A Detail urban case study of Bodhgaya City

1. BODHGAYA - The City of Enlightenment
2013EAL02
2013EAL06
2013EAL22
2013EAL31

2. LOCATION
Bodhgaya is located in Gaya district of Bihar.
• Bodhgaya is about 16 km from Gaya district headquarter. The NH22 Highway connects
Gaya and Bodh Gaya.
• Gaya Airport is situated 7 km from Bodh Gaya and approximately 10 km from Gaya
Railway Station.
• Bodhgaya is well connected with buses coming from Patna and Kolkata. There is a special
bus “Caravan Service” called Wonder on wheel.
• Tourist peak season - November to January, and from July to September.
• Foreign tourist-15%
• Domestic tourist-85%
Bodhgaya map
BIHAR

3. 1
Fig 1 – Sambodhi dawar
3
2
APPROACH
Fig 2 – Sujata bypass
Fig 3 – Barricading
SOURCE : ARCGIS

4. Fig. 1- Entrance view of bus
stand
1
3 4
2
PARKING
Fig. 2- view of taxi stand
Fig.3- view of auto stand Fig. 4- Bus parking in front of
graveyard
SOURCE : ARCGIS

5. 3
1
2
PILGRIM ROUTE
pedestrian Defined pedestrian Covered pedestrian Congested
Fig. 1 - Barricading
Fig. 3 - Tanga & Rickshaw
Parking
Node
FalguRiver
A’
4
6
5
A
SECTION AT AA’
SOURCE : ARCGIS
Fig. 2 – Police
checkpost

6. 4
1
2
6
5
pedestrian Defined pedestrian Covered pedestrian Congested
Fig. 6- Vehicular Road
Leading towards complex
PILGRIM ROUTE
Node
Fig. 4 - Barricading
FalguRiver
3
Fig. 5- Bus stop near
Maya sarovar
B’
B
SECTION AT BB’
SOURCE : ARCGIS

7. Buddha (Siddhartha) was born in in Lumbini, Nepal (566-486 BC).
After practicing self-mortification for six years at Urubela
(Buddhagaya) in Gaya, he gave up that practice because it did not
give him Vimukthi. Then he discovered Noble Eight-fold path without
help from anyone and practiced it, then he attained Buddhatva or
enlightenment under “BODHI TREE” which is situated at riverbank of
Niranjana(Falgu).
• It is believed that about 280 years after the Enlightenment of the
Buddha, Emperor Ashoka visited Bodh Gaya. He is considered to
be the founder of the original Mahabodhi temple.
• Some historians believe that the temple was constructed or
renovated in the 1st century during the Kushan period.
• The temple were many times deteriorated and reconstructed by
many rulers but with the decline of Buddhism in India, the temple
was abandoned and forgotten, buried under layers of soil and
sand.
HISTORIC EVOLUTION
• The temple was later restored by Sir Alexander Cunningham in
the late 19th century. In 1861, Cunningham along with J. D.
Beglar and Dr Rajendralal Miitra excavated the site. Extensive
renovation work was carried out to restore Bodh Gaya to its
former glory. It has a height of 55 metres which can be viewed
from a distance of 11 km.
Bodhi tree
Encroachment
Niranjana(Falgu)
Lotus Pond
UNESCO World Heritage Site Map- Bodhgaya Complex 2002

8. MAHABODHI COMPLEX
Fig. Main Entrance Fig. Rear Entrance
Fig. Bodhi Tree Fig. Entrance from east of phalgu Fig. Aerial map of Mahabodhi complex
source: Bing Maps

9. • Bodh Gaya Temple Management
Committee (BTMC)-1953
• ASI undertaken site-1999
• UNESCO World Heritage Site-
2002
STRUCTURING PRINCIPLE
SETTLEMENT
• Till 1883 very few monasteries and villages were present in
Mahabodhi complex.
Monasteries
Settlement
Water Body
Mahabodhi Temple
Mahabodhi Map by Sir Alexander Cunningham
Bodhgaya Guide Map (First Edition by Govt. of India - 2001)

10. SOCIAL STRUCTURES
DAIJOKYO MONASTERY
The Daijokyo Buddhist Temple has been constructed on
the 2 acres of land allotted by the Government of
Bihar. This Temple was inaugurated on Feb. 13, 1983
.The Temple is a two storey concrete building with a
three storey pagoda on the top in Japanese style. The
Buddha image enshrined inside the Temple is in the
meditation posture made of bronze and brought from
Japan.
SOURCE : ARCGIS

11. SOCIAL STRUCTURES
KARMA TEMPLE
This Kadgyu Karma Tibetan Temple is a beautiful
Tibetan Temple situated just beside the Daijokyo
Japanese Temple and just west of Indosan Nipponji.
This temple was opened some fifteen years ago.
The Temple wall is finely depicted with the paintings of
the event of the Buddha’s life. These paintings preach
unique mixed view in the sense that the theme is
Indian, the style is Tibetan and the painter has given
western influence through their brush-work.
SOURCE : ARCGIS

12. SOCIAL STRUCTURES
THAI MONASTERY
Thailand, built the Wat-Thai (Thai Monastery) Bodhgaya
in 1957.
The Temple, is a replica of Wat-Benjamabopitra (Marble
Temple) a classical example of Thai architecture. Inside
the temple there is a huge Astadhâtu statue of the
Buddha. There are beautiful paintings in the niches of
the walls of the building. This Temple also has a guest
house where pilgrims from Thailand come and stay.
SOURCE : ARCGIS

13. SOCIAL STRUCTURES
JAPANESE MONASTERY
The construction of Indosan Nipponji was completed in
November 1973. Japanese temple of Bodhgaya is built
on the pattern of an ancient Japanese wooden Temple
and it seems to present a natural beauty without any
artificial decoration and design. Interior of the Temple
wall depicts paintings connected with some of the
important events of the life of the Buddha.
SOURCE : ARCGIS

14. SOCIAL STRUCTURES
BHUTAN MONASTERY
Just north of the Japanese Temple is the Bhutan
Monastery of the Royal Government of Bhutan. The
Land was donated by the State Government for
building the monastery.
The Temple is very beautiful in the sense that every
inch of wall and ceiling has been used to depict the life
events of the Buddha. The walls are not painted but
decorated with Clay-Carvings and in variety of fast and
deep colours.
SOURCE : ARCGIS

15. PUBLIC REALM
MAYA SAROVAR PARK
Fig. 1- Water Body
1
2
Fig. 2- The great Buddha statue
Buddha Statue
3
SOURCE : ARCGIS

16. ACTIVITY
More than two lakh people from across the globe are
attending the 32nd Kalachakra puja led by exiled Tibetan
spiritual leader the Dalai Lama.(January)
Mahabodhi Temple during festival days( Buddha Jayanti in
may)

17. FalguRiver
LAND USE
LEGENDS
Monasteries
Mahabodhi Complex
Hospital
parking
Settlement
Vacant Land
Public Park
Agriculture Land
Magadh University
Power Grid
1 Km Buffer Zone
2 Km Buffer Zone
SOURCE : ARCGIS

18. LAND USE
Agriculture
68%
Public & semi
Public
9%
Recreational
4%
Transportation
3% Residential
13%
Commercial &
Industrial
1%
Religious Uses
2%
Land uses Distribution
The major section of society involved in agriculture thus the Bodhgaya is a town and not a city, but according to projected population of
2030 the population will be 85,000 approx.. So there is a need of CDP which should fulfil the future needs.
1 Km Buffer Zone : wherein no new structures shall be permitted in future except those vital for religious usage and designed sympathetic
to the site and are only ground floor structures.
2 Km Buffer Zone : It has also been decided that within an area of 2 km from the temple boundary wall, no building shall be permitted to
exceed a height of 44 ft and these buildings shall be designed in character similar to those traditional to Bodh Gaya monument times.
Demographic
Source : CDP by Intercontinental Consultants & Technocrats Pvt. Ltd.

19. SERVICES
A) Water Supply - Ground water is the main source in Bodhgaya. Water table varies from 0-5 m. at the bed of the River Niranjana, and
from 6-12m in the high land of the town. Piped water supply coverage is 35% (PHED) while the remaining 65% relies on hand pumps.
B) Sewerage & Sanitation- Bodhgaya does not have a sewer
system. . In several parts of the town night soil/ sludge water
either flows through the surface drains or through unpaved
(kaccha) drains along the road side.
C) Drainage- The condition of the existing storm water
drainage system in Bodhgaya town is poor. Most of the drainage
has been constructed in a piecemeal manner to meet local and
temporary needs.
Storm water Channel converted into drainage Open Drain
Source : CDP by Intercontinental Consultants & Technocrats Pvt. Ltd.

20. OBSERVATIONS
E) Solid waste Management- The town has no organized
system for solid waste management. The garbage collected is
disposed at different sites in low lying areas, in the riverbed and
even in the existing storm water drains.
D) Environment - The environment has deteriorated on account of poor infrastructure in the town. The Niranjana River (although there is
no surface flow) is the main natural feature of the town. This zone is endangered with the dumping of waste.
F) Slums & Urban poor- The town had 18 slum pockets housing
3109 households and a population of 20875. The slums are located
on government as well as ‘own’ land.
Solid waste dump to storm water channel Urban Poor in town
Source : CDP by Intercontinental Consultants & Technocrats Pvt. Ltd.

21. OBSERVATIONS
H) Road, Traffic & Transportation –
Traffic Bottlenecks
Traffic Congestion
Poor Road Geometrics And Junction Design
Lack Of Public Transport System
G) Social Infrastructure - The town has 16 primary schools and 6 High Schools and a number of private schools run by various
monasteries. There is one university recognised by UGC and one private college. The town has one primary health centre .
I) Local Economy - The economy of Bodhgaya is driven by
tourism and agriculture. The town has several household units
related to tourism and a few flour mills.
Road Connected to Mahabodhi Complex Local Market in city

22. FORM
The city has a Linear form where settlement keep increasing along a linear road.
IMAGEABILITY
• Memorable image of the city for every visitor is of “MAHABODHI TEMPLE”.
• The pilgrim monument and various architecturally rich monasteries creates intangible image of Buddha throughout the
pilgrim route.
• Architecture- imageability can be seen on the other side of river bank.
• Image of Bodhgaya could be enhance if the pilgrim route is connected with falgu(Niranjana). river.
OBSERVATIONS
Expected image of city Present scenario Linear city growth

23. CDP – 2031 PROPOSAL
Source : CDP by Intercontinental Consultants & Technocrats Pvt. Ltd.
Development of
international tourist
destination
River front
development
City Development plan of Bodhgaya City Development plan of Bodhgaya
• 1 km and 2 km buffer
zone is taken care no
new sector is proposed.
• River front development
is proposed to create
image of the city.
• The industrial zone is
kept out of the city and
nearer to national
highway.
• Proper Residential sector
is proposed.

24. THANK YOU
2013EAL02 – Abhishek Bhatnagar
2013EAL06 – Anubhav Sharma
2013EAL22 – Rajan Maurya
2013EAL31 – Shubham Katyal