Mahabodhi Temple Complex in Bodh Gaya India

Temple. By cruisingindia.com on Apr 22, 2006.

Mahabodhi Temple Complex in Bodh Gaya India Images

Mahabodhi Temple History

The temple dates back to a shrine built by Emperor Ashoka, ruler of Magadha in 3rd century B.C. Emperor Ashoka was the first Buddhist ruler of India and he marked the spot of Buddha’s enlightenment with one of his typical pillars with an elephant capital. A stone railing was put around the perimeter in the 1st century AD, part of which still remains. It has images of Indra and Surya and railings are carved with imaginary beasts. The Mahabodhi temple replaced the shrine in 2nd AD. Soon the temple began attracting Buddhist pilgrims from world over. In the 4th century AD, the Sri Lankan king, Sri Meghavanna, built a monastery here. Around 400 AD, the Chinese pilgrim Fa hien recorded the existence of shrines and monuments at this location. In 588 AD a Sri Lankan monk Mahanama built a shrine with a statue of Buddha. Its remains still exist near the northern staircase of the temple. The temple was refurbished in the Pala-Sena period (750-1200 AD). It continued to draw devotees from China, Vietnam, Burma, Sri Lanka, Sumatra, Nepal, Thailand, Tibet and Kazakhstan. Burmese Buddhists had a close relationship with Bodh Gaya and sent many missions till 11th century AD. However since the 12th century AD, Indian and Buddhist religious centers were attacked and plundered by Muslim invaders. Buddhism went into decline and the trickle of pilgrims to Bodh Gaya stopped. Although the area was continually attacked and looted by marauding Muslim invaders, the Mahabodhi temple and its adjacent Bodh Gaya monastery complex remained unharmed, unlike the famous Buddhist university of Nalanda in Rajgir, which was completely annihilated. Bodhgaya continued to be a center of Buddhist learning, albeit on a small scale, until the 15th century when it fell into complete ruin. It is also believed that the Buddhist monks buried the temple complex completely under sand to preserve it from Muslim attack Ultimately it was in the second half of the 19th century that Sir Alexander Cunningham, the director of the Archaeological Survey of India under British rule, led a four year mission to excavate the temple complex.

Mahabodhi Temple Architecture

The Mahabodhi temple is an imposing brick structure surrounded on three sides by an ancient stone railing. The temple celebrates the birth of Buddhism, as it is under a tree adjacent to it that Prince Siddhartha attained enlightenment and became Lord Buddha. Below this tree is a platform on which the footprints of Buddha have been carved in stone, and near it is slab of red sand stone called vajrasan, which marks the place where Lord Buddha sat in meditation. The temple has a giant pyramidical structure or sikhara rising to a height of fifty-four meters. It has a quadrangular base and four spires at its corners. Inside is a gilded image of Lord Buddha. The bricks at the oldest part of the temple have been fitted together without cement. The ground level of the temple is forty-five square meters in area, stretching up in a pyramid shape ending in a square platform. The central tower of the temple stands fifty-four meters in height. The brickwork on the outside shows scenes from the life of the Buddha. Inside the temple is an awesome figure of Buddha touching the earth with his right hand, depicting the posture of enlightenment. It is said to be over 1,500 years old. The statue is made of black stone but covered in gold and dressed in bright orange robes. The courtyard of the temple is strewn with Buddha statues and stupas several hundred years old.Some of the important monuments in the complex are the stone railings, the Bodhi tree and the diamond seat. The stone railing, which surrounds the temple on three, sides is 2m high and has been restored over the years. Dating back to 100 BC, the railing is the oldest excavated monument but only part of it is in existence. The Bodhi tree, which grows behind the temple, was planted in the nineteenth century, and is a descendant of the original tree under which Lord Buddha attained enlightenment. It is also called tree of knowledge and pilgrims tie prayer ribbons to its branches and meditate under it. The diamond seat, or the vajrasana is a large rectangular piece of polished red sandstone covered with a golden canopy under the Bodhi tree. It is believed to be the seat where Buddha attained enlightenment.

Mahabodhi Temple Complex

The Cankamana, or lotus walk, is a raised platform to the north of the Mahabodhi temple and is part of the temple complex. This place marks the path where Buddha paced in up and down in deep meditation. Lotus flowers have been carved on it, as legend says that lotus flowers sprang up wherever Buddha placed his feet. The Ratnaghara chaitya is marble plank within the temple where it is said that the Lord, while in deep meditation, emitted colored lights. The Mucalinga pond is a dry pond to the south of the temple where the Lord spent his sixth week after enlightenment. The complex is also studded with stupas erected by people from all over the worldTowards the southeast corner of the temple is part of an Ashokan pillar. First erected here, it was found at Gaya and restored in 1956. The complex also has a number of Buddha statutes dressed up in Hindu fashion. Sujata’s stupa is located at a place where a woman named Sujata offered kheer to the severely penitent Siddhartha. The complex is also close to the banks of the beautiful Niranjana River, which is a modern picnic spot. Bodh Gaya is 100 km from Patna. The best time to visit is from October to March. A visit to Bodh Gaya archaeological museum is a must for an art lover.

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