Bodhgaya

After a mercifully quick stay in Gaya, we headed on to Bodhgaya by bus (Rs.15, ticketmaster smirked as he asked for Rs 50(~$1) while everyone else looked on and paid Rs.10. I laughed back and handed him a much more reasonable fee).

The Mahabodhi temple at the town center is a 19th century reconstruction of a 7th century temple at the location of the Bodhi tree where Buddha attained enlightenment. It's surrounded by a multitude of smaller stupas, as well as a reconstruction of a 2nd century fence. The Bodhi tree in the rear gave shade to about 150 Sri Lankan pilgrims praying. Picking up a fallen leaf from the tree ensures good luck in studies; plucking one is very bad luck. Don't worry, I got mine the right way. Aaron and I returned at night to play with the low light settings on our cameras:

The Mahabodhi towers 55m above the field of stupas. The great bodhi tree is in front.

The Bodhi tree and its protective fence, behind which is also the Buddha's thunder-seat.

We buzzed around to every country's temple here: Thailand, the 4 Tibetan ones, Burmese, Bhutanese, Japanese, Chinese, the Mahabodhi Society's, as well as the Archaeological museum here. Particularly outstanding were the relief work in the Bhutanese one and the interior painting and exterior decoration of the Thai temple.

Bhutanese Temple and monastery.

Thai Temple, during evening prayers. Thailand wins fanciest temple.

Oh and we're staying at one of the Tibetan monasteries.

Sarnath

After walking around southern Varanasi, we hopped on a rickshaw ("auto"-for autorickshaw, not cycle rickshaw) for a 15km ride to Sarnath, where the Buddha gave his first sermon to his five closest followers in a deer park. Now, over 2500 years later, a giant stupa (dome-like buddhist structure) marks the spot of the first sermon, and there are still deer basking in the shade.

Aaron and I headed over to the Archaeological museum afterwards where we found the original Ashoka pillar (the 4 lions perched above a ring of wheels and animals, now the official symbol of the Indian government, no photography please) and an incredible sandstone carving of the buddha. in an annex. We learned the dharmachakra (teaching/turning of the wheel of law) mudra (buddha hand gesture) from one of the guards.

After lunch of an Indian take on Chow Mein (spicier), we visited each country's temple as well: Thailand, Japan, China, and Tibet. Crowded shared auto back with music blasting, in order to catch our night train ($2.50) to Bodhgaya. Here's the sky outside the train station.