Lost in Bihar....

We left Calcutta for a few days and went to Bodhgaya, where the Buddha had attained enlightenment. The place is full of pilgrims, tourists and temples! The most famous one is Mahabodhi Temple, that stands in the east to the Bodhi Tree.

Mahabodhi Temple

Inside the temple there is a huge image of the Buddha in sitting posture in which he accomplished the supreme enlightenment.

Bodhi Tree



The Buddha...

Another temple...

Boys will be boys...

Talking with a sacre cow

After having visited all the temples and sacred places in Bodhgaya we (I , Lukas and our friend Pawel) decided to go to the Buddha cave in the near mountain, where he spent 6 years meditaiting. We met an old baba (hindu holy men), who said he would show us the way...

Baba, Pawel and I walking through local villages...

On the way we saw that enormous tree...

Then baba invited us to his Ashram, where we could rest a bit in a shaddow, with him and locals from the nearby village. They brought us some food, fruits and tea. Nice!

Baba practising yoga, after smoking 2 big joints...

After chilling out in the Ashram we set off again in searching for our Buddha cave. We reached the Ganges river, from where we could see our aim, the mountain. The only problem was how to cross the river if there was no bridge?????? What to do???!

Pawel, the bravest one, decided to cross the river by foot as it was very shallow. Lukas and I couldn't decide - should we go into this dirty water or not??? Eventually we decided to follow Pawel. It took maybe 10 minutes and we were on the other side, half wet, but happy!

Local children always asking for money! They will find you everywhere, even in the middle of the Ganges!!! Money, money, money.... Ufff!!!!!!!!!!!!!! But I don't have any!!!!

Walking through rice plantations on very narrow paths...

We were walking for more than 3 hours now in the horrible heat, had only one mineral water left for 3 of us and we were becoming more and more tired. We asked some locals we had met on the way if there would be any transport at the Buddha cave or some shops where we could buy some water, but they denied... For a while we were very confused what to do - keep going or return???? Of course we made up our minds to go!

Children looking at 3 Sahibs (3 white people) passing their little village - I, Lukas and Pawel...

After 5 hours of walking in that unbearable heat, we finally got to the Buddha cave! We were exhausted but happy! We also saw there were 2 buses with tourists from Sri Lanka, visiting the cave, so we asked the driver if we could go with them, he agreed and this way saved our lifes! ;-) I couldn't imagine us coming back the same way 5 more hours! No, no, no!!!!

But then I realised that the way was much more interesting than the place where we were going so long...