Gaya - the city of temples and deep devotion

Surrounded by small rocky hills and dotted with numerous ancient and intricately created temples, the city of Gaya is popular among the religious population of Hindus, Jains and Buddhists. Sitting majestically by the holy river Falgu this city is the holy centre of spiritualism in the entire subcontinent. The city is held on high regard among people looking to have a spiritually uplifting experience or perform the puja ritual of thanking their ancestors in the form of pind daan which can also be availed via a Gaya Tour Packages. Gaya has always been the focal point of religious activities and has found its mention in a number of holy Hindu scriptures. Not just Gaya, its neighboring holy town of Bodhgaya is also extremely highly revered since gautam Buddha is said to have achieved his enlightenment here.

Popularly deemed as the city of temples Gaya is adorned with magnificent temples dating back to ages ago some of these popular temples are:

Mahabodhi Temple

 

Literally meaning ‘the great awakening temple’, this majestic temple is one of the most highly revered temples in the entire region of Gaya. It was established by the great Mauryan ruler Ashoka during his attempt to spread the word of Buddhism among the Hindu masses, during the 7th century BCE. A UNESCO world heritage site, this temple is home to the grand mahabodhi tree under which Gautam Buddha is said to have achieved his enlightenment. This holy temple is not only visited by the Hindus but it is also an important pilgrimage destination among the Buddhists.

Vishnupad Temple

 

Standing majestically on the banks of the holy river of Falgu, this temple is one of the most vital places of worship for avid Vaishnavites. It is believed to house the foot prints of Lord Vishnu himself making this place incredibly holy for every devout Hindu. The temple premises also houses a Lord Narsimha temple in its courtyard making a visit here all the more pious and spiritual.

Chinese Temple and Monastery

 

Located in vicinity of the grand Mahabodhi temple the distinguishing feature of this temple is the fact that it has been constructed using Chinese architectural styles and designed. The entire structure was built by the government of China in collaboration with the Buddhist monks in the year 1945. This temple houses a 200 year old Buddha statue which is completely made in Gold and was found in China.

Barabar Caves

These caves are famed for being the oldest surviving rock cut caves in India. These caves can be dated back to the times of Mauryan Empire since there are Ahokan inscriptions present inside it representing the word of Dhamma. Situated among the twin hills of Barabar hills and Nagarjuni hills these caves were utilized heavily by prominent ascetics like Guatam Buddha and Mahavira among others making these caves extremely important among Jains and Buddhists.

Great Buddha Statue

Standing majestically at a height of 64 feet this great Buddha statue is created using red sandstone and granite. Sitting peacefully in a meditation pose the statue is truly a sign of peace and serenity. This statue ranks among one of the largest statues in the entire Indian subcontinent and attracts a number of Buddhist tourist from all over the world who are looking for some spiritual enlightenment.

Thai Monastery:

Popular for being the only Thai temple in India this holy Thai monastery was constructed by the monarch of Thailand in 1956, with an aim of strengthening the India - Thailand relations. Not only was it created to cement their relationship but it was also done with an aim of spreading the wise words of Buddhism to everyone. Constructed by utilizing the Thai architectural styles you will be greeted with a 25 meter high statue of Lord Buddha.