Why visit Bodh Gaya
Townapedia lists 6 museums and landmarks, 4 parks and trails, 25 places to eat, 126 places to stay and 1 attraction in and around town.
Highlights include Magadh University and Archaeological Museum of Bodhgaya.
Weather in Bodh Gaya
Forecast from MET Norway (CC BY 4.0). Full forecast
About Bodh Gaya
Bodh Gayā is a religious site and place of pilgrimage associated with the Mahabodhi Temple complex, situated in the Gaya district in the Indian state of Bihar. It is famous for being the place where Gautama Buddha is said to have attained enlightenment (Pali: bodhi) under what became known as the Bodhi Tree. Since antiquity, Bodh Gayā has remained the object of pilgrimage and veneration for Buddhists. Archaeological finds, including sculptures, show that the site was in use by Buddhists since the Maurya period.
From the Wikipedia article Bodh Gaya (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Travel tips from other travellers: Bodh Gaya on Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Things to do1
Magadh University
School · 2.5 km
State public university in Gaya, Bihar, India
Museums and landmarks6
Archaeological Museum of Bodhgaya
Museum
Archaeology museum in Bodhgaya, Bihar, India
Parks, trails and playgrounds4
Restaurants and cafes25
Nirvana The Veg Café
Cafe · American, Coffee Shop, Curry, Indian, International, Italian Pizza, Local, Noodles, Pasta, Sandwich
Japanese Temple Road
Mo-Su 07:00-22:00
13 more on the map.
History
Bodh Gayā is considered the holiest site in Buddhism. Known as Uruvelā in the Buddha's time, it is by the bank of the Lilājan River. The first temple at the site was built by Maurya Emperor Ashoka.
Traditionally, it is believed that the Buddha was born in 563 BCE on the next Baisakhi purnima (second full moon in calendar years that do not themselves start during full moon) in Lumbini, Nepal. As Siddhartha, he renounced his family at the age of 29 in 534 BCE, and travelled and meditated in search of truth. After practising self-mortification for six years at Uruvela (Buddhagaya) in Gaya, he gave up that practice because it did not give him liberation. Then he discovered the Noble Eightfold Path of his own and practised it, finally reaching enlightenment: complete freedom from lust (Rāga), hatred (Dvesha), and delusion (Mohā), also known as the Three poisons.
From the History section of Bodh Gaya on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay126
Churches and places of worship96
Shopping1
Schools, colleges and libraries28
Healthcare10
Map of Bodh Gaya
250 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Getting there and nearby towns
Gaya International Airport (GAY) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 6 km away.
- Pahārpur 7 km north, about 7 min by car
- Gaya 11 km north, about 11 min by car
- Bagaha 20 km south, about 20 min by car
- Bāra 23 km northwest, about 23 min by car
- Sherghāti 25 km southwest, about 25 min by car
- Tekāri 31 km northwest, about 31 min by car
- Lāu 30 km north, about 30 min by car
- Rafiganj 38 km west, about 38 min by car
- Men 38 km north, about 38 min by car
- Makhdumpur 41 km north, about 41 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB.
Reviews, tips and questions
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Sources and licences
- GeoNames (CC BY 4.0): population, coordinates, regions and time zone
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Great Buddha Statue, Bodh Gaya, Andrew Moore from Johannesburg, South Africa, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Ticket Counter - Bodh Gaya ASI Museum, Sumitsurai, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Mahabodhitemple, Bpilgrim, CC BY-SA 2.5
- Sujata Garh, Pavittar, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Faculty Social Sciences Magadh Universit 2010, metha supong Transferred from Wikipedia.org Thai Wikipedia to Commons., CC BY-SA 3.0
- Ratanaghara alias the place of basic contemplation inside premises of Mahabodhi temple at Bodhgaya in the state of Bihar 14, Amitabha Gupta, CC BY 4.0
Page built November 3, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us or suggest a place.