The Mahabodhi Temple at dawn
We leave the hotel before 5 am and walk the last stretch to the gate with lamps lit along the way. Phones stay behind; cameras need a ticket. You descend steps into the sunken courtyard, where the 55 m tower of the Mahabodhi Temple rises over hundreds of small votive stupas, some more than a thousand years old.
Your guide leads you clockwise around the temple, past the Animesh Lochan Chaitya, where the Buddha is said to have gazed at the tree for a week, and the Ratnachankrama, a raised walkway of carved stone lotuses marking where he walked in meditation. Inside the temple, a gilded Buddha image sits in the earth-touching gesture.
Behind the temple is the Bodhi tree and the Vajrasana. Tibetan monks perform prostrations on wooden boards, Thai pilgrims chant in Pali, and Sri Lankan groups in white offer flowers. You are welcome to sit and meditate. As the sun rises over the tower, we return to the hotel for breakfast.
Questions travellers ask
Good to know
What are the opening hours of the Mahabodhi Temple?
The Mahabodhi Temple complex is usually open from about 5 am to 9 pm daily, with the most peaceful times at dawn and in the evening. Hours can change on festival days and during large gatherings. Check current status before you travel. Entry is free, with a small fee for cameras.
Can I take my phone into the Mahabodhi Temple?
No. Mobile phones are not allowed inside the Mahabodhi Temple complex, a rule in place since a security incident in 2013. They can be left at a cloakroom near the entrance, but we prefer guests leave them at the hotel. Cameras are allowed with a paid permit. Check current status before you travel.
Do I need to be Buddhist to visit the Mahabodhi Temple?
No. Visitors of all faiths are welcome. Dress modestly, remove shoes at the entrance, walk clockwise around the temple and Bodhi tree, and keep quiet near people who are praying or meditating. Many non-Buddhist visitors find simply sitting in the courtyard a moving experience.
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