Photo Feature
text & photos: lakshmi krupa
Buddham Sharanam Gacchami “I go to Buddha for refuge.” It is the only thought that lingers as one enters Bodhgaya, in Bihar. All around, monks clad in robes walk with their prayer beads, seemingly in a state of meditation even while carrying on a conversation with someone else. They exude a sense of serenity that one so rarely finds elsewhere in the country, particularly in places of worship. Bodhgaya, where prince Gautama attained ‘Buddhahood’ is home to not just the UNESCO World Heritage Site the Maha Bodhi Temple but also to monasteries built by different governments of the world. Sitting under the Bodhi tree it is almost easy to imagine a young disillusioned prince finding peace here. Stores that sell colourful products made by Tibetan refugees are a big hit in Bodhgaya and find several patrons.
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culturama | october 2011