enlightenment, inside the Mahabodhi complex.

Mahabodhi Stupa
Thai Monastery, 
80-foot Buddha Statue
Japanese temple (Indosan), Temple Road, ☎ 2200743. 5am-6pm.  edit Daily morning meditation.
Archaelogical Museum,closed Fridays, IR 2 (foreigners and locals alike)
Tergar Monastery, , Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche
Phowa Center, Choeje Ayang Rinpoche
Gendhen Phelgyeling Monastery 
Karma Dhargye Chokhorling Monastery, , Beru Khyentse Rinpoche
Root Institute, Zopa Rinpoche
Kagyu Monlam Chenmo, prayer festival, January
Nyingma Monlam Chenmo, prayer festival, January/February

Do
Bodh Gaya is essentially a pilgrimage destination for Buddhists and all of its main attractions are related to this. The subsidiary tourist industry that has grown up around it (shopping, eating, and accommdation) is not really the main attraction. Most of the goods for sale in Bodh Gaya come from elsewhere in India and can be found for better prices and at better quality elsewhere. Perhaps unique to Bodh Gaya are the rather cheesy CDs for sale near the temple entrance that purport to be monks chanting Buddhist texts. You will know whether you want to take this home with you!

Whether you're a Buddhist or not, the main thing to do in Bodh Gaya is just to absorb the vibe of the place where

Eat
Cafe Om. Excellent pastries, great food too. This is the place where everybody meets everybody.

Drink
Bodhgaya is a "dry" town, without liquor outlets. Hotels and guesthouses will in their restaurants serve beer (100-150 IR), provided it is drunk indoors out of public view.

Sleep
Monastery guest houses offer a cheap option to hotels, though guests are expected to adhere to their house rules. They do not charge fixed nightly rates, but instead accept donations (ask other guests for the going rate).

Mahabodhi Society. Private rooms and dorms available.  edit
Bhutan Monastery. Pleasant but basic single and family rooms, some with private bathroom

Burmese Vihara, Gaya Road. Very basic accommodation. The Vihara exists mainly to cater to groups of Burmese pilgrims, but there are often rooms available for others. Rules are posted prominently. Food service is only for those arriving in groups, and by prior arrangement. 

Budget
Buddha Vihar, Bihar Tourist Complex, ☎ ''+91 631'' 220-0445. cheap and pleasant dorm accommodation.  edit
Hotel Sujata, Buddha Marg, ☎ +''91 631'' 220-0481/220-0761/220-0011 (htsujata@vsnl.com / info@sujatahotel.com, fax: ''+91 631'' 220-0511). checkin: 1- 03-09; checkout: 3-03-09. Clean environment and good restaurant.  edit
Siddhartha Vihar, Bihar Tourist Complex, ☎ ''+91 631'' 220-0445. Simple, but comfortable rooms. 

Rainbow Guesthouse, next to Burmese Vihara on Gaya Road. Basic rooms, are cleaned more thoroughly on request, friendly and reliable staff.  edit
Additionally there is a whole string of guesthouses just opposite the park from the Mahabodhi Temple. All pretty much the same well maintained with restaurants on the ground floor at around Rs 200 a single.

Mid range
Royal Residency, Domuhan Road, ☎ ''+91 631'' 220-0124 (fax: ''+91 631'' 220-0181). Comfortable rooms with Japanese style same-sex communal hot tub.  edit