Bodh Gaya was largely known for its large collection of Hindu temples and Buddhist sculptures in the early nineteenth century. It may be surprising for the visitor to see that the Mahabodhi temple is surrounded on all sides by Hindu shrines. It is notable that many of these shrines have actually used materials recovered from the earlier ruins, chiefly Buddhist in origin. Most of them are now more than two centuries old, and may be declared as protected monuments for their better preservation. They form a part of the historical heritage of Bodh Gaya. They also exhibit the condition of the site in those times of the early nineteenth century, when Mahabodhi Temple was not known for the reasons that it is known today, or for those for which it was constructed in earlier eras. I will start the description of the structures with the Math and adjoining temples, which must be visited to gain an understanding of the medieval history of Bodh Gaya.


Visit to the Historic Math in Bodh Gaya

Cunningham in 1861, while referring to the antiquities of Bodh Gaya, mentioned that they consisted of numerous statues of various sizes, some of which were placed in small temples, and others scattered about the ruins; but the greatest number of them, and by far the finest, were fixed in the walls of the Mahant’s residence. So going by his description, a visit to the Mahant’s residence had become important to get a fuller picture of the antiquities of Bodh Gaya. In October, 2013, in order to gain a deeper understanding of the ruins, I decided to explore some less visited sites near the main temple of Bodh Gaya. I happened to visit the historic Math founded by Shri Ghamandi Giri, and the other adjacent temples. From a distance, the Math gives the impression of a castle with its high wall and buildings that look like military defences. 

To be continued.....