Nov 20, 2011 - At the Root

I am staying in Bodhgaya at the Root Institute for Wisdom Culture. The institute offers programs and retreats and sponsors a school, as well as a number of other community projects. It is located in the countryside, a quarter mile off the main road to town. It's essentially a walled compound surrounded by open fields. There are many large trees, shrubs and flowers making it quaint and charming. The campus consists of various one and two story buildings with a central dining building and of course, a statue of Buddha in the central...

Nov 19, 2011 - Amongst the Buddha's

My tuk tuk ride began at 4:30am through the dark streets of Varanasi and by way of the Poorva Express train and a taxi ride, I finally made it to the town of Bodhgaya at 2:30 in the afternoon. Like Sarnath, Buddhist pilgrims flock to Bodhgaya. It is where in the 6th century BC a prince, Siddhatta Gotoma attained enlightenment and became the Buddha. Bodhgaya is the most important place for a Buddhist pilgrim to visit. I think it's religious significance is like Rome for Catholics, Mecca for Muslims and Varanasi for Hindus. I started my tour...

Feb 20, 2011 - Patna

@@@@@@@ BACKGROUND Anil’s family has lived in Patna since the early 1950s. Anil was born in Bombay (Mumbai) in 1947, just three short weeks after the partition of the Indian subcontinent into India and Pakistan. The family moved to Patna when Anil was six years old and he did all his primary and secondary schooling there. He graduated from high school shortly after his fifteenth birthday and started university in Delhi, just before he turned sixteen. He stayed with relatives in Old Delhi and later boarded at the St. Stephen’s residence....

Nov 26, 2010 - Bodh Gaya

I like this place, but I am kind of getting tired of it also. It is very small and easy to walk around the main parts very quickly. Also, there are a LOT of mosquito and I feel like their feeding farm. I have been all around the area with my ex-friend Laxman. I say ex because the man can't quite comprehend the words "no touching." He has Russian hands and Roman fingers. Anyway he has a motorcycle and he took me all around to some caves to see the surrounding villages, temples and also to the Boddhi tree. It was nice for a few days, but he...

Nov 22, 2010 - Varanasi Impressions

I am now staying in Bodh Gaya at some weirdly titled place like Crash and Nash Guest House. It's somethig like that. I may be here for a few more days, and then perhaps Nepal? Varanasi loved it and hated it. There was a huge Hindu festival while I was there. I seem to always find myself in places whn they are most crowded and congested. It was just election time in Bihar state so it is also crowded here. Anyway, Varanasi was extremely crowded. There was literally a crush of people. After the festivities were over I literally thought I was...

Oct 18, 2009 - Bodhgaya

A short 5 hour train ride from Varanasi took us to Bodhgaya, famous as the place where Buddha gained enlightenment 2500 years ago while meditating underneath a Bodhi tree. The town has only a small, permanent population (~30 thousand), but pilgrims from all Buddhist nations come here to study, pray and visit this spiritual place. We had come here to attend a week-long, introduction to Buddhism course (what better place to try to understand Buddhism?) taught by a monk and nun at a relatively quiet (anything under 100 dB is considered quiet...

May 30, 2009 - High Court of Bihar at Patna

Route: Allahabad - Mohania - Arah - Patna Distance covered: 375 Kms. Place of Stay on 30.05.2009: The Ambassador Hotel, Rajendra Path, Station Road Contrary to the public perception and to be candid, to our own surprise, we infact started our journey at 5 am in the morning. Drive to Patna from Allahabad was a pleasant and uneventful experience. The only highlight was Arrah, the notorious district of Bihar which also happens to be Nanihal of Bunty. What a coincidence I must say. Infact just before reaching Arrah we got the feel of the place...

Mar 19, 2009 - Bodh Gaya

Bodh Gaya is famous for being the place that the Buddha attained enlightenment. The focal poibnt of this little town is the Mahabodi temple, the site of the Bodi tree where Buddha sat when he reached his enlightened level of being. The tree here today is not in fact the very same tree, which was destroyed a long time ago, but is a tree that was grown from a cutting of the original. Still it certainly serves to set the scene and is a major site of pilgrimage today. In addition to the famous tree there is the Mahakala cave, where Buddhe...

Jan 16, 2009 - Of Enlightment and Indian Families

This one goes in English due to my like of time, strengh, will and contempt to disgusting Internet cafes. Sorry for that, dad. Bodhgaya is a little town in the middle of nowhere and the only reason people ever goes there is because its important in Buhddism. THis is the place where Buhdda atainned enlightment more than 2500 years ago. This happened under a tree that is still there (it has been destroyed and re planted though. Anyway, it's a huge temple and the tree is at the side, as if it was of secondary importance (as everything with...

Jan 13, 2009 - Back to dusty, grimy, filthy Gaya

HIGHLIGHTS • Take a hit of 20USD to change my train ticket, ouch • Wander to the many hallowed monasteries • Topuched by a group of children • Back to delightful Gaya for the night • And Deepak DETAIL I finally manage to change my ticket but it’s not over yet, not until the fat lady sings (thank you JJ). I trust that my credit card will go through and should know tomorrow. I plan on taking the early morning train to Agra and it’s a twelve hour journey. I have three hours to wander to and through the many monasteries here in Bodhgaya....

Jan 11, 2009 - A rude awakening, nay - an enlightenment

HIGHLIGHTS · Two hour line up at the train station for naught! · A broken down auto-rickshaw that didn’t really break but the driver tried to take me for two rides · No room at the inn but after a two hour search I am staying in a Tibetan Monastery · A new friend helps me around the place and has started to drop hints · A rude awakening DETAIL – I awake and my roomy has departed – didn’t hear a thing. So I have the place to myself and prepare to leave. But first check emails and then to the train station. I arrive bang on time for ‘Recess’...

Jan 10, 2009 - Three buses, 12 hours and almost set upon by bandits!

HIGHLIGHTS • Three buses and almost set upon a buch of bandits! DETAIL I am actually looking forward to getting back to India! I awake earlier, negotiate a price with the rickshaw driver and head five kms to the boarder. He drops me off and the Nepalese are charming and the change 20USD to Indian Rupees at a good rate. Then a small hike to the Indian border, Raxaul and I feel the different. They too are charming and I buy the Immigration Officers a cup of tea and then take a rickshaw to the bus stand. Are, Indian money which I am used to....