The Mahabodhi temple, the stupa at the Bodhi tree where the Buddha attained enlightenment at Bodh Gaya (Bodhgaya), Bihar State, India

Mahabodhi Temple, UNESCO World Heritage Site, Bodh Gaya (Bodhgaya), Gaya District, Bihar, India, Asia

Inside the Mahabodhi Temple, UNESCO World Heritage Site, Bodh Gaya (Bodhgaya), Gaya District, Bihar, India, Asia

Monk, Mahabodhi Temple, UNESCO World Heritage Site, Bodh Gaya (Bodhgaya), Gaya District, Bihar, India, Asia

Mahabodhi Temple, UNESCO World Heritage Site, Bodh Gaya (Bodhgaya), Gaya District, Bihar, India, Asia

Pilgrim, Mahabodhi Temple, UNESCO World Heritage Site, Bodh Gaya (Bodhgaya), Gaya District, Bihar, India, Asia

The Mahabodhi Temple, a Buddhist temple built in the mid-13th century, located in Bagan (Pagan), Myanmar (Burma), Asia

Mahabodhi Temple, UNESCO World Heritage Site, Bodh Gaya (Bodhgaya), Gaya District, Bihar, India, Asia

Flower offerings and a monk at the Buddhist Mahabodhi Mahabihara Temple (Great Stupa), Bodh Gaya, UNESCO World Heritage Site, Bihar, India, Asia

Flower offerings and devotees in the Cloister Walk of the Buddhist Mahabodhi Mahabihara Temple (Great Stupa), Bodh Gaya, UNESCO World Heritage Site, Bihar, India, Asia

Antique votive stupas line the Chankramana Walk adjacent to the ancient north wall of the Buddhist Mahabodhi Mahabihara Temple (Great Stupa), Bodh Gaya, UNESCO World Heritage Site, Bihar, India, Asia

The grounds surrounding the Buddhist Mahabodhi Mahabihara Temple originally erected around 260 BCE where Gautama Buddha attained enlightenment and formulated his teachings, Bodh Gaya, UNESCO World Heritage Site, Bihar, India, Asia

The Mahabodhi Temple at Bodh Gaya, UNESCO World Heritage Site, Bihar, India, Asia

Two Tibetan monks with the main Mahabodhi temple in the background, Bodh Gaya, Bihar state, India, Asia

Monks offer butter lamps. Bodgaya, india. Monks offer butter lamps in front of mahabodhi temple marks site of buddha’s enlightment twenty-five hundred years. centuries have made pilgrimages across himalayas to sites connected with life of historical buddha. From a tantric perspective, pilgrimage is more than paying homage at sacred sites. Rather, it is that activities performed at these places become a memory of place itself. By attuning oneself through ritual meditation to this timeless presence, similar experiences be evoked

Buddhist monks prostrating at maha bodhi temple complex in bodhgaya. Prostration is a gesture used in buddhist practice to show reverence to the triple gem (comprising the buddha, his teachings, and the spiritual community) and other objects of veneration. Kalachakra initiation in bodhgaya, india

Monks offer butter lamps. Bodgaya, india. Monks offer butter lamps in front of mahabodhi temple marks site of buddhas enlightment twenty-five hundred years. centuries have made pilgrimages across himalayas to sites connected with life of historical buddha. From a tantric perspective, pilgrimage is more than paying homage at sacred sites. Rather, it is that activities performed at these places become a memory of place itself. By attuning oneself through ritual meditation to this timeless presence, similar experiences be evoked

Monks offer butter lamps. Kalachakra initiation, bodhgaya. India. Monks attending kalachakra initiation at mahaboudhi temple in bodhgaya, india. mahabodhi temple marks site of buddhas enlightment twenty-five hundred years. centuries have made pilgrimages across himalayas to sites connected with life of historical buddha. From a tantric perspective, pilgrimage is more than paying homage at sacred sites. Rather, it is that activities performed at these places become a memory of place itself. By attuning oneself through ritual meditation to this timeless presence, similar experiences be evoked

Monks offer butter lamps prayer, kalachakra initiation, bodhgaya. India. Monks attending kalachakra initiation at mahaboudhi temple in bodhgaya, india. mahabodhi temple marks site of buddha’s enlightment twenty-five hundred years. centuries have made pilgrimages across himalayas to sites connected with life of historical buddha. From a tantric perspective, pilgrimage is more than paying homage at sacred sites. Rather, it is that activities performed at these places become a memory of place itself. By attuning oneself through ritual meditation to this timeless presence, similar experiences be evoked

Buddhist monk holding blessed water in a vessel with hh dalai lama amulet. Inside mahabodhi temple. Kalachakra initiation in bodhgaya, india

Budhist lamas in prayer, bodhgaya, india. Monks attending kalachakra initiation at mahaboudhi temple in bodhgaya, india. mahabodhi temple marks site of buddha’s enlightment twenty-five hundred years. centuries have made pilgrimages across himalayas to sites connected with life of historical buddha. From a tantric perspective, pilgrimage is more than paying homage at sacred sites. Rather, it is that activities performed at these places become a memory of place itself. By attuning oneself through ritual meditation to this timeless presence, similar experiences be evoked

Thai temple on the way to mahabodhi temple. Bodhgaya, india

Bhutanese pilgrim praying at butter statues that is made under the bodhi tree inside mahabodhi temple complex. Kalachakra initiation in bodhgaya, india

Buddhist monk praying butter statues that is made under the bodhi tree inside mahabodhi temple complex. Kalachakra initiation in bodhgaya, india

Buddhist pilgrims circumambulate maha bodhi temple in bodhgaya. Kalachakra initiation in bodhgaya, india

Replica of Mahabodhi Paya, at Shwedagon Pagoda, Yangon, (Rangoon), Myanmar, (Burma)

Replica of Mahabodhi Paya, at Shwedagon Pagoda, Yangon, (Rangoon), Myanmar, (Burma)

Mahabodhi Temple at night, the place where historical Buddha Siddhartha Gautama reached enlightment, Bodh Gaya, Gaya, Bihar, India

Butter lamps at the Mahabodhi Temple, place of enlightenment or awakening, "Bodhi" of Siddhartha Gautama, Bodhgaya, Bihar, India, Asia

India, Bihar, Bodhgaya, Large group of seated, young Buddhist monks chanting and reading prayers at a ceremony in the grounds of the Mahadbodhi Temple.

India, Bihar, Bodhgaya, Rear view of large group of seated Buddhist monks in the grounds of the Mahabodhi Temple, with one young monk turning to look at camera, young monk in yellow stands out.

India, Bihar, Bodhgaya, Rear view of al arge group of seated pilgrims, dressed in saffron and orange robes, in the grounds of the Mahabodhi Temple.

India, Bihar, Bodhgaya, Rear view of large group of seated Buddhist monks in the grounds of the Mahabodhi Temple.

India, Bihar, Bodhgaya, Buddhist monk lighting merit-making candles in the grounds of the Mahabodhi Temple.

India, Bihar, Bodhgaya, Mahabodhi Temple framed by colourful Buddhist prayer flags.