Introduction: Gaya is a major city in the state of Bihar. It is 105 km distant from Patna, the capital of Bihar. Bodhgaya lies in the banks of the river Niranjana also known as Falgu. Traveling 7 miles more is the Bodhgaya the spiritual home of the Buddhists all over the world where Lord Buddha got enlightenment. It is among the most holy places in the world. It is a very small place in the corner of Bihar. The Buddhist holds a very important role in every tradition even today and is considered as an inspiration and symbol of peace.
History: The area of Bodhgaya is the place with first small kingdom existed in the 7th century BC. Siddhartha the birth name of Lord Gautama Buddha was a prince of Sakya and he set out one day sacrificing all his attainment in search of "Truth" influenced by the suffering of people. He started sitting under a Bodh tree and meditated about truth. After getting enlightened after years of meditation, he started spreading the message of love and peace to the whole world. Ashoka the great ruler of the Mauryan Empire built a small shrine in Bodhgaya to mark the place of enlightenment in 3rd century BC. Many kept on intervening on this place and it now sustains as the Mahabodhi Temple.

Places of interest: Buddha Sarovar is the pond believed to have taken bath by Lord Buddha before starting meditating truth. This pond is situated on the west of the Bodhi Temple. Bodhi Tree is the tree where Gautama sits in search of truth and gets the light he was in search of and he became Buddha the enlightened one. Traveling 13 km away from Gaya is the Maha Bodhi Temple. There is a big statue of Lord Buddha inside this temple and it is popularly known for it's being an archaeological site. A huge collection of stone sculptures and other artifacts can be seen in the Museum of Bodhgaya.

Travel information: The nearest airport of Bodhgaya is Patna. Regular flight is operating from this airport connecting the major cities like Delhi, Ranchi, Lucknow, Calcutta, Chennai and Mumbai. The international airport nearest to Bodhgaya is Calcutta at 482 km. Gaya railway station is located in the city itself making transportation much more easier for the travelers with the availability of super fast and express services. The Bihar road transportation is connecting Nalanda, Rajgir, Patna and Gaya stationing their main stop just opposite to the Mahabodhi Temple. Private buses and taxis are good sources of local transportation.