5/5 Shekhar S. 2 months ago on Google • 62 reviews New
The
Mahabodhi
Temple
Complex
is
one
of
the
four
holy
sites
related
to
the
life
of
the
Lord
Buddha,
and
particularly
to
the
attainment
of
Enlightenment.
The
first
temple
was
built
by
Emperor
Asoka
in
the
3rd
century
B.C.,
and
the
present
temple
dates
from
the
5th
or
6th
centuries.
It
is
one
of
the
earliest
Buddhist
temples
built
entirely
in
brick,
still
standing
in
India,
from
the
late
Gupta
periods
The
Mahabodhi
Temple
Complex,
Bodh
Gaya
lies
115
km
south
of
the
state
capital
of
Bihar,
Patna
and
16
km
from
the
district
headquarters
at
Gaya,
in
Eastern
India.
It
is
one
of
the
four
holy
sites
related
to
the
life
of
the
Lord
Buddha,
and
particularly
to
the
attainment
of
Enlightenment.
The
property
encompasses
the
greatest
remains
of
the
5th-6th
century
A.D
in
the
Indian
sub-continent
belonging
to
this
period
of
antiquity.
The
property
has
a
total
area
of
4.8600
ha.
The
Mahabodhi
Temple
Complex
is
the
first
temple
built
by
Emperor
Asoka
in
the
3rd
century
B.C.,
and
the
present
temple
dates
from
the
5th–6th
centuries.
It
is
one
of
the
earliest
Buddhist
temples
built
entirely
in
brick,
still
standing,
from
the
late
Gupta
period
and
it
is
considered
to
have
had
significant
influence
in
the
development
of
brick
architecture
over
the
centuries.
The
present
Mahabodhi
Temple
Complex
at
Bodh
Gaya
comprises
the
50
m
high
grand
Temple,
the
Vajrasana,
sacred
Bodhi
Tree
and
other
six
sacred
sites
of
Buddha's
enlightenment,
surrounded
by
numerous
ancient
Votive
stupas,
well
maintained
and
protected
by
inner,
middle
and
outer
circular
boundaries.
A
seventh
sacred
place,
the
Lotus
Pond,
is
located
outside
the
enclosure
to
the
south.
Both
the
temple
area
and
the
Lotus
Pond
are
surrounded
by
circulating
passages
at
two
or
three
levels
and
the
area
of
the
ensemble
is
5
m
below
the
level
of
the
surrounding
land.
It
is
also
a
unique
property
of
archaeological
significance
in
respect
of
the
events
associated
with
the
time
Lord
Buddha
spent
there,
as
well
as
documenting
the
evolving
worship,
particularly
since
the
3rd
century,
when
Emperor
Asoka
built
the
first
temple,
the
balustrades
and
the
memorial
column
and
the
subsequent
evolution
of
the
ancient
city
with
the
building
of
sanctuaries
and
monasteries
by
foreign
kings
over
the
centuries.
The
Main
Temple
wall
has
an
average
height
of
11
m
and
it
is
built
in
the
classical
style
of
Indian
temple
architecture.
It
has
entrances
from
the
east
and
from
the
north
and
has
a
low
basement
with
mouldings
decorated
with
honeysuckle
and
geese
design.
Above
this
is
a
series
of
niches
containing
images
of
the
Buddha.
Further
above
there
are
mouldings
and
chaitya
niches,
and
then
the
curvilinear
shikhara
or
tower
of
the
temple
surmounted
by
amalaka
and
kalasha
(architectural
features
in
the
tradition
of
Indian
temples).
At
the
four
corners
of
the
parapet
of
the
temple
are
four
statues
of
the
Buddha
in
small
shrine
chambers.
A
small
tower
is
built
above
each
of
these
shrines.
The
temple
faces
east
and
consists
of
a
small
forecourt
in
the
east
with
niches
on
either
side
containing
statues
of
the
Buddha.
A
doorway
leads
into
a
small
hall,
beyond
which
lies
the
sanctum,
which
contains
a
gilded
statue
of
the
seated
Buddha
(over
5ft
high)
holding
earth
as
witness
to
his
achieved
Enlightenment.
Above
the
sanctum
is
the
main
hall
with
a
shrine
containing
a
statue
of
Buddha,
where
senior
monks
gather
to
meditate.
From
the
east,
a
flight
of
steps
leads
down
through
a
long
central
path
to
the
main
temple
and
the
surrounding
area.
Along
this
path
there
are
significant
places
associated
with
events
that
immediately
followed
the
Buddha’s
Enlightment,
together
with
votive
stupas
and
shrines.
The
most
important
of
the
sac