Buddhist Pilgrimage
🚶 8–10 min walk from Glamour Palace
Mahabodhi Temple
UNESCO World Heritage Site · Bodh Gaya
The Mahabodhi Temple in Bodh Gaya is the most sacred site in Buddhism — the exact spot where Siddhartha Gautama attained enlightenment under the sacred Bodhi Tree approximately 2,500 years ago. A UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2002, the 55-metre brick spire is one of the oldest Buddhist structures in existence and one of the most visited pilgrimage sites on earth.
The Mahabodhi Temple complex was first built by Emperor Ashoka in the 3rd century BCE to mark the enlightenment spot. The current structure dates primarily from the 5th–6th century CE, with significant restorations carried out in the 19th century under British supervision with assistance from Burma. The complex includes the main temple, the sacred Bodhi Tree (a direct descendant of the original tree under which the Buddha sat), the Vajrasana (the Diamond Throne — the actual meditation seat of the Buddha), the Animesh Lochana shrine, the Ratnagar Chankrama (Jewel Walk), the Ratnaghar, and several meditation halls and subsidiary shrines. Pilgrims from Japan, Korea, Tibet, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Myanmar, Germany, and over 100 other countries visit year-round. The site is busiest during Buddha Purnima (May full moon) and the winter pilgrimage season (October to February).