Mahabodhi temple, Bodh Gaya, Bihar, India. [Credit: Frederick M. Asher]
Village in central Bihar state, northeastern India. It is situated west of the Phalgu River, a tributary of the Ganges (Ganga) River. One of the holiest of Buddhist sites, it was there, under the sacred pipal, or bodhi (Bo) tree, that Gautama Buddha (Prince Siddhartha) attained enlightenment and became the Buddha.
A simple shrine was built by the emperor Ashoka (3rd century &BC;) to mark the spot, and this was later enclosed by a stone railing (1st century &BC;), part of which still remains. The uprights have representations of the Vedic gods Indra and Surya, and the railing medallions are carved with imaginary beasts. This shrine was replaced in the Kushan period (2nd century &AD;) by the present Mahabodhi temple (designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2002), which was itself refurbished in the Pala-Sena period (750–1200), heavily restored by the British archaeologist Sir Alexander Cunningham in the second half of the 19th century, and finally restored by Myanmar (Burmese) Buddhists in 1882. The temple's central tower stands 180 feet (54 metres) above the ground. A museum contains various Buddhist relics. Bodh Gaya is the site of Magadh University (1962). Pop. (2001) 30,857.
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