Dharmapala which was grown from a cutting of the Bodhi Tree at Bodh Gaya.
The beginning of the celebrated Mantra, " Buddham Sharanam Gachhami ",
owes Its origin to Sarnath. Afternoon Varanasi city, The Vishwanath Temple
& The Dugra Temple The Benaras Hindu University has an art gallery and a
marble temple. Overnight stay at hotel.
Day 8:
-
After breakfast drive to Bodhgaya, located in the state of
Bihar in the North of India. It was here some 2,500 years ago
that Sidhartha Gautama sat in meditation beneath the Bodhi
tree and gained Enlightenment. In so doing he
became the Buddha - the 'Awakened One'. For Buddhists, Bodh Gaya is the
most important of the main four pilgrimage sites related to the life of Gautama
Buddha, the other three being Kushinagar, Lumbini, and Sarnath. In 2002,
Mahabodhi Temple, located in Bodh Gaya, became a UNESCO World
Heritage Site. The surrounding town, by contrast, is dusty, noisy and
somewhat polluted, due in large part to the large numbers of pilgrims and
tourists who visit there. A new development plan has been proposed to
"ensure a sustainable and prosperous future" for Bodh Gaya, but has become
controversial because such a plan may require the relocation of whole
neighborhoods.On arrival check in at Hotel. Overnight stay at hotel.
Day 9:
After breakfast Half day sightseeing of Bodhgaya, the place
where Buddha attained enlightenment under the Mahabodhi
tree.It is believed that 250 years after the Enlightenment of
the Buddha, Emperor Asoka visited Bodh Gaya. He is
considered to be the founder of the original Mahabodhi temple. It consisted of
an elongated spire crowned by a miniature stupa and a chhatravali on a
platform. A double flight of steps led up to the platform and the upper
sanctum. The mouldings on the spire contained Buddha images in niches.
Some historians believe that the temple was constructed or renovated in the
1st century during the Kushan period. With the decline of Buddhism in India,
Page 6 of 12
© Prakriti Inbound Pvt Ltd.