Maha Bodhi replicas
Since the Maha Bodhi Temple is the holiest place in Buddhism, there have been several replicas of the temple made over the centuries. So far there have been six temples made which are similar in design:
Mahabodhi World Peace Buddha Temple, Bangalore, India
Mahabodhi World Peace Buddha Temple, also known as Loka Shanthi Buddha Vihara, is a delightful shrine situated at Bangalore, Karnataka, India.
Linh Son Temple, Kushinagar, India
Linh Son Temple is a temple in Kushinagar, India and includes a replica of the Maha Bodhi Temple on its grounds.
Mahabuddha Temple, Patan, Nepal
Mahabuddha Temple in Patan, Nepal is dedicated to the historical Buddha. It was built by priest Abhaya Raj of Patan. The temple is often called "the temple of a thousand Buddhas" because a Buddha image is engraved on every brick. The temple is modeled on the Maha Bodhi Temple at Bodh Gaya, India.
Mahabodhi Temple, Bagan, Burma
Mahabodhi Temple, Bagan is a Buddhist temple located in Bagan, Burma. It was built in the mid-1200s during the reign of King Htilominlo, and is modelled after the Maha Bodhi Temple, which is located in Bihar, India. The temple is built in an architectural style typical during the Gupta period, and contains a large pyramidal tower with many niches containing over 450 images of Buddha. The temple was destroyed during the 1975 earthquake, and was repaired in following years.
Shwedagon Pagoda, (Mahabodhi Paya) Yangon, Burma
At the Shwedagon Pagoda complex there is a Maha Bodhi Temple style replica, known as Mahabodhi Paya.
Wat Nong Bua, Ubon Ratchathani, Thailand
Wat Nong Bua is the only temple in Ubon Ratchathani, Thailand that has a rectangular Chedi, which is an imitation of the Chedi at the Maha Bodhi Temple in Bodh Gaya, India. The temple is located on the outskirts of Ubon Ratchathani on Highway No. 212 (Ubon-Amnat Charoen). At the 3-km. marker on the highway, turn into a side road and proceed for 800 meters to the temple.
Wat Chet Yot, Chiang Mai, Thailand
Wat Chet Yot (also Wat Jet Yod or Wat Maha Photharam) is an elegant 15th-century temple set in peaceful and green grounds northwest of the walled city of Chiang Mai, Thailand.
Wat Chet Yot was built by King Tilokkarat in 1453 to host the Eighth World Buddhist Council. His remains are in one of the smaller chedis. In 1477, the World Sangkayana convened here to revise the doctrines of the Buddha.
This wat is markedly different in style from the others in Chiang Mai. Its unusual design featuring a main rectangular chedi with seven spires (chet yot) derives from its Indian inspiration. More specifically, Wat Chet Yot copies the Maha Bodhi Temple in Bodh Gaya, India, where the Buddha attained enlightenment. The temple also shows elements of Burmese, Chinese Yuan, and Ming influence.
Souvenir replicas
At Bodh Gaya, India there are several shops and street vendors that sell souvenir replicas of the Maha Bodhi Temple. Some are made of wood, stone, marble, and plaster.
Most of the souvenir replicas range in size from 5 cm (2 in.) to 20 cm (8 in.). Currently they are difficult to locate outside of India, with only a few shops and temples outside of India offering the souvenir Maha Bodhi Temple replicas for sale.
- The domain name: http://www.mahabodhireplicas.com/ redirects to this page.