1 of 3: Bodh Gaya

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**This is the first of 3 back posts (time flies when your having fun!)

The state of Bihar is stated to be the least literate and most lawless part of India.

Welcome to the land of enlightenment!

Bodh Gaya is right in the middle of the state, my first stop after leaving Kolkata. I wanted to like Kolkata, I really did…. But I didn’t. After 1 hour in Bodh Gaya, I knew that I didn’t like Kolkata. The village, population of about 30,000 is small and quaint; though anything but quiet (I really do believe that Indians are afraid of silence). I checked into a nice, comfortable room and had breakfast on the roof-top restaurant (a very common location for a restaurant as nearly all roofs are flat).



The story goes that Bodh Gaya is the birth place for Buddhism in India. Buddha sought for years to reach enlightenment, meditating for 6 years at the Dungeshwari Cave Temple and an additional 6 years un a tree in the village known as Sujata. The Bodhi Tree is the known location for Buddha’s enlightenment, making it a very sacred place. The temple can be visited, though most visitors are also searching for some kind of enlightenment of their own. Monks, mediation students, monks in training, and seemingly devout Buddhists swarm the inside of the temple reciting chants and completing a series of floor bows.



My favorite part of Bodh Gaya was the calm environment and friendly people. I could have seen myself spending more time here, but 3 days was all that I could afford. Other places await…

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Photos

Majabodi temple and Bodhi tree
Tree under which Buddha gained his enlightenment.

Buddha at the Dungehwari Cave Temple
The images of Buddha in this area are often of 'skinny' Buddha, as he refrained from eating for much of his 6 years of meditating. Other parts of the world adore 'fleshy' Buddha up to the 'obese' Chinese Buddha.