Om Mani Padme Hum! We welcome you warmly at the Pata Airport and head toBodhgaya. Check in at the hotel. Overnight in Bodhgaya.

When Siddhartha Gautama left his kingdom, he shaved his head, put on humble clothes, and led a hermit life marked by severe austerities; he inflicted many mortifications on his body. After 6 years, he realised that submitting his body to physical suffering is not the way to get enlightenment, but, the way of truth is that of the middle: "if the rope is too tight then it breaks, when it's too loose, no sound comes out." It is believed that Buddha stayed in the Dungeshwari Caves near Bodhgaya during this six years of austerities. Choosing the middle path, Siddhartha Gautama put an end to this six years of austerities by accepting kheer (rice pudding) from a young girl, an herdswomen, named Sujata. In memory of this moment, a huge 65 m in diameter stupa in brick was erected, 3 km from Bodhgaya. After visiting these two historic places, we return to Bodhgaya.

After the end of the austerities, Siddhartha Gautama continued his spiritual quest. One day, as he was walking, he went to sit under a pipal tree (the Bodhi tree) and resolved not to rise from this place until he had found spiritual awakening. He remained in meditation for 49 days. Then, on the night of the full moon of Vesak (May-June), at the age of 35, he became the 'Buddha', 'awake'. The Bodhi Tree is located in the Mahabodhi Temple Complex, surrounded by high golden barriers. During the seven weeks following his enlightenment, the Buddha remained in meditation in different places around the Bodhi tree; we will visit these places all located in the temple complex. Adjacent to the Bodhi tree stands the Mahabodhi Mahavihara Temple, also known as 'Grand Stupa'. Around the 3rd century BC, 200 years after the Buddha attained enlightenment, the Buddhist emperor Ashoka visited Bodhgaya to built a shrine on the sacred site. Overnight in Bodhgaya.

Around 15 km from Bodhgaya, in the city of Gaya, there is a Hindu temple dedicated to Vishnu on the banks of the Falgu River. We do not know the exact date of its construction but we know that it was renovated by the queen of Indore, Devi Ahilyabai in the 18th century. The temple is not accessible to non-Hindus, but the ghats of the temple where the funerary rites are performed are interesting to observe. In front of the Vishnu temple, crossing the Falgu River, we will visit a set of shrines called 'Sita Kund' dedicated to Vishnu's wife, Sita. There it is said that the goddess performed the 'shraadh', the last funerary rites for her father-in-law, Dasharatha, the king of Ayodhya. Back to Bodhgaya. In the afternoon, visit of the different monasteries around the Mahabodhi temple built by Buddhist missions from different countries (Japan, China, Bhutan, Thailand ..). They reflect the various cultures and styles of Buddhist architecture throughout the world. Overnight in Bodhgaya.

Return to Patna, end of the trip. Looking forward to meeting you again. Om Mani Padme Hum!