Bodhgaya is famous religious place for pilgrimage. It has a close connection with Lord Budhha and his philosophy. It is here where Lord Budhha attained supreme knowledge under the Banyan tree on the bank of river Niranjana, later he showed the path of Peace and Mercy. Bodhgaya is located in the district of Gaya in the state of Bihar north India. Bodhgaya is the part of four most important religious centres of Budhhism having relation with the life of Budhha. Other three are Lunbini the place of Birth of Buddha, Sarnath the place of first discourse of Budhha and Kushinagar the place of Great Demise of Budhha. Budhha also instructed his followers to visit these four holy places once in the life. The prime attraction or the main shrine of Bodhgaya is the Mahabodhi Temple where Budhha got Enlightment under Peepal Tree, is also a World Heritage Site. Situated by the bank of river Neranjana the place was then known as Uruwela. King Ashoka was the first to build a temple here. Buddha was born 563 BC in Nepal on the following auspicious Baisakhi purnima. As Siddhartha, he renounced his family at the age of 29 his gaining enlightenment in 534 BC and travelled and meditated in search of truth. After meditating for six years at Urubela (Buddhagaya) in Gaya, he attained Buddhatva or enlightenment. Enlightenment is a state of having infinite knowledge, and being able to accomplish the Noble and Universal truths. By gaining enlightenment, you enter Nibbana, in which the final stage is Parinibbana. At this place, the Buddha encountered the five men who had been his companions of earlier austerities. On meeting the enlightened Buddha, all they saw was an ordinary man; they mocked his well-nourished appearance. Here comes the mendicant Gautama, they said, who has turned away from asceticism. He is certainly not worth our respect. When they reminded him of his former vows, the Buddha replied, Austerities only confuse the mind. In the exhaustion and mental stupor to which they lead, one can no longer understand the ordinary things of life, still less the truth that lies beyond the senses. I have given up extremes of either luxury or asceticism. I have discovered the Middle Way. This is the path which in neither easy (a rich prince) nor hard (living in austere conditions practicing self-denial). Hearing this, the five ascetics became the Buddhas first disciples. These disciples of Gautama Siddhartha began to visit the place during the full moon in the month of Vaisakh (April–May), as per the Hindu calendar. Over time, the place became known as Bodh Gaya, the day of enlightenment as Buddha Purnima, and the tree as the Bodhi Tree. Main Shrine Mahabodhi Temple: Mahabodhi Temple with the diamond throne (called the Vajrasana) and the holy Bodhi tree. The Great Emperor Ashok is considered to be the founder of the original Mahabodhi temple. It consisted of an elongated spire crowned by a miniature stupa and a chhatravali on a platform. A double flight of steps led up to the platform and the upper sanctum. The mouldings on the spire contained Buddha images in niches. Some historians believe that the temple was constructed or renovated in the 1st century during the Kushan period. With the decline of Buddhism in India, the temple was abandoned and forgotten, buried under layers of soil and sand. The temple was later restored by Alexander Cunningham in the late 19th century. In 1883, Cunningham along with J. D. Beglar and Dr Rajendralal Miitra painstakingly excavated the site. Extensive renovation work was carried out to restore Bodh Gaya to its former glory. It has a height of 55 metres which can be viewed from a distance of 11 km. Temple is constructed of brick and is one of the oldest brick structures to have survived in eastern India. It is considered to be a fine example of Indian brickwork, and was highly influential in the development of later architectural traditions. According UNESCO, the present temple is one of the earliest and most imposing structures built entirely in brick from Gupta period. The central tower rises 55 metres (180 ft), and was heavily renovated in the 19th century. The central tower is surrounded by four smaller towers, constructed in the same style. The Mahabodhi Temple is surrounded on all four sides by stone railings, about two metres high. The railings reveal two distinct types, both in style as well as the materials used. The older ones, made of sandstone, date to about 150 BCE, and the others, constructed from unpolished coarse granite, are believed to be of the Gupta period (300–600 CE). The older railings have scenes such as Lakshmi, the Hindu goddess of wealth, being bathed by elephants; and Surya, the Hindu sun god, riding a chariot drawn by four horses. The newer railings have figures of stupas (reliquary shrines) and garudas (eagles). Images of lotus flowers also appear commonly.
Posted on: Sat, 13 Dec 2014 07:27:24 +0000
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