Leaving Bodhgaya; one door closes and another opens

Leaving Bodhgaya is always hard and often a wee tear or two comes but yoga in Rishekesh awaits.

So before leaving I often offer robes to the Buddha and this year I dressed him in yellow; very nice.

Buddha Statue at Mahabodhi temple

Pilgrims offers all kinds of robes to this statue, it is a wee bit like dressing up a Barbie doll and I have seen some fun colours on this statue. Everything from shimmery gold and silver to scarlet red and hot pink with gold. I think the hot pink robes must have been offered by the Thai gay community. Anyway I joke about it  but to offer robes to this statue is very auspicious thing to do and represents ones respect to the Buddha as a teacher and one dedication to following and understanding the Dharma (Buddha realization the self and reality of the nature of reality.) So I offered robes then went to get one last blessing from the Bodhi tree. You cannot get to touch the tree anymore because people were tearing off the bark for souvenirs, so people now place the crown of their heads on the stone set into the enclosure which protects the tree. 

I left Bodhgaya in the evening as the sun set and the night sky was turning that blue/ black colour and the start were truly like diamonds in the sky. I said my goodbyes and wishes that I can again return to this amazing , yet weird place. Rishekesh here I come.

Thai monk praying at the tree