Reblogged is a series of blog posts on my life in India coming from the weblogs I set-up. It’s an attempt to put the stories all in one place! The post Bodh Gaya: the journey to Nirvana was originally posted on October 15, 2012, two weeks after the experience. Another post preceded this one, which has more text to tell the story of a full day’s trip to Bodh Gaya with VSO co-volunteers Julie and Amanda. This was part of the vacation I called “The Pilgrimage” as we visited the holy cities of Bodh Gaya and Varanasi.
Ok. Actually, I just can’t think of an apt title at this moment that I am writing this. Hahaha 🙂 But, yeah, you can pretty much say that this post indeed is about the journey of Buddha, not necessarily into Nirvana but in the achievement of enlightenment. Also, this will be about the journey of me, Juls and Amanda as we tried to understand what Buddhism is and how it has began here in India.
my favorite of the snaps at Bodh Gaya: the “pilgrims” with the Giant Buddha
So, to take you on our own journey to Bodh Gaya, from the 2nd morning in the 30-hour train journey (I look, uhm, not video-worthy. hahaha) from Mumbai to Bihar, from train station in Gaya to Bodh Gaya village, to the Mahabodhi temple, Giant Buddha and meditation garden, here’s some video clips I have taken and select photos. I hope these clips will give you a chance to experience Bodh Gaya, even just on a visual and virtual tour. Enjoy!
Mahabodhi TempleThe Buddha Statue in the main Mahabodhi TempleBodhi Tree at Night
enlarged foot print of Buddha, also serves as offering areaBodh Gaya is Amanda’s Taj Mahal (meaning, this is the place she really wanted to go in India)I wonder what Juls was thinking here
Butter Lamp candles are lit every nightit’s the full moon pujaabout 9pm, almost closing timeProof of Presence! 🙂Our Haven at Be Happy Cafe (in front of the Vietnamese Temple)Buddhist chimes and other accessories and ornaments for sale everywhereBangladesh Buddhist Monastery in Bodh GayaBhutanese Buddhist Temple at Bodh Gayaaccording to Amanda, this looks like a scene in a Bollywood film where the kids are about to burst into dance! (photo by Juls)Tibetan Buddhist Temple at Bodh GayaSide Close-up View of the Tibetan Buddhist TempleThai TempleVertical Panorama inside the Thai TempleLong but disciplined queue in the early eveningA collective of Monks meditating for a cause at Mahabodhi TempleMonks praying at the Bodhi treefemale monks (the one in white was praying while walking and the one in yellow was sitting and meditating)
The Diarist Wanders 
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