NOTE FROM JONAH: This is the continuation of a photo series from India. If you’re just joining us, here’s what you’ve missed:
- I’m not alone here
- People ‘like’ my diarrhea
- Dancing In(dia) the Streets
- Indian trains: Contemptibly cozy, crammed and claustrophobic
- Feeding a City Part II: From Macro to Micro
- Confusing realities of child labor
- Enlightined in Bodh Gaya बोधगया
After leaving the rif-raf of Bhaglapur’s messy market, I took a different root and looked for a more peaceful environment in Bodh Gaya, still in the state of Bihar. Bodh Gaya is famous for being the place where the Gautama Buddha attained enlightenment. So I figured if the Buddha could find enlightment, I should be able to find at least some peace … which I’ve learned can be quite hard in India.
Having been to other holy Budhist sites in Asia, it was very interesting to see this pilgrimage site because it attracted such a wide array of Buddhists from all over Asia.
Today, by the tree where the Buddha is said to have reached enlightenment is also the home to the Mahabodhi Temple, an UNESCO World Heritage Site. The temple itself juts into the sky and is surrounded by smaller shrines, stupas and prayer areas.
While in no way am I an expert in Buddhism, I did take a couple minutes to sit and think as monks, nuns and pilgrims prayed around me. While I can’t say it’s the most peaceful place to think, simply because of the sheer number of people the general atmosphere of the heritage site is of a very spiritual nature.
However, when you mix tourism and religion you get a very odd occurrence not often seen in the West. I’ve seen this in Malaysia at the Batou Caves and all over Tibet, especially in Lhasa. You have some of the more religious people in the world, surrounded by people who are willing to pay 20 rupies to photograph the holy site.
The diversity in the followers here is immense. Indian, Thai, Tibetans and Westerners all come together and pray in one place. But it won’t be unusual to see a monk with some nice Bose headphones in directly next to a large group of Buddhists listening to the teachings of an elder.
While this is certainly a neat temple, the town surrounding it seems to exist purely based on this religious tourism. The walls of the temple are littered with beggars, homeless people and farrel animals.
And such is India …
