Through the Heartland Trio — Part 4
Bodh Gaya: Where the Buddha Found Enlightenment
After breakfast, we left Varanasi for Bodh Gaya at 8 a.m. Our journey followed the old Grand Trunk Road towards Bihar and, eventually, Kolkata. Much of the road has now been widened and concretised into four- or six-lane highways, although construction is still underway in several places.
The landscape is changing rapidly. Fields on both sides of the road are gradually giving way to buildings and other developments. The remaining agricultural land is used to grow rice, wheat, vegetables, flowers, sugarcane, groundnuts and pulses. Much of the farming is now mechanised, and agricultural labourers are few. Low wages appear to be one reason, with many workers having migrated to South India in search of better opportunities.
Mirzapur and Chandauli are the districts adjoining Varanasi. We entered Bihar through Chandauli, which is also the native place of our driver, Ragesh. His extended family includes his grandmother, parents, wife and three children, as well as his younger brother, sister-in-law and their two children.
Ragesh's father had worked for Escort Tractor Company in Mumbai, where Ragesh studied for some time. When his grandfather fell ill, his father left his job and returned to the village. He now does some farming.
Ragesh once bought four vehicles and started a travel agency, but the business ran into losses because of problems with drivers. Later, he and his younger brother joined Welcome Travels in Varanasi. They earn ₹15,000 a month, apart from daily allowances and tips from passengers. Ragesh says this is enough for a modest life and that he is happy with his work. Once he leaves home for a trip, he generally returns after ten to fifteen days.
Recently, some of the family's land was acquired for the widening of the national highway. The remaining land in the village consequently gained direct road access. Ragesh said those who lost their land received good compensation and that many families benefited financially from it.
Along the road, we saw large quantities of sand piled up at several places. It appeared to have been extracted from the river. There seems to be less visible regulation of sand mining here than in Kerala. In Kerala, environmental concerns and the interests of the quarrying and construction sectors have long influenced debates over sand extraction.
Before entering Bihar, we stopped at a small village shop to buy bottled water. Aquafina, Tata Copper and Kinley were among the brands available. It was striking that well-known national brands were available even in such a small roadside shop, while local bottled-water brands were hardly visible.
The shop was run by a young girl studying in Class 10. Perhaps because it was a Saturday, she was helping at the shop. We ordered tea. She prepared it herself and served it in a small clay cup. The cup cost ₹1.50, while the tea, including the cup, cost ₹10.
A primary school stood just behind the shop. Since it was a holiday, children were playing along the roadside. Women were chatting and warming themselves in the morning sun. Freshly made cow-dung cakes had been pasted on a wall to dry. Some men were sitting around casually. What struck me was that almost nobody was looking at a mobile phone.
Just then, a man arrived on a moped. A box with several compartments was fixed to the back. Children and adults had apparently collected plastic bottles and other recyclable material and handed them to him. In return, he distributed corn chips to them. Everyone continued playing happily. I wondered what happened to the plastic after he collected it.
There are several impressive bridges across the Ganges, making travel considerably easier. Another important river in this region is the Karmanasha, a tributary of the Ganges. Originating in the Kaimur Hills of Bihar, it flows through Uttar Pradesh and Bihar before joining the Ganges at Chausa in Buxar district. It also forms part of the boundary between Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. We crossed into Bihar over a bridge across the river.
A railway line runs parallel to the road for much of the journey. Freight trains carrying goods to the coal-producing areas and returning with coal move continuously on the tracks, while passenger trains use the other lines. The road was dominated by Indane LPG tankers and transport trucks. There were comparatively few private cars.
The weather was pleasant and warm. After some time, dark rain clouds gathered. We continued towards Sasaram, passing through places such as Barhauli, Pusauli, Kudra and Lalpu. At Sasaram, we stopped at the Maa Tarachandi Temple, with a large mountain rising behind it.
At the pond beside the temple, we witnessed a remarkable sight: a mother monkey swimming with her baby clinging to her back and finally reaching the shore. It was a simple but powerful example of survival and maternal instinct.
The Kaimur Hills, part of the eastern extension of the Vindhya range, form a dramatic backdrop to the region. The hills extend towards Sasaram and Rohtas and are characterised by rugged terrain and plateaus. The area is known for waterfalls, Rohtasgarh Fort and the tomb of Sher Shah Suri. We also learned that the hills contain rock paintings believed to indicate ancient human habitation. Since these were not part of our itinerary, we decided not to make a detour.
The Sone River flows through the Sasaram region. One of the major southern tributaries of the Ganges, it rises in the Amarkantak region of Madhya Pradesh and flows through Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. Agriculture in this region depends significantly on the Sone and its irrigation network.
There is an Aurangabad in Bihar as well as the better-known Aurangabad in Maharashtra, associated with Ajanta and Ellora. From the Bihar town, our journey continued via Aura. When we reached Madanpur, there was heavy rain. A little farther on, however, there was no rain at all. The weather continued to alternate between dry stretches and heavy showers.
We began to worry that the rain might spoil our sightseeing in Bodh Gaya. We crossed the Shankala Toll Plaza and Sherghati and finally reached Bodh Gaya via National Highway 22 on the Dhobi–Gaya–Patna route. Thankfully, there was no rain in Bodh Gaya. It was a great relief.
Everywhere we turned, Bodh Gaya announced itself as a centre of Buddhism.
We stayed at Anand International, opposite the Welcome Group hotel. We were welcomed at the reception with white shawls. The hotel was clean and well maintained, and our room was equally comfortable. Lunch consisted of mushroom, mutton, paneer, malai kofta, dal and tandoori roti.
A Town Shaped by Buddhism
Vehicles are subject to strict restrictions in Bodh Gaya, and e-autos are widely used for local transportation. Our driver was Pawan. The sightseeing package cost ₹1,500.
Pawan has a six-year-old son and a five-year-old daughter. He had earlier worked in a hotel in Tamil Nadu and entered the e-auto business when these vehicles became common in Bodh Gaya. There are now four e-autos in his family.
Pawan told us that many families in the locality are connected in one way or another with the Buddhist temples and pilgrimage economy. He first took us to the Thai Monastery, or Wat Thai.
The monastery's golden, sloping roof and ornate architecture immediately reminded us of Thailand. The monastery was established with the support of the Thai government in the 1950s, following an invitation from Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru. Over the years, it developed into a centre for meditation, pilgrimage and spiritual retreat.
Inside stands a large bronze statue of Buddha. The hall is beautifully decorated with murals and inscriptions depicting episodes from the Buddha's life. The monastery grounds are surrounded by a peaceful garden, and there is also a 25-metre-high Buddha statue. Meditation halls, accommodation and retreat facilities are available within the complex.
From there, we went to the Royal Bhutan Monastery, built in the traditional Bhutanese style. Exquisite wood carvings, colourful murals and intricate decorations adorn the monastery. A seven-foot-high Buddha statue stands inside, while important events from the Buddha's life are represented through clay sculptures and murals. There is also accommodation for monks and visitors.
Our next stop was the Indosan Nippon Japanese Temple, a Japanese-style Buddhist temple built in the 1970s. It was inaugurated by President V. V. Giri in November 1973. Built mainly of wood, the temple has a pagoda-style roof. Japanese paintings and wooden carvings decorate the interior, while a beautiful garden surrounds the temple.
Another attraction is the 80-foot-high Great Buddha statue, popularly known as the Buddha in Meditation. The foundation stone was laid in 1982, and the statue was constructed using sandstone blocks and red granite. It was inaugurated by the Dalai Lama on November 18, 1989. The Buddha is depicted meditating on a lotus. The statue was sculpted by V. Ganapathy Sthapati.
Standing amid a beautiful garden, the statue seemed particularly appropriate in Bodh Gaya—the most sacred place in Buddhism. It represents peace, meditation, enlightenment and the study of Buddhist philosophy.
Mahabodhi Temple: The Sacred Centre
But what made our journey truly memorable was our visit to the Mahabodhi Temple.
The Mahabodhi Temple complex encompasses the sacred Bodhi Tree and the places associated with Siddhartha Gautama's enlightenment after years of spiritual seeking and meditation.
There are strict restrictions on entry. Shoes have to be left at designated places, while bags and mobile phones must be deposited in lockers. Although these facilities are officially free, volunteers stationed there expect donations. They do not quarrel or create pressure, but the expectation is evident.
The counters were crowded in the evening, with devotees and tourists from India and many other countries.
There was something deeply meaningful about entering the temple after leaving behind our shoes, bags and mobile phones. Like Buddha, in a symbolic sense, we too entered the sacred space after leaving our material possessions behind. Without a mobile phone in our hands, we were able to look around freely, observe the surroundings and absorb the atmosphere instead of photographing everything or taking selfies. I found that experience refreshing.
According to Buddhist tradition, Siddhartha Gautama attained enlightenment here at the age of 35. The earliest monumental structures at the site are associated with Emperor Ashoka in the 3rd century BCE. The present Mahabodhi Temple dates largely to the Gupta period, around the 5th–6th centuries CE. Archaeological evidence, including the Vajrasana—the Diamond Throne—confirms the site's importance from the Mauryan period onwards.
The Chinese traveller Faxian visited the region in the early 5th century CE, while Xuanzang described the sacred complex in detail in the 7th century. Over the centuries, Buddhist rulers and devotees from India and across Asia contributed to the preservation and development of the site. Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand and India have played particularly important roles.
The Mahabodhi Temple was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2002.
The main temple rises about 180 feet into the sky. Its pyramidal shikhara is imposing and elegant, and four smaller towers of similar design surround it. Their crowns resemble umbrellas.
Inside the temple is a revered gilded Buddha image in the earth-touching, or Bhumisparsha, posture. Devotees have to stand in a long queue for a brief darshan. Volunteers gently regulate the movement of people, allowing everyone an opportunity to enter.
When we came out and reached the rear of the temple, we saw the sacred Bodhi Tree. The tree standing today is believed to be descended through several generations from the original tree under which Siddhartha attained enlightenment.
Many Buddhist monks were seated beneath it, chanting and meditating. Indian and foreign devotees were offering prayers and placing donations in boxes.
At the base of the tree is the Vajrasana, the sacred seat of enlightenment. Tradition associates the stone seat with the place where Siddhartha meditated. Emperor Ashoka is believed to have marked the sacred spot. Small sculptures adorn the stone railings and pillars surrounding the temple and the Bodhi Tree.
The 30-acre complex also contains several important sacred sites, including Animesh Lochan Chaitya, the Ratna Chaṅkramaṇa or Jewel Walk, Ratnagar Chaitya and the lotus pond associated with the Muchalinda episode.
It is believed that Buddha spent the first week after enlightenment beneath the Bodhi Tree. During the second week, he is said to have stood nearby, continuously gazing at the tree in gratitude. A shrine known as Animesh Lochan commemorates this episode.
During the following week, Buddha is believed to have walked repeatedly between the Bodhi Tree and Animesh Lochan. This path is now known as the Ratna Chaṅkramaṇa, or Jewel Walk.
Tradition says that the fourth week was spent at Ratnagar Chaitya. The fifth week was spent under the Ajapala Nigrodha tree. The sixth was spent near the Muchalinda Pond, where Buddhist tradition says a serpent king sheltered Buddha from a storm. The seventh week was spent near the Rajayatana Tree.
According to tradition, after completing these seven weeks of meditation, Buddha received food from the merchants Tapussa and Bhallika. Their offering of food is regarded as one of the earliest recorded encounters between the newly enlightened Buddha and lay followers.
A Meeting of Traditions
Monks live in different parts of the complex, spending their time in small shelters and open spaces. We spent several hours walking through the temple grounds and meditation areas.
One sight particularly caught my attention. We saw people from Bihar and other parts of India who had embraced Buddhism inspired by Dr. B. R. Ambedkar. After visiting the Buddha's sacred site, some of them were also performing traditional Hindu rituals and making offerings with the assistance of priests near the Muchalinda Pond.
It was a fascinating reminder of how different religious traditions continue to coexist and interact in Indian society.
From there, we went to see the Metta Buddharam Temple, but it was closed when we arrived. The temple, decorated predominantly in white and silver, is known locally for its unusual appearance and is sometimes described as resembling a flying saucer or spacecraft. Under the night lights, it looked almost like a dream palace.
We returned to the hotel and had dinner. The buffet offered a rich variety of dishes and was very tasty.
Thus ended another memorable day of our journey through the heartland of India.
Tomorrow morning, we would set out for Rajgir, another ancient and historically significant city of Bihar.
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