Gaya Bihar

Gaya is one of the important holy places for Hindus and thousands of devotees throng this small town every year for pilgrimage. The main pilgrim center in Gaya is the Vishnu temple. Legend has it that this temple was built on Lord Vishnu's footsteps and is thus considered very sacred by the devotees. It is also believed by Hindus that if the final rights are performed in Gaya, the departed soul goes to heaven.

Bodhi Sarovar: Situated in an attractive place, this pond is towards the west of Bodhi temple and it is believed that before going in for meditation Buddha took bath in this pond.

Bodhi Tree: It was here that the Sakya prince (then known as Gautama) first saw "light" under the Bodhi tree and became "Buddha", the enlightened one. It still holds a very important role to Buddhists of all traditions and acts as an inspiration and a symbol of peace.

Chankamana: Chankaramana or the Jewel Walk is a raised platform with foot impressions of Buddha. It is believed that Buddha pondered here on whether to reveal his knowledge to the world or not. Inside it is a Tibetan monastery with a large Dharma Chakra or the Wheel of Law.

Maha Bodhi temple: Situated about 13 kms from Gaya, it is one of the important places of worship for the Buddhists and is also a significant archaeological site. It is 15 metres square and rises to a height of 52 metres. There is a big statue of Lord Buddha inside with his hands touching the earth.

Pretshila Hill: This hill is about 10 kms from the Ramshila hill and just below the hill is the Brahma Kund. After taking bath in this pond people go for the Pind Dan (involving performance of some religious rites and rituals. This is done for peace of the departed soul of the ancestor.) The temple is an attraction for the tourists due to its unique architecture and magnificent sculptures.

Surya Kund: West of the Vishnu temple is the pond, Surya Kund. Here in the Hindu months of chaitya (March-April) and Kartikya (September-October) the festival of Sun God is held and a fair is also organized on these occasions at the Kund

The Museum (Bodh Gaya): There is a large collection of stone sculptures and other artifacts in this museum maintained by The Archaeological survey of India. The bronze statues in the museum are very attractive. It also has a small collection of Buddha statues and pillars.

Vishnupad Temple: Situated about 3 kms. from the Gaya city is the Vishnupad temple. It is believed to have been built over the footprints of Lord Vishnu. The 40 cm long footprint of Lord Vishnu is imprinted in solid rock surrounded by a silver plated basin inside the temple.