12 Places to visit in Bodhgaya Bihar

In this tour guide, you can easily explore all the Bodhgaya tourist destinations in Bihar. We stayed in Bodhgaya city for 2 days. All the places in Bodhgaya is not so far and are nicely cleaned. Within 2 to 5 km, We explore all the tourist places. The Mahabodhi main temple is the prime attraction here. After Bodhgaya, we also visit and include the Rajgir tour.

Our Holiday Story

We started our journey from Howrah station. It’s a family tour with 4 people. The train is Jodhpur Express time at 11.30 pm. We reached Howrah station 1 hour before and reached Gaya at 5.30 am.

From Gaya station, we rent an auto-rickshaw for Buddagaya, and it took 200 rupees. The distance between the Gaya railway station to Bodhgaya is 16.8 km.

After, We reached our hotel, completed breakfast, take a rest for a while and made a Sightseeing list of Bodhgaya tourist places. After we started our tour. First, we hired an auto-rickshaw for 200 rupees for Sujata Garh.

Kolkata to Buddha Gaya, Rajgir tour cost

Place	Fare for 4	Per person
Howrah to Gaya	1180	295
Gaya to Bodhgaya by auto	150	37.5
hotel in Bodhgaya 2 days	2800	1400
Food in Bodhgaya 1st day	1900	475
Sideseeing Budhagaya  auto fare	300	75
Budhagaya to Gaya  ( auto with return)	450	112.5
Vishnupad temple puja	200	50
Shopping at Gaya	500	125
Lunch in Gaya and return	400	100
Buddhagya side seen by Toto       (2nd day)	140	35
Shopping at Buddhagaya	300	75
Dinner at Buddha Gaya	500	125
Buddha Gaya to Rajgir Car	3000	750
Breakfast at Gehlaur (Dashrath Manjhi)	100	25
Sonbhandar guide Charge	100	25
Shanti stupa roapway	160	40
Shanti stupa shopping and Tiffin	200	50
Hotel with tanga	100	25
hotel room  for 2 days	3200	800
Hotel food for 2 days	3000	750
Nalanda side see	1000	250
Tanga ride for Nalanda side seen	200	50
Last day side seen with tanga	500	125
Entry fee	120	30
Guide (Rajgir All side)	200	50
Rajgir to baktiarpur local train	140	35
Dinner AT TRAIN	600	150
Bakhtiyarpur to Kolkata station	2400	600
Extra	2000	500
Total	25840	7160 rupees

Read famous places in Kolkata

Bodhgaya tourist places near me – Our route map

First, we visit Sujata Garh. It’s also called Sujata Stupa. This historical place is neat and clean, a sacred place. Next, we came to Buddha Gaya Museum.

After that, we had a small Tiffin and do shopping in the roadside market. In that place, we found two beautiful monasteries called Chinese and Thailand Buddhist Monastery.

We stopover both places to visit, and again we hired an auto-rickshaw and went to the Tirupati shopping complex. In that place, we completed our lunch at the Tirupati food centre.

After that, we visited 80 feet Buddha Statue in Bodhgaya. The Statue is the prime attraction in Bodhgaya.

From there, we back to our Hotel in the evening. In our hotel the dining facility was not available on that day, we arranged dinner from outside a restaurant. That’s how we spend our first day in Bodhgaya.

1. Gaya tour

The next day we travel for Gaya. You should include this place for your tour.

In the early morning, we completed our breakfast and start our journey. We booked an auto-rickshaw for 250 rupees for Gaya. Here, the main attraction is the Vishnupad Mandir. This temple is situated west side of the Falgu river. The place carries significance for the Hindu religion.

All the spiritual ceremony has been organized after the death of people to give peace to their soul. Also, rituals are performed in that place to give peace to their ancestor’s soul. From the name of ‘Gayaasur’, this place name is Gaya.

According to Hindu Mythology here Lord Vishnu kept his foot on the head of Gayasur and the footmarks are still there in that place of worship.

Then our next stop was Mangla Gouri Temple. On Tuesday Temple had overcrowded for puja. That’s why we couldn’t see the idol in this temple. We spend some good time in the temple and move to the main market of Gaya. It’s just similar to any market in Kolkata.

We completed our lunch in the Gaya market area. Therefore, we booked an auto and back to our place.

After we had taken some rest and in the evening, we again visited new places in Buddha Gaya. We visited two Monasteries and a Buddhist Meditation centre, this meditation centre is a Buddhist school where children are learning about the Buddhist culture and Rituals along with traditional education.

From there we took a Toto car and went to the Main temple of Buddha Gaya. Before entering that place we have to submit our shoes, phone camera etc in the nearby stall. There are many shops where you can put that stuff free of cost. If you wish, you can carry a camera for a 100 rupees fee.

Lastly, we visit Wat Thai Temple, Bangladesh monastery and a few more monasteries in Bodhgaya and returned to the hotel. The next day we left Bodhgaya for Rajgir tourism. In the way of Rajgir, we found Dashrath Manjhi village.

Read Best Kurseong to Darjeeling toy train travel guide from Kolkata

2. Sujata Garh

The Sujata Garh is the brick stupa that was constructed to commemorate the residence of Sujata. The maiden who offered milk and rice to Lord Buddha.

It Garh was established through excavations, which yielded an inscription of the 8th to 9th century AD. Excavations by the archaeological survey of India 1973-74 and again in 2001-06 have been exposed fully.

It was constructed in three phases from Gupta to the Pala period. There was a wooden railing around the ‘Pradakshinapath’ at the ground level. The entire structure was originally plastered with lime. Some of the antiquities were found during excavations. Those are displayed in Bodhgaya Museum maintained by the archaeological survey of India.

3. About Archaeological Museum in Bodhgaya

Bodhgaya is one of the most venerated pilgrimage centres for the Buddhist region. As Lord Buddha had attained Supreme Enlightenment at this place. Archaeological Museum, Bodhgaya was established by the Archaeological Survey of India in 1956 for better preservation of priceless antiquities brought from the Mahabodhi Temple complex.

4. Bodhigaya  Museum Main Attraction 

The greatest attractions of the museum are the stone railing which once enclosed the Bodhi Tree and the Mahabodhi Temple. Made of Sandstone and granite, these pillars belong to the Sunga (2nd-Ist Century B.C.) and early medieval (6th-7th Cent. A. D.) periods.

The pillars have sculptured panels and medallions at both faces representing themes from Jataka, Live-Events of Lord Buddha, zodiac signs, folk scenes, etc. Some pillars also bear inscriptions.

The museum houses have remarkable sculptures of the Pala period (8th-l2th Cent. A. D.). Significant amongst the Sculptures of the Buddhist faith are images of Lord Buddha in different attitudes, Maitreya, Manjusri, Padmapani, Tara and Jambhala. In addition, Images of the Brahmanical affiliation is also displayed representing Vishnu, Surya, Urna Mahesvara, Genesa, Kamadeva, etc.

A special attraction of the museum is the display of antiquities unearthed During excavations. It was conducted by the Archaeological Survey of India at Bakraur village situated one km from Bodhgaya.

East of the Mahabodhi Temple on the opposite bank of Niranjana river which has revealed a brick Stupa built-in memory of Sujata, which is discussed earlier. 

Archaeological Museum in Bodhgaya Entry Fee

10 rupees per person and below 15 years of age entry free.

Archaeological Museum in Bodhgaya Opening Time

09.00 a.m. to 05.00 p.m. ticket sold up to 04.45 p.m. and the museum closed on Friday.

Read Bakkhali Tour Guide and travel sightseeing tourist spot trip

5. The Chinese Buddhist Temple

The white Chinese Buddhist Temple was styled after Indo-Chinese architecture and Built-in 1945. The idol of Buddha is an importation from China. In the temple, they collect the name of pilgrims for chanting their names at the time of prayer.

6. Tibetan Buddhist temple near Bodhgaya mandir Bihar

The Tibetan Buddhist temple is just near Mahabodhi Temple and must include Bodhgaya tourist places. This is the main temple of Tibetan Buddhists. The Tibetan Buddhist temple has a large number of rooms for the lodge.

But this temple has limited access to rooms and lodges. The temple is under the Himalayan Community of Buddhists. In the temple, I interact with monks; they explain to me about the temple and load Buddha, their prayers etc.

7. The great 80 feet Buddha Statue Bodhgaya

After visiting Tibetan temples and archaeological museums, we visit 80 feet Buddha statue.

The 80 feet Buddha statue is the unique symbol of Buddha. It’s respected as the sacred place of Buddhists. From all over the world people come here, to pay tribute to the enlightened Buddha. Also, they promote education and symbolize peace and happiness.

The statue is made with blocks of pink sandstone; the lotus is made with yellow sandstone and the pedestal is made with red granite stone.

The Buddha statue is 64 feet, the height of the lotus—6 feet and the pedestal 10 feet.

The great 80 feet Buddha statue was disclosed to the public on 18th Nov 1989.

Besides the great Buddha statue, there are also 10 statues of the Buddha’s disciples. The statues are made with sandstone.

The place is open from 7 am to 12 pm and 2 pm to 6 pm.

The place is very peaceful you should include this on your Bodhgaya tourist places list.

Also read Bankura Bishnupur Mukutmanipur Tour | Kolkata weekend sightseeing plan

8. Metta Buddharam Temple

This is the newly built Lord Buddha Temple in white colour. The temple is on the Sujata bypass road of Bodhgaya. It’s really a beautiful temple in Bodhgaya, closed on Sunday. It blends a mixture of modernity, creativity and culture. This template is decorated with small bells. And when the wind comes, beautiful sounds come from the bells.

9. About Mahabodhi Temple Complex at Bodh Gaya

Mahabodhi Temple is the prime attraction in Buddha Gaya for India travel. A huge gilded statue of the Buddha is on the ground floor of the Mahabodhi Temple. The temple is 60 feet wide and 180 feet high with its Pyramidal peak. The prayer hall is on the 1st floor.

The entrance to the temple is through an east-facing gate styled after the South Indian architectural pattern and cash in the Buddhist mould. All four corners are marked with four towers. The temple walls bear decorative illustrations of the Buddha in several postures, ornamental lotuses, birds, different sorts of animals and the Jataka tales.

This temple is an example of ancient Hindu architecture. The stone walls of this temple are of Ashoka’s times. According to another set of opinions, this temple was built by the Sungas (184 to 172 BC).

Hiuen Tsang (635 AD) the Chinese traveller mentions this palace in his travel stories.

The holy image of the Buddha was situated with gold plated brass umbrella in the temple. In 1877 the British revived it in public.

2500 years ago Siddhartha sitting on Bajrashila under a Peepal tree on the banks of river Niranjana in the Urubilwa village, had practised religious austerity for 49 days to attain spiritual salvation on the full moon day of ‘Baisakh’. After, the Niranjana river has come to be known as Falgu.

10. Bodh Gaya tree

Lord Buddha took Mahaparinirvan or enlightenment place under the Peepal tree. It is supposed to be the sacred seat on which Buddha sat and attained spiritual wisdom.

Later on, Emperor Ashoka sent a sample of this Peepal tree to Srilanka (Anuradhapura) with his daughter Sanghamitra and son Mahinda as escorts. After the main tree perished, a sample from Snianka (Anuradhapura) was bought and installed at Bodhgaya.

The Bodhi tree of today is the 4th descendant of the original tree. Buddha used to sit for meditation on the lotus-shaped ‘Vajrayana’ under the tree. Footprints on the stone testify to Buddha’s presence when he became the Buddha or the Enlightened.

On the branches of the Bodhi tree, devotees fasten pieces of cloth. Buddha as the 9th incarnation of Vishnu is quite accepted and popular among the Hindus.

11. Muchlind Sarobar Bodhgaya

In the main temple a few away I found Muchlind lake. The serpent king Muchlind lay to have given shelter to the meditating Buddha from rain and storm by spreading its hood like an umbrella. Besides this lake, the ancient University of Magadha had come up. But today it is in a state of ruins.

The Mahabodhi Temple may be exquisite in Godly grace but the Bodhgaya of today. It has become unique with the pouring in of wealth and artistic embellishments from all over the globe to celebrate the 2500th Anniversary of the Buddha.

12. Wat Thai Temple Bodhgaya

In 1965 Wat Thai Temple was built by the Thailand king in Bodhgaya. This is the only Thai temple in India. This temple shows the architecture of Thailand’s culture.

Wat Thai Temple has a beautiful statue of bronze Buddha in the temple. Inside the monastery, the atmosphere cannot be express in words. Bangladesh monastery Bodhgaya is just beside this monastery.