Bodh Gaya----A Real Place 2 Visit

Bodh Gaya or Bodhgaya is a city in Gaya district in the Indian state of Bihar. It is famous for being the place of Buddha's attainment of Enlightenment.

Historically, it was known as the Bodhimanda (ground round the Bodhi-tree), and there was a large monastic settlement there. The main monastery of Bodhgaya used to be called the Bodhimanda-vihāra (Pali). Now it is called the Mahabodhi Temple.

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. In 2002, Mahabodhi Temple, located in Bodh Gaya, became a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

History:
According to Buddhist traditions, circa 500 BC Prince Gautama Siddhartha, wandering as a monk, reached the sylvan banks of Falgu River, near the city of Gaya. There he sat in meditation under a bodhi tree (Ficus religiosa). After three days and three nights of meditation, Siddharta attained enlightenment and insight, and the answers that he had sought. He then spent seven weeks at seven different spots in the vicinity meditating and considering his experience. After seven weeks, he travelled to Sarnath, where he began teaching Buddhism.

Disciples of Gautama Siddhartha began to visit the place where he had gained enlightenment 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 history of Bodh Gaya is documented by many inscriptions and pilgrimage accounts. Foremost among these are the accounts of the Chinese pilgrims Faxian in the 5th century and Xuanzang in the 7th century. The area was at the heart of a Buddhist civilization for centuries, until it was conquered by Turkish armies in the 13th century.

What To See:

• Mahabodhi Temple:The complex, located about 96 kilometers from Patna,contains the Mahabodhi Temple with the diamond throne (called the Vajrasana) and the holy Bodhi tree. This tree was originally a sapling of the Sri Maha Bodhi tree in Sri Lanka, itself grown from a sapling of the original Bodhi tree.
• It is believed that 250 years after the Enlightenment of the Buddha, Emperor Asoka visited Bodh Gaya. He is considered to be the founder of the original Mahabodhi temple. It consisted of an elongated spire crowned by a miniature stupa and a chhatravali on a platform. A double flight of steps led up to the platform and the upper sanctum. The mouldings on the spire contained Buddha images in niches. Some historians believe that the temple was constructed or renovated in the 1st century during the Kushan period. With the decline of Buddhism in India, the temple was abandoned and forgotten, buried under layers of soil and sand.
• The temple was later restored by Sir Alexander Cunningham as part of his work for the British Archaeological Society in the late 19th century. In 1883, Cunningham along with J. D. Beglar and Dr Rajendralal Miitra painstakingly excavated the site. Extensive renovation work was carried out to restore Bodh Gaya to its former glory.
• Animesh Lochan Chaitya: It is believed that the Buddha spent one week here looking towards the great Bodhi tree out of gratitude, without twinkling his eyes.
• Mahabodhi Tree: The present Bodhi Tree is probably the fifth succession of the original tree under which the Buddha had attained enlightenment. Vajrasana, the seat of stability, is a stone platform on which the Buddha is supposed to have sat in meditation gazing east, under the Bodhi tree.
• Chankramana: This marks the sacred spot of the Buddha's meditative perambulations during the third week after pious enlightenment. It is believed that wherever the Buddha put his feet lotus sprang up.
• Ratnagarh: The Buddha spent one week here, where it is believed that five colors came out of his body.
• Other Treasures of Bodhgaya: 80 ft Statue of the Buddha, Lotus Tank, Buddha Kund, Rajayatana, Brahm Yoni, Chinese Temple & Monastery, Burmese Temple, Buddhist Monastery of Bhutan, International Buddhist House & Japanese Temple, Thai Temple & Monastery, Tibetan Monastery, Archaeological Museum. Sujata village (2 kms), Dungeshwari Hill (Prag bodhi) (22 kms by road), Maitraya Project (3 kms).

Temple Timings:

• Mahabodhi Temple: 5 AM to 9 PM
• Other Monastries: 5 AM to 12 Noon and 2 PM to 6 PM

How To Reach:

• Air: The nearest airport is at Gaya 7 Kms and Patna 135 kms.
• Rail: The nearest railway station is Gaya (17km).
• Local Transport: Taxis, Tongas, Auto Rickshaws, Cycle Rickshaws are available.
• Bus : Regular direct bus services are available from Gaya, Patna, Nalanda, Rajgir, Varanasi.

Where To Stay:
Bihar State Tourism Development Corporation runs three hotels - Siddhartha Vihar, Buddha Vihar and Sujata Vihar and has a Tourist Information Centre in its sprawling tourist complex campus. There is Hotel Bodhgaya Ashok run by Indian Tourism development Corporation and there are several other private hotels in the town.

Sources:Wikipedia,Bihar State Tourism Development Corporation & other tourism websites
Compiled By:Saurav Chakraborty

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Darjeeling---The Queen Of Hill Stations

Gifted to the British East India Company in 1817, Darjeeling is the hill station of West Bengal.This has been called the queen of hill-stations.

Darjeeling is one of India's most famous hill resorts. It is 2134 m or 7000ft above sea level.In 1835, Darjeeling was given to the East India Company by the King of Sikkim. It became a popular resort for the British who wanted to escape from the sweltering heat of the plains.

Tiger hills is the highest point in the area which provides the most exotic view of the Kanchenjunga peaks. From this place the other peaks of the Eastern Himalayas can be seen. On a clear day the sight of Mt.Everest is just enthralling.

Meter gauge train,The toy train (Now in UNESCO's Heritage List) coming from Siliguri is some thing which is liked by the elders and the children equally. The real fun in coming to Darjeeling is on the toy train. It takes six to seven hours to cover a distance of 82 kms and the slow speed gives you enough time to watch and appreciate the beauty which nature has provided it. This train passes through the Forests, waterfalls, over deepvalleys and through the mountains and tunnels.

The city is centered around the Mall which has a variety of shops, restaurants and hotels. Beautiful walk ways start from the Mall. Between Darjeeling and Siliguri is the small town of Kurseong which has several educational institutions and churches.

Trekking enthusiasts can check out Sandakphu and Phalut. From Sandakphu one can see four of the five highest mountain peaks in the world - Everest, Makalu, Lhotse and Kanchanjunga.

HOW TO GET TO DARJEELING:
Local Transport: Darjeeling is connected to Siliguri the main city in the plains by the Tenzing Norgay Road (formerly Hill Cart Road), from where you can take private jeeps,taxis,landrovers and cars. Bus services between Darjeeling and Siliguri are frequent.From Siliguri by bus/taxi/trekker to Darjeeling (80 km), about 4 hours.

Rail: You can take the famous toy train(from Siliguri Railway Junction), which is a meter gauge train operating over breath taking scenery. The journey takes approximately seven and half hours.However New Jalpaiguri railway junction is the nearest railway station which is connected from other indian cities through rail network.

Air: By air to Bagdogra (Siliguri) - flight duration is about 45 minutes. Indian Airlines as well as private airlines operate on this route. Bagdogra, the airport for Darjeeling hill areas has direct air connections with New Delhi, Calcutta and Guwahati.

WHERE TO STAY:
Plenty of accommodation is available which will suit all budgets.At Darjeeling you can easily find out a range of accommodation options from high budgets to economical and low budgets.

PLACES TO VISIT:
-The Japanese peace pagoda.
-Nation's oldest passenger ropeway which connects North Point to Singla Bazar.
-The Tiger Hills.
-Two kilometers from Darjeeling is the town of Ghoom which is the highest railway station in the world. It also has a monastery.
-The Batasia loop (5 kms from Darjeeling) on the Darjeeling Himalayan railway is an engineering marvel and is another attraction even if someone doesn't want to take the slow train ride.
-The Tenzing Norgay Himalayan Mountaineering Institute.
-Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park.
-The Lloyd's botanical gardens.
-The two popular view points are Jawahar Parbat and the Observatory Hill.
-The Dhirdham Temple.
-Senchal Lake : A favorite Picnic Spot about 10 k.m. from the town. The lake provides water supply to the Darjeeling town.

(Very soon i will give brief details about all the excursion places and also i will keep on adding infos here as i will keep on getting them.So keep checking this place from time to time.)

Compiled By: Saurav Chakraborty
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Gangtok----A Lofty Hill

Gangtok, the capital of Sikkim with a population of approximately 50,000 has emerged into the mainstream of the Tourism Industry, with more and more tourist visiting this little Himalayan state every year. Gangtok has developed into a cosmopolitan flavour where old-world charm and hospitality exist along with the Internet Age.Gangtok was a small hamlet until the construction of the Enchey Monastery in 1840 made it a pilgrimage center. It became a major stopover between Tibet and British India at the end of the 19th century. Following India's independence in 1947, Sikkim became a nation-state with Gangtok as its capital. In 1975 the monarchy was abrogated and Sikkim became India's twenty-second state.

The precise meaning of the name Gangtok is unclear, though it is generally held to mean "lofty hill". Gangtok is also a centre of Tibetan Buddhist culture and learning with numerous monasteries and religious educational institutions.

With different cultures and religion existing in perfect harmony, Gangtok has shown that "Unity in Diversity" exists in Sikkim. Sikkimese have strong bonding with their age-old traditions and customs. However, a quick survey of Gangtok shows that the bubble of modernization has burst with a bang in the town. The capital is definitely not behind the rest of the world in terms of urbanization - Broad roads, flyovers, posh markets, state-of-art hospital, educational institutes, fast food outlets, discothèques, and all other modern amenities that the heart can desire for. One imposing manmade landmark of the town is the 200 ft-high TV tower which overlooks the town and is situated near the Enchey Monastry below Ganesh Tok. A stroll along the Mahatma Gandhi Marg is shopper's delight- Hotels, restaurants, curios, footwear and almost everything is available. Be here to experience the magic.

How to Get to Gangtok:
LOCAL TRANSPORT: Private Taxis, Jeeps and Landrovers ply regularly on the Gangtok- Siliguri Highway and are available for transfer of passengers between Gangtok and Siliguri/ New Jalpaiguri Junction/ Bagdogra, and also for local sightseeing at fixed rates and may be reserved through Tourist Bureau, Govt. of West Bengal, Gangtok.
AIR CONNECTIONS: Nearest airport is Bagdogra in West Bengal( 124 kms.)
HELICOPTER SERVICE - between Gangtok - Bagdogra - Gangtok
ROAD CONNECTIONS: Gangtok is connected with all weather mettaled road with Siliguri, Kalimpong, Gangtok etc.
RAIL CONNECTIONS: New Jalpaiguri in West Bengal is the nearest railway station(148 kms.)

Where to stay:
Accommodation is easily available in Gangtok. You may take your pick from the many hotels, tourist Lodge, tourist hostel and tourist cottages in Gangtok.

Places to visit in and around Gangtok:
◘ Government Institute of Cottage Industry
◘ Sikkim Research Institute of Tibetology
◘ Do-Drul Chorten (Stupa)
◘ Enchey Monastery
◘ Ridge Park & White Hall Complex
◘ Tashi View Point
◘ Hanuman Tok
◘ Ganesh Tok
◘ Himalayan Zoological Park
◘ Sa-Ngor-Chotshog Centre

Excursions from Gangtok:
◘ Rumtek Dharma Chakra Center
◘ Jawaharlal Nehru Botanical Garden
◘ Water Garden
◘ Saramsa Garden
◘ Tsomgo(Changu) Lake
◘ Menmecho Lake
◘ Nathula Pass

(Very soon i will give brief details about all the excursion places and also i will keep on adding infos here as i will keep on getting them.So keep checking this place from time to time.)

Compiled By: Saurav Chakraborty
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