In the sixth century BC, Prince Siddhartha Gautama attained supreme enlightenment at this holy place and became the Buddha. In commemoration of this event, Emperor Asoka set up the Vajrasana (Diamond Throne) of polished sandstone representing the seat of enlightenment in third century BC.
Thereafter, he built a stupa in veneration of the Buddha which remained there up to the second century AD. The original structure of Mahabodhi Mahavihara temple was completed in seventh century AD during the reign of Gupta kings. The Mahabodhi Mahavihara was declared a World Heritage Site by the UNESCO in the year 2002. This is the most sacred place of Buddhist pilgrimage in the world.
FOOTFALLS
Every year, Bodh Gaya plays host to 4-5 lakh pilgrims. About 70 per cent of them visit during the winter months (December to January). The temple’s income, mainly through donations of devotees across the world, was over Rs 6.29 crore in 2012-13.
CROWD MANAGEMENT
Initially, private security was hired to maintain smooth flow of crowd into the temple. But after the blast this year, the security has been handed over to CISF personnel. There are many temples in Bodh Gaya, so the crowd is evenly distributed. A number of CCTVs were installed at different points inside and outside the temple.