July 12, 2011

Vintage India - Bodh Gaya

Today we travel in the wayback machine to Bodh Gaya in Bihar, the site of the Bodhi tree where the Gautama Buddha is said to have achieved enlightenment.
SueReno_Bo Tree 2
The tree growing there now is not the original one, of course, but is thought to be a direct descendant of the one that the Buddha meditated under.  
SueReno_Bo Tree 1
Apart from its spiritual significance, it is also an impressive specimen of a ficus religiosa, and spills out over its enclosure.
SueReno_Mahabodhi Temple 1
Nearby is the Mahabodhi temple, above, and the stupas in the courtyard, below.  It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site:
SueReno_Mahabodhi Stupas 1
I feel privileged to have visited, however briefly, such a calm and reverent place.
SueReno_Mahabodhi Stupas 2

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