Bodh Gaya (Monumental Legacy) - Softcover

Located seven miles south of Gaya, is Bodh Gaya, one of the most important and sacred Buddhist pilgrimage centres in the world. It was here under a pipul tree-now known as the Bodhi tree-Gautama attained the supreme knowledge to become Buddha, the enlightened one. Part of the prestigious Monumental Legacy series, this book presents an engaging account of Bodh Gaya and related monuments. Frederick Asher takes readers on a graphic historical journey of the site and the monuments as they appear today and as they have been altered through time and variously perceived through history. Most important among these is the magnificent Mahabodhi temple complex, an architectural amalgamation of many centuries, cultures, and heritages. The book gives a fascinating description of other attractions at the site including the Bodhi Tree, Tara Temple, Jewel Walk, Gateway, Buddhapad and Sujata Stupa. The author also discusses other modern monuments located around the temple including the monasteries and the Great Buddha Statue. He also provides a succinct account of Buddhist pilgrimage sites in the vicinity of Bodh Gaya-Rajgir, Nalanda, Vaishali, Vikramashila, and Kurkihar.

This book will be indispensable for the informed tourists visiting the site. It will also be useful for students and scholars of history, cultural studies, and arts and architecture as well as the practitioners of Buddhism and Hinduism.

Frederick M. Asher is Professor, Department of Art History, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis