Mahabodhi Mahavihara
The famous Mahabodhi temple which stands in the centre of the Mahabodhi Temple Complex, has been restored and rebuilt over the centuries. Set among verdant lawns, this giant pyramidal sandstone structure soars to a height of 54 meters and is visible for miles around. The walls are carved with various aspects of Buddhism. The sanctum sanctorum has a colossal golden Buddha.
A chamber at the top houses a figure of Mayadevi, the Buddha's mother. An ancient stone railing surrounds the temple on three sides. The railing dates to 100 BC and is the oldest of the excavated evidence in Bodhgaya. The temple is said to stand at the site of the original 3rd century BC temple built by the Mauryan Emperor, Ashoka. The temple was rebuilt in 7th century AD by the Pala kings of Bengal. Hiuen Tsang, the Chinese scholar pilgrim, refers to having seen it. Destroyed by Muslim invaders in the 12th century,the temple was restored by The Burmese kings in the 14th century, flooded and buried under silt till the 19th century. Excavations around the present temple have revealed foundations of a small vihara called the Prachin Vajrasan Gandhkuti Vihara.
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