Calming words from this enlightened soul during these trying times. Gautama Buddha, the man who has left a profound impression in my mind since my younger days and made me the ever optimist that I have always been. As I look back at the beautiful world of my childhood days, I look forward to a new world free from the pollution of illness and sickness of mind, greed, anger, hatred and jealousy. Happy days will be here again.

As a teenager when I moved out of home to join my college, I started hating train travel. Because they used be too long. But then when I moved on in life and train journeys became rare, I started longing for them.

Many months back one night there was another such opportunity. And then after an almost sleepless night when I landed up here early morning, this was the view in front of my eyes. The number 1 platform of this historical city, Gaya.

It was so very special. This city was so special. And it took me back years. Gaya, my birthplace. There on the left used to be an office I used to visit frequently. It was my father’s office. The Telegraph Department.

And it brought back all my memories of childhood, of my father, our railway quarter and my growing up years. The railway station, the Railway Institute and our Marshalling Yard Railway colony, where we grew up. A feeling which just can’t be described. Gaya, the city which still keeps me ticking, has stayed in my heart and will always be there forever.

Gaya finds mention in the great epics, Ramayana and Mahabharata. Rama along with Sita and Lakshmana visited Gaya for offering Pind Daan (a mandatory hindu ritual for departed souls) to their father Dasharath. In Mahabharata, the place has been identified as Gayapuri.

Gaya has experienced the rise and fall of many dynasties in the Magadh Region. From the 6th century BC to the 21st century AD, about 2500 years, Gaya has been occupying an important place in the cultural history of the region. It opened up with the Sisunaga dynasty followed by a short spell of Nanda dynasty and then the entire Magadha region came under the Mauryan rule. After Ashoka embraced Buddhism, he visited Gaya and built the first temple to commemorate Prince Gautama’s attainment of supreme enlightenment. And so was born Bodh Gaya.

During the period we stayed in this city, till my father retired and a few years more, such sights were very common for us.

I had booked my hotel, near the station. The city has many hotels but it is always good to stay in one near the station. That way it makes your travel to the station for your departure journey, which are either in the night or early morning, much hassle free. You could check out Hotel Viraat Inn near the station with reasonable room rates and is quite good.

Immediately after we checked in, freshened up and finished our breakfast, we went out to check out our old house and our locality, the railway colony. It was so nostalgic and seemed it was just the other day. Our football and cricket field next to our home, the water tank, the streets, the houses, the railway yard were all there in front of me just like before.

Childhood relived for a few moments before we moved towards our next destination. My School. Nazareth Academy.

Nazareth Academy is a Roman Catholic higher secondary school for girls and boys. The school was established as Saint Michael’s School in 1939. The name was changed to Nazareth Academy in 1953. The first two Principals, Sister Charles Miriam and Sister James Leo, continued the strong foundation of their predecessors and maintained the traditions already established and expanded on the good scholastic standards attained. Our third Principal was Sister Anne Marie. The school has grown over the years and today our school supports a school for the underprivileged and a school system for the poor who cannot afford to pay for their education.

The gates through which we walk in determine what we become in life. And for me this was my Temple, this was my Church and this was the place where I discovered a Goddess in the form of our Principal, Sister James Leo. And there were two more Sisters who have made a huge difference in my life, Sister Eugenia and Sister Anne Marie. And of course all my other teachers during the years I studied here.

This school is special and for all of us who have studied here, it still remains so very special.

This Auditorium was the one where I have walked up to the stage so many times to receive my first prizes and always the hundred percent attendance prize. This stage was also the one where I had performed in many plays and once as a lead actor and also sung many a songs. This stage I realized, meant so much to me. Had a quick look inside before going around seeing the new buildings and more.

Why do I place Sister James Leo on the same pedestal as a Goddess? I always wanted to study in this red tie school and do remember pestering my parents about it. But I was a little underage and the session had already started. When approached by my parents with a request to admit me midway, Sister James Leo agreed as a special case. I came first in my Beginners class despite joining late and got promoted to Class I.

But then the fees in those days in the mid sixties was Rupees twenty four per month for boys. And affording that amount was becoming a little difficult for my father. So one fine morning my mother, without even informing my father, approached Sister with a request to waive off my fees. Sister James Leo readily agreed and I studied thereafter without ever paying any fees. That I continued to come first in class almost always and that I never missed school even for a single day throughout those years perhaps made her shower me with her love and care, the way she did. How can I ever forget her and those days. I still pray to her at times. Sister James Leo. The very special person in my life.

Would have loved to visit my next school which I attended from Class VII to XI, Kendriya Vidyalaya or Central School as we used to call it. But had to give it a skip due to paucity of time. Memories though remain entrenched and still miss my old friends and the wonderful years we spent together.

We all move on in life. As so we decided to move to our next destination. Bodh Gaya.

Bodh Gaya is the holiest of Buddhist destinations and a World Heritage Site since 2002. It was here, under a bodhi or pipal tree, that Siddhartha Gautama attained enlightenment and became the Buddha. A simple shrine was built by the emperor Ashoka (3rd century BC) to mark the spot, 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 include carvings of imaginary beasts. This shrine was replaced in the Kushan period (2nd century A.D) by the present Mahabodhi temple, which was refurbished in the Pala-Sena period (750-1200), heavily restored by Sir Alexander Cunningham in the second half of the 19th century, and finally restored by Myanmar (Burmese) Buddhists in 1882. The bodhi tree behind the temple is believed to be a descendant of the original.

The whole temple is built with bricks and is the oldest among the brick structures in India. The Mahabodhi temple tower stands at a height of about 55 meters, which is bounded by four more towers which are built in the same manner. The Mahabodhi temple is bounded by railings made of stone two meters tall. In addition, the ancient railings are made of sandstone around 150 B.C. There are a few structures of Indian gods inside the temple namely “Surya”, the god of sun and “Lakshmi”, the goddess of wealth.

For Buddhists, Bodh Gaya is the most important of the main four pilgrimage sites related to the life of Gautama Buddha, the other three being Kushinagar, Lumbini, and Sarnath. Situated by the bank of river Neranjana, the place was then known as Uruwela. King Ashoka was the first to build a temple here. Wish to know some more about Buddha & Buddhism. Come let me take you through.

Buddha was born in 563 BC in what is now Nepal on the following auspicious Baisakhi purnima. As Siddhartha, he renounced his family at the age of 29 in 534 BC and and meditated in search of truth. After practicing self-mortification for six years at Uruwela (Buddhagaya) in Gaya, he gave up that practice because it did not give him the results he desired. Then he discovered Noble Eight-fold path, practiced it and then attained Buddhatva or enlightenment. Enlightenment is a state of being completely free from raga (lust), dosa (hatred) and moha (delusion). By gaining enlightenment, you enter Nirvana and the final stage is Parinirvana or supreme enlightenment.

At this place, the Buddha was abandoned by the five men who had been his companions of earlier austerities. All they saw in him was an ordinary man and they mocked his well-nourished appearance. “Here comes the mendicant Gautama,” they said, “who has turned away from asceticism (spiritual goals). He is certainly not worth our respect.” When they reminded him of his former vows, the Buddha replied, “Austerities only confuse the mind. In the exhaustion and mental stupor to which they lead, one can no longer understand the ordinary things of life, still less the truth that lies beyond the senses. I have given up extremes of either luxury or asceticism. I have discovered the Middle Way. This is the path which is neither easy (as a rich prince) nor hard (living in austere conditions practicing self-denial). Golden words, truly.

Hearing this, the five ascetics became the Buddha’s first disciples in Deer Park, Sarnath which is 13 km from Benares. The disciples of Gautama Siddhartha began to visit the place during the full moon in the month of Vaisakh (April–May), as per the Hindu calendar. Over time, the place became known as Bodh Gaya, the day of enlightenment as Buddha Purnima, and the tree as the Bodhi Tree. The main monastery of Bodh Gaya used to be called the Bodhimanda-vihara during Pali dynasty. Now it is called the Mahabodhi Temple. Let’s go in and look around.

Several Buddhist temples and monasteries have been built by the people of Bhutan, China, Japan, Myanmar, Nepal, Sikkim, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Tibet and Vietnam in a wide area around the Mahabodhi Temple. These buildings reflect the architectural style, exterior and interior decoration of their respective countries.

The statue of Buddha in the Chinese temple is 200 years old and was brought from China. Japan’s Nippon temple is shaped like a pagoda. The Myanmar (Burmese) temple is also pagoda shaped. The Thai temple has a typical sloping, curved roof covered with golden tiles. Inside, the temple holds a massive bronze statue of Buddha. Next to the Thai temple is 25-meter statue of Buddha located within a garden which has existed there for over 100 years. Let’s go around and see some of these temples. The rest I wish to leave for you to experience in person when you visit Bodh Gaya.

Among the many monastery in Bodh Gaya, one of the oldest and most popular one is the Thai Monastery. The only Thai temple in India, it was built by a Monarch of Thailand in 1956. Sloping and curved roof of the edifice is covered with golden tiles is an insignia of Thai architecture. As you step inside, a precisely sculpted 25-meter-high statue of Lord Buddha with his hair tied in a bun catches the eye. Corners are decorated with images and carvings of Buddha in different forms. The aura is very serene and you can find many meditation centers near the monastery.

Every year in the month of January retreats are arranged. Maximum capacity of the retreats is 135 people who indulge in meditation, teachings on awakening and Vipassana Yoga. Interactive sessions on daily life issues and liberation are also attended during this span but sinful deeds such as smoking is strictly banned for people taking part in the activities.

Royal Bhutan Monastery is one of the most popular monasteries of Bodh Gaya. It was built by the King of Bhutan as a tribute to Lord Buddha. The monastery showcases some of the most important instances from the life of Lord Buddha. These depictions of the life of Lord Buddha attract Buddhist followers from all across the globe. The monastery features a unique traditional architecture, which allures tourists from all over the world. One can find clay carvings in the monastery, which speak much about the different aspects of Buddhism.

There is also a temple inside the monastery. The temple has a 7-feet high statue of Lord Buddha. The walls of the temple are beautifully carved with Buddhist sculptures. A number of tasks are performed all day at the monastery. The monks keep discussing about Lord Buddha and his teachings. They also guide individuals, organize group meditation and peace prayers at the temple.

Very close to Bodh Gaya across the Phalgu river is the Sujata Stupa, in the village of Bakraur. The Stupa was dedicated to the milkmaid Sujata, who is said to have fed Gautama Buddha milk and rice as he was sitting under a Banyan tree, ending his seven years of fasting and asceticism and allowing him to attain illumination through the Middle Way. The Stupa was built in the 2nd century BC as confirmed by finds of black polished wares and punch-marked coins in the attending monastery.

Bodh Gaya had changed from the time we were kids. There were only handful of monasteries then, fewer shops, no hotels and not at all crowded. One of the attractions for us during the winter months was the arrival of pilgrims from Tibet, whom we used to call Bhutiyas, setting up roadside stalls and selling winter garments. Sweaters and jackets which were cheap but very attractive and trendy.

Gaya is easy accessible from all major cities in India. There are direct flights from Kolkata and Varanasi. There are also one stop flights from Delhi and Mumbai. International flights operate from Bangkok and Colombo as well. Trains also are an option with an overnight journey from Kolkata and Varanasi which is just four hours away. There are many luxury and mid-segment hotels in Bodh Gaya for a comfortable stay.

Visit Bodh Gaya – The Land of Buddha. And take back spiritual memories for a lifetime.

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