One of the holiest of holy pilgrim places for the Buddhists of the world is Mahabodhi Temple at Bodh

The Mahabodhi Temple built on the east of the sacred tree stands majestically 170 feet high on a base 50 feet square, and consists of a soaring pyramidal tower surmounted by a stupa. The Chinese traveller Hiuen Tsang who came here in A.D. 637 gave a vivid description of the temple at that time. Much of this ancient glory has been lost however and what exists of the temple today is a result of repairs and renovations since Emperor Ashoka's time.

The Vajrasan or Diamond Throne lying between the Bodhi Tree and the temple marks the actual spot where Buddha sat in meditation and attained supreme knowledge. A gilded Buddha smiles upon the visitors from a niche in the wall of the temple, and his footsteps carved in stone hold flower offerings from the devout. Unbelievable peace pervades the atmosphere giving credence to legend.

On the northern side of the temple is Chaukramana the Jewel Walk where the Buddha is said to have strolled in meditation, pondering whether he should reveal to the world the message he had received. To the south and the west are richly carved 2nd century B.C. railings, the oldest remains at Gaya, with medallions depicting the lotus, sacred to Buddha, flowers, birds and animals.

Animeshlochan Chaiyata within the temple walls, is a small temple sanctifying the spot where the Buddha stood gazing at the tree in gratitude, after he had attained enlightenment. The garden in Mohantas Monastery, a Shaivite monastery, is dotted by hundreds of small samadhis - commemorative stones in the shape off upturned urns. Adi Shankaracharya spent many days here in heated debate with Buddhist philosophers.

Ratnagar is another small interesting shrine close to the Mahabodhi temple, where the Buddha spent a week in contemplation, while rays of five different colors emanated from his body.

So great is the sanctity of the place that several international Buddhist communities from different countries of the world have set up temples and monasteries, retaining their native architectural styles. Ratnagar has Monastery of Tibetan, Japanese, Thai and the Bhutanese .

The temple in the Tibetan monastery with sloping tiled roofs has an immense Dharma Chakra or wheel of Law. It is believed that anyone rotating this heavy wheel three times in succession will be freed of all sin.

The Thai Temple is startling in the sunlight, with gold lacquered tiles, sloping roofs, curled dragon forms making graceful silhouettes against the sky. Inside lies a magnificent Buddha with curly hair tied in a knot on top of his head. There are few rooms behind the temple to accommodate pilgrims and Thai Buddhist monks.

The Japanese temple with a blue tiled roof is vast and under a canopied ceiling the Buddha contemplates his visitors. The larges complex of the international societies in Bodh Gaya, it has buildings with offices, study areas, library and rooms for visitors.

With its traditional architecture the Bhutanese temple lies in a beautifully landscaped garden while the Burmese temple is shaped like a pagoda, reminiscent of Pagan, the city of five thousand pagodas. The Chinese have built a temple too. White in colour, its architecture is a blend of traditional Chinese and Indian styles. The fine Buddha statue inside is said to have come from Chinese two centuries ago.

Thirty-four kilometres from Gaya lies Rajgir in a verdant valley surrounded by rocky hills. Here on Griddhakuta or Vultures Peak the Buddha set in motion his second Wheel of Law and for three months every year during the rainy season preached many inspiring sermons to his disciples. The Buddha Sangha of Japan have constructed a massive modern stupa, the Shanti (peace) stupa at the top of the hill in commemoration. The view from the top is breathtaking. One can climb up to the top along a bridle path. However, the aerial chairlift is far more exciting.

On the Vaibhara hill are the Saptparni caves where the first Buddhist Council was held. The Saptparni cave is also the source of the Rajgir sulphur springs that have curative properties and are scared to the Hindu's.

Twelve kilometres from Rajgir is Nalanda which was in Buddha's time a lovely resort of Saints and ascetics. Lord Buddha visited Nalanda several times and delivered some important sermons. It emerged as a university in the 5th century A.D. and remained the greatest seat of learning for 700 years. Great thinkers like Nagarjuna, the Mahayana Buddhist Philosopher. Dharmapala the Brahman scholar, Aryadeva, and Padmasambhava taught here.

Hiuen Tsang spent many years here too, both as a student and teacher. At his time there were some ten thousand students from the entire Buddhists world: Tibet, China, Mongolia, Turkestan and Korea as well as from different parts of India. The courses included the study of scriptures of the Mahayana and Hinayana schools of Buddhism, Brahminical and Vedic texts, philosophy, logic, theology, astronomy, mathematics, and medicine.

In 1951 an International Centre for Buddhist studies was set up here. Nava Nalanda Mahavihara, a university of Buddhist learning has many rare Buddhist manuscripts, and is a worthy successor of the ancient university of Nalanda.

Lord Buddha visited Vaishali on the Gandak river often and at Kolhua close by preached his last sermon and announced his approaching Nirvana to his disciples. Emperor Ashoka built a pillar of sandstone at this spot. On the summit of the pillar sits a life sized lion facing northwards, the direction the Buddha took on his last journey.

A hundred years after the Mahaparinirvana of the Buddha, Vaishali hoisted the second great Buddhist Council. Two stupas were built to commemorate this event, Buddha's funeral ashes were found in caskets buried in the relic chambers of both these stupas. Vaishali is 56 kms north of Patna.

At Sarnath 10 kilometres from Varanasi Buddha preached his first sermon after attaining Enlightenment, revealing his doctrine of the Eight Fold Path and enshrining the principles of his teachings into laws. The ruined Dharmrajika stupa and the great Dhamekh stupa mark the spot where the Buddha set in motion the Wheel of Law.

Explorations during the recent Japanese-funded UNESCO project have yielded in the words of Dr. R.C. Agrawal, superintending Archaeologist "the biggest Buddhist settlement in all of Central India". The remains point to monasteries of enormous proportion. Earlier eight structures had been identified. Now 14 more monasteries and 23 stupas have been found. The Archaeological Museum here as well as the Chinese and Tibetan Temples are all worth a visit.

To the north of Sarnath s the sacred site of Kushinagar where Buddha at the age of 80 passed away into Mahaparinirvana, the state of permanent bliss. Kushinagar's partial exploration till today has revealed the remains of at least ten ancient monasteries. The Mukutabandhana stupa is believed to have been built to house the relics of the Buddha while a smaller renovated shrine nearby encloses a great recumbent figure of him. Fa-Hien, Hiuen Tsang and I-tsing, the three great Chinese scholar travelers to India all visited Kushinagar.