Bodh Gaya - Inspiring (Bodh Gaya)

Member Name: WendyMacc

Product:	Bodh Gaya
Date:	31/07/00 (38 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: peaceful

Disadvantages: trains

To Bodh Gaya we try to catch the first train out of Varanasi the next day. The train to Bodh Gaya is supposed to leave at 4pm. We pull away from the platform at 9pm.
"It's how many hours late?" I ask the station manager
in the obvious shock of a first-time visitor to India.
"Six?!?!" I couldn't believe our luck wasn't taking
sympathy on us yet.
"Only" he chides, and throws back a hearty laugh, as
if we should be thankful of this minor miracle.

The train pulls into Gaya at 2am. We wade through the
maze of hooligans and homeless and crash in a(nother)
seedy hotel down yet another back alley. In the
morning we catch two bicycle rickshaws and one
moto-rickshaw to Bodh Gaya, the sacred pilgrimmage
site of Buddha's enlightenment.

There is some semblance of peace in the countryside
(besides being followed constantly by locals) and we
are thankful for it. There are beautiful temples
representing each of the buddhist countries of asia,
each with their own unique style and depictions of
Buddha. The famous Bodhi Park lies in the center of
town. At the center of the park stands the elaborate
Bodhi temple and beside it, THE famous Bodhi Tree. The
very tree (ok, it's grandson actually) that Buddha is
said to have gained enlightenment under. Ground zero
for every Buddhist pilgrim in the world. Compared to
Varanasi, this place can actually be called serene.
Monks of every Buddhist order and culture, prostrate
and meditate in various spots within the park. Sitting
there, you are enclosed in an unmistakable energy of
what I can only describe as peace and love. Sounds
remarkably hokey, I know, but it is a fact. It is the
most compassionate, non-violent, peace-loving faith in
history, evident in each of the friendly monks you
encounter there. All examples of what a truly
peace-loving society would
look like. Absolutely
inspiring.

Our second night there, we meet a saderial astrologer
from Encinitas (san diego) and discuss theology,
philosophy, conspiracy, and astrology (duh) all night
over a meal of Kashmiri Alu Dum and tandoori naan.
What a place.

While we are there, I have some pyjamas made (an
Indian word for the typical men's outfit, which
remarkably look just like pyjamas...) so Indian men
stop staring, glaring, at my breasts as if they had
just dicovered their existence. In the course of
looking for the tailor, we meet some amazing local
people. Pushkar, who speaks better English than us,
and runs a non-profit organization employing local
"untouchables" making giftcards and souvenirs. He
sells them at his "push-cart" and will revel in
discussions of geography, politics, psychology, and
religion with perfect strangers. Then there was
Shahab, whom we bought our train tickets from, who is
a local scholar on english literature and buddhism. He
will quote T.S. Eliot or Buddha over a round of masala
tea as he is reserving your seat.

As we depart Gaya in the pre-dawn light to catch a
morning train, I look nostalgiacally over the green
pastures as the sun hits dew, thinking of the magical
place we have visited- when, what is that- a whole row
of people, and entire village in fact, line the near
horizon, all participating in that uniquely Indian
ritual-the morning shit. Welcome back to India.

Summary: