Following the Footsteps of Buddha

FOLLOWING THE FOOTSTEPS OF BUDDHA: BODHGAYA, RAJGIR, AND SARNATH

The Buddha was born in Lumbini, a city in Nepal, but spent most of his adult life in northeastern India: for 40 long years, he traveled on foot across a vast expanse of land that today comprises the states of Bihar and part of Uttar Pradesh.

This isn't Rajasthan. Nor is it Kerala. This is the less touristy, wilder side of India—no preservatives, no artificial colors. There are no hostels. Almost no one speaks English. Welcome to the poorest and most forgotten states of India. Join me on my journey through Bodhgaya, Rajgir, and Sarnath, following in the footsteps of the Buddha..

BODHGAYA

After many years of asceticism and hardship, Buddha sat down to meditate under a huge fig tree in what is now the town of Bodh Gaya, and after several days, he attained Enlightenment.

And so this little village hit the jackpot.

As a result of this event, the Mahabodhi Mahavihar was built—a pilgrimage site for Buddhists from around the world that was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2002 and is home, for example, to a descendant of the famous fig tree known as the Bodhi Tree.

After taking that photo, I look around to see who’s nearby. Surprisingly, there are no Indians. The tree provides shelter for a large group of Asians (Chinese, Japanese, and a few Thais) who maintain perfect silence and order, meditating quietly. It’s a much-needed oasis of peace, considering the chaos outside.

Little by little, all the Buddhist countries of the world have been building their own infrastructure to accommodate their citizens and also as a form of tribute, so the country is dotted with temples and buildings in a wide variety of styles: Nepalese, Tibetan, Thai… The Japanese, for example, erected this enormous statue

But that's where the romance of Bodh Gaya ends. Let's talk about reality.

If you're expecting a mystical and spiritual atmosphere, like the one in Lasa, you're in for a treat. The harassment typical Indian phenomenon has reached scandalous levels in Bodhgaya. It’s impossible to take a single step without someone bothering you, and going for a walk is more of a torment than a pleasure. Let’s listen to the classic “conversation” you’re subjected to over and over and over again:

HARASSING INDIAN (HI): Where are you from?
SUFFERING TOURIST (TS): Spain
HI: Oh, yeah, Madrid, Barcelona, “How are you?”
TS : …….
HI: I have a cousin/uncle/brother working in Spain
TS : …….
HI: How long will you be in Bodhgaya?
TS :…..
HI: I have a store/I lead tours/I'm a tour guide….

Like that, every 2 minutes. And no, I'm not exaggerating…

To make matters worse, the con artists are really good here.

Inside the main temple, where the fig tree is, there are several of them dressed as monks who extort money from travelers. I saw how they swarmed a poor Chinese woman who didn’t know how to get rid of them… Remember, a real Buddhist monk will NEVER insistently ask you for money—it’s a full-blown scam.

As I was leaving the temple, a young boy—also dressed as a monk—approached me and claimed he’d be my guide around the area for FREE. “Coincidentally,” while we were talking, his brother—also wearing a robe—showed up on a powerful motorcycle, ready to take me for a ride… I’m so lucky, aren’t I? Remember: a real Buddhist monk will NEVER take you for a ride on a huge motorcycle, and in India, NOTHING they offer you is free.

The photo shows the exterior of the Nepalese temple and clearly illustrates what's going on: spirituality left this town a long time ago, and now people have to defend themselves with walls covered in spikes and barbed wire against whatever is out there….

In conclusion, I wouldn't recommend a visit to anyone; it has nothing to do with that solemn, respectful, and somewhat mystical atmosphere you experience in the temples of Myanmar, Japan, or Korea. It's not that the city is unsafe—it's not that bad—but it's not a pleasant place either.

If you still decide to stop by, here are a few practical tips:

Obviously, you'll be coming here from Gayá. A shared tuk-tuk from the train station will cost you about 100 rupees (Indians pay less, but you're a tourist).

Some smart aleck is going to offer you a tour to visit the “nearby” Rajgir and Nalanda. Yes, they seem close—about 100 km—but 100 km is an eternity in Bihar. It takes about 3 hours to get to Rajgir and another 30 minutes to Nalanda, so imagine trying to do this on a day trip….

SARNATH

Once he had attained Enlightenment, the Buddha decided to share this discovery with his former meditation companions, and he walked and walked until he reached Sarnath, a small town about 10–15 km from Benares. There he found them, delivered his first sermon, and, in a sense, founded Buddhism.

Now a major pilgrimage site, a visit here is nothing like a visit to Bodhgaya. It’s true that there are also harassing indians But the atmosphere is much more relaxed—they even have a zoo in what used to be the park where Buddha used to meet with his first disciples..

Right at the entrance to the zoo, a small temple has been built with some spectacular murals inside. The Indians must not have thought they were all that pretty, because they went on a rampage, breaking open doors and windows in the walls and destroying part of the murals 😡😡

There’s also a really good museum (the Archaeological Museum, 5 Rps; closed on Fridays) that has the strangest admission policy I’ve ever seen: they make you leave your camera and phone at the ticket counter, but “for security reasons,” you’re not allowed to leave your small water bottle there—you have to either take it inside the museum or throw it away….

To summarize:

It’s laid out similarly to Bodhgaya (many Buddhist countries have also built temples here), but the result is excellent: the grounds where they’re located are clean and peaceful, and the walk is truly pleasant—highly recommended ☺️

You can easily get there from Varanasi by tuk-tuk (150 Rps), and the trip takes about half an hour because of the incredible traffic jams on the way out of the city

RAJGIR AND NALANDA

I follow in the footsteps of the Buddha, and they lead me to this small town, Rajgir, nestled between two hills. On one of them, 5 km from the town center, lies Vulture’s Peak, where the Buddha delivered some of his sermons; in addition, the Japanese have built one of those pagodas they’re so fond of, called the Shanti Stupa.

Okay, I'm all settled in at a run-down hotel in Rajgir… now… how do I get to the hill? There aren't any tuk-tuks in sight, and no buses are coming either… then the answer appears right before my eyes

The typical mode of transportation in Rajgir is the tanga, a shared horse-drawn carriage. It's not just a “tourist attraction” since you can see locals riding in them all the time.

We agreed on a price (200 rupees round-trip, with the driver waiting while I went up and down the hill) and I made it to the foot of the hill.

You can walk up, but it's more adventurous and fun to take the funicular (80 Rps round trip)

“Scared out of my wits” is the perfect way to describe how I felt during those 5 minutes of climbing… but mission accomplished!

A small rocky ledge visible on the walk down from the summit marks the spot where Buddha used to preach to his disciples

Since I'm in Rajgir, a visit to Nalanda is a must; it was home to one of the world's oldest universities, along with a colossal library, which was later destroyed by Afghan invaders.

From Rajgir, take a local bus (quite an experience, by the way)—for 10 rupees, you'll be in Nalanda in half an hour.

The bus drops you off about 3 km from the ruins, and I decide to walk. Wow. Incredible. Dozens of students, dressed in pristine white, file along the road in an orderly yet lively procession. The preferred modes of transportation are the bike or the tanga. As a result, there are fewer cars and less noise, and it's actually a pleasure to walk ☺️

The ruins of Nalanda (200 rupees admission) aren't anything to write home about, but surprisingly, the grounds where they're located are… clean! I'd already forgotten what it was like to have a clean place…

About 2 km further north, the Chinese have built a monument in memory of one of the earliest backpackers in history, Xuan Zang.

This man left China in the year 629 and traveled all by himself to Afghanistan, India, and back to China, with the sole intention of collecting original Buddhist texts and translating them into Chinese… quite a character.

It costs foreigners 50 rupees to get in and Indians 5… but everyone was cutting in line right under the watchful eye of the ticket taker and a half-asleep soldier; that said, as soon as I approached the entrance, the ticket taker suddenly sprang to life and imperiously demanded my ticket—a true upholder of the law….

I highly recommend visiting, not only because the Memorial Hall is spectacular, clean, and very well maintained, but also because of the walk itself from the ruins of Nalanda.

On my way back, I see small adobe or tin-roofed houses shared by both people and animals, children carrying buckets of water twice their size from the wells (these people have neither electricity nor running water), and the inevitable rice paddies so typical of India

In conclusion, it was a completely different experience from Bodhgaya.

The locals look at you curiously but respect you; there’s no harassment whatsoever. On your journey from Bodhgaya, you’ll pass through some very, very poor villages, and it’s quite shocking. It’s also incredibly dirty—even dirtier than the norm in India—so this trip isn’t for the faint of heart, but if you can get past those first impressions (and the sticky heat), you’ll be rewarded with a side of India that’s still untouched by civilization—all to yourself ☺️

If you liked this post or have more information to add, let me know in the comments!

And if you want to know more about India: https://999millas.net/category/paises/india/

Texto y fotos : Mike !