Varanasi to Bodhgaya

Boats along the Ganges

A girl we met playing in the Ganges

Ashby with a cobra around his neck after we encountered a snake charmer

A young monk

Terra Cotta pots and Dias

As Ashby mentioned, we passed through Varanasi on our way to Bodhgaya.

We spent the day walking along the ghats of Varanasi, taking pictures and watching the world go by. I can tell that we will have a great time during our five-day stay in Varanasi...

...But today was our first of two days we will spend here in Bodhgaya. We went to the temple that was erected on the sacred spot where the Buddha obtained enlightenment. The original tree was murdered, but the people were able to save a sapling that is now in Shrilanka. A sapling of the tree in Shrilanka is now here in Bodhgaya, flourishing in the same soil of its sacred parent...

It was really a beautiful experience for me to sit and listen to the chanting of the monks who were praying there, and a truly peaceful energy came over me. The space where the tree sits is a very sweet space and Ashby and I agreed we will go back and sit there again tomorrow! As we were sitting under the tree, I thought to myself that I would really like to have a leaf from the tree, but it wasn't like I was going to pick one...then a leaf dropped and some of the monk quickly rushed to grab it. I realised I could have one too if I was just patient enough to wait till one dropped. I waited and waited but one did not drop, so Ashby and I decided to walk around and look at some other things. Just as we were leaving, I asked Ashby if we could just walk around the tree one more time and hope that one would drop, sure enough as we walked by a leaf dropped right in front of me! Pretty cool!

Anyway...until Varanasi...

-Cara

A Pepil leaf (Boddhi tree leaf)

Inside the temple

Monks at the Boddhi tree

The temple

Another Buddha statue