Mahabodhi Temple
Bodh Gaya, Bihar
The Mahabodhi Temple Complex in Bodh Gaya, Bihar marks the sacred spot where Siddhartha Gautama — the Buddha — attained enlightenment approximately 2,500 years ago under the Bodhi Tree.
Traditional associations
Peace & Inner Clarity
The Mahabodhi site is traditionally associated with meditation, spiritual reflection and the pursuit of inner peace.
Documented by Incredible India (Ministry of Tourism, Government of India).
Alignment reflects tradition and belief — not outcomes or guarantees.
Temple details
- About this temple
One of the four holy sites of Buddhism and a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2002, the temple is also revered in Hinduism, where the Buddha is considered the ninth avatar of Lord Vishnu. The iconic pyramidal tower (shikhara) of the Mahabodhi Temple rises 55 metres, making it one of the earliest and best-preserved brick temples from the Gupta period (5th–6th century CE). At the heart of the complex stands the sacred Bodhi Tree — a direct descendant of the original tree under which the Buddha meditated — and the diamond throne (Vajrasana) where he sat. The complex also includes seven sacred locations associated with the weeks the Buddha spent meditating after his enlightenment: Animesh Lochana Chaitya, Ratnachankrama, Ratnaghar Chaitya, Ajapala Nigrodha, Muchalinda Tank, and the Rajayatana Tree. Pilgrims and visitors from Buddhist-majority nations such as Thailand, Japan, Sri Lanka, Tibet, and Myanmar travel here annually for prayer, meditation, and peace.
- Deity
Lord Buddha (revered as an avatar of Vishnu in Hindu tradition)
- Temple type
UNESCO World Heritage Site, Buddhist Sacred Site (Avatar Kshetra in Hinduism)
- Architectural style
Gupta-period brick architecture (early North Indian Nagara)
- Established
Originally 3rd century BCE by Emperor Ashoka; current structure 5th–6th century CE
- Festivals
- Buddha Purnima (Vesak)
- Bodhgaya Mahotsava
- Lhosar (Tibetan New Year)
- Diwali
- Karthik Purnima
- Managed by
Bodh Gaya Temple Management Committee (BGTMC)
Location
Bodh Gaya, Bihar, India