is travelling to Bihar (Bogh Gaya) dangerous?

photosnapper

Dear all
I know that there had been threads like this on the forum - I've read them all. But the last posts on this are MONTHS (some years!) old and I was wondering if anybody could give some up-to-date first-hand info, as it's about a situation which might b changing rather quickly (?)

As part of our India trip we were planning to see Bodh Gaya. However, I've recently hard a lot of horror stories of tourists attacked/robbed ther etc (that includes: train travellers, hotel guests and so on). So says my Lonely Planet and the website of the ministry of foreign affairs of Holland where I live...

Since to Bodh Gaya we were supposed to go with my female friend only, do you think its reasonable to go there for 2 European girls alone? [if yes: what precautions are advisable to take?]

Or should we rather visit Varanasi, Sarnath and then skip Bodh Gaya & head straight to Kolkata?

I'd b really grateful for your insider-advice!

thx!
Marta

thirdreel

It's tough to answer this question. There is some risk in going, but that's obviously true for anywhere. However, I was there last August without any major problems--and in terms of risk, Kolkata seemed riskier than Bodhgaya. If you're concerned, you might want to arrange a hotel beforehand, and see if they can help you with transport. (This is also a good idea in Varanasi.) That way, you won't have to take a chance on an unknown driver, and you'll be able to tell your friends and family where to check in on you. Stay alert, trust your instincts, check in with friends when possible--this is of course good advice no matter where you're going.

Bodhgaya is really a wonderful place, and I'd hate to think you'd miss it just because of fear.

kandroma

Bodhgaya is fine as long as you do not travel at night or alone. Do not under any circumstances travel on the road from Patna to Bodhgaya after nightfall- the road is notorious for road bandits. However, if you travel during the day, you should be fine. The Bihar government is extremely corrupt and there is a high crime rate, so I would recommend not wearing any jewelery or carrying anything valuable. You should also be extremely careful about what you eat. I have been all over India and never been as sick as I was in Bodhgaya. All that being said, Bodhgaya is an extremely holy place and is well worth a visit.

somnath

Hi Photosnapper,
Welcome to IM.
Varanasi to Gaya by train is safe. There are some good trains between these two stations. I’ll suggest you to book A/C tickets and plz try to avoid any local trip at evening. kandroma is absolutely right – very practical and useful info.
Staying at Bodhgaya would be better not at Gaya. And there are trains between Gaya > Kolkata so no need to go all the way to Patna.
Varanasi > Gaya > Bodhgaya.
Bodhgaya > Gaya > Kolkata .

And I agree with Thirdreel, don’t miss Bodhgaya. And let me tell you there is no recent bad news from that area but that doesn’t mean suddenly that place has become very safe and all. Just be careful and enjoy.

- Somnath

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photosnapper

hi guys
Thank you for all the heads up...
i would definitely NOT like to miss it!! (i would really like to see the buddhist sites and all!). well.. that is if im really not rinning a really HIGH risk (its not supposed 2 b about a dare, i know we r supposed 2 b able 2 enjoy ourselves during the trip, thats the whole poit right?)

thank you for your input, to be honest im more and more inclined 2 keep the schedule as it was - and NOT to skip it...

[and thx Somnath 4 the do-not-stay-in-Gaya tip, i wouldnt have figured that! - i thought it would b handiest for transportation etc]

does any anybody elase have more tips?
Marta

pantelis

3 times and planning to be there either on January or February ,i suggest not skip the place since it`s very beautiful , full of temples and quiet serene.Either go from Varanasi to Gaya by train and then take the ricksaw to Bodhgaya or from Delhi to Patna by airplane and then catch a bus to Bodhgaya . Preferably travels during daylight and if possible arange to pick u up from Gaya . If u need to stay in a good Buddhist guest house owned by a French woman and a Hindu friend of mine let me know to send u their email and their website , the environment is great , good pricies, you could also prepare ur own food in the kitchen if u like and Barua { the Hindu owner can pick u up from the train station of Gaya}.

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somnath

Hi Photosnapper,
You are right, if you are considering transpiration (trains) Gaya is a better choice but according to my knowledge, for safety and cleanliness Bodhgaya is far better. So wish you a happy traveling.

Pantelis:
3 times in Bodhgaya !!!! That’s great!!!! If you are considering the safety factor which one would be better Varanasi > Gaya by train or from Patna by bus? Actually, my experience in Bihar (posted there for a couple of years) says Varanasi > Gaya by train is better than the other option.

BTW, I just love Rajgir in that area. it is a lovely place.

yatrayatra

bodhgaya itself is not a very nice or safe place. Crime is rampant ; all the phone booths have their rates marked up considerably and the facilities to eat food are very limited.

however, a day or two does not harm and hopefully one is safe.

TimMakins

I love Bodhgaya - its a very special place. Have been there twice. Last time, I stayed at one of the monasteries: only 10rs/night for private room and shared toilet/shower !

By the way, if you have time, check out the other Buddhist sites in the area too: the amazing Buddhist university ruins at Nalanda, the caves used by the Buddha at Rajgir, and if you are really adventurous, the famous Barabar Caves near Gaya:
http://www.mapability.com/travel/p2i/barabar.html

Tim in Ireland

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greenchutney

bodhgaya by itself is really peaceful but dont go during summer which was what i did last summer. the sun is nasty..there is no other word to describe it.

stay in a monastry, its cheap and very very peaceful. and get out of gaya...the train stations can get challenging.

just use common sense. i talked to atleast two pairs of women who had travelled on their own..and other than a little uncomfortable journey from varanasi, had nothing crazy happen to them..ofcourse this was during the off season in summer.

jokonda

Hello Pantelis,

I would be realy thankfull if u could send me contact for mentioned accomodation and friends there. I'm going for trip to Varanasi and Bodhgaya in a 2 weeks, so it will be realy helpfull. Many thaaaanks

gianni66

I have been in Bodhgaya in August 2006, coming from Varanasi, and I have to say that it has been one of the best places I've seen in India, a real oasis of peace full of spiritual energy!

I arrive very late in the evening, at 23:00 or so, since my train from Varanasi was more than three hours late, and I had there the most scaring of my Indian experiences. me and my wife had already booked an overnight accomodation in a monastery in Bodhgaya, so we wanted to arrive in the village, but we were worried to travel at that late hour, we really didn't know what to do...

Coming out of the train we found ourselves in the middle of a "human carpet", hundreds of people were sleeping on the floor inside the station, and as soon as we tried to exit we were literally assaulted by taxi drivers and touts.

We were really scared, and we approached a policeman asking support; he spoke to a taxi driver, took his cab number and said to us to go with him, he would have checked at his return if everything was OK.

We trusted this guy, and we went to Bodhgaya. The trip was fine and without any problem, apart our deep paranoia (we were aware of the dangers in Bihair too). When we arrived at Bodhgaya, the taxi driver couldn't find the monastery, so we were in the middle of the sleeping village with nobody around... at the very end we stopped in the front of a guesthouse and called loudly sooeone, and we found a small room to spend the night.

Some days after, a friend from Delhi said to us that we made the worst thing asking support to that policeman, since police is often very corrupted in Bihair; we risked to be robbed by the taxi driver who would have shared our valuables with the policeman...

We were lucky, at the end. But the lesson is NOT to travel in Bihair during night. The only thing to do is to stay at the railway station and spend the night in a retiring room, then move early in the morning.

However... DON'T MISS BODHGAYA!

safari vala

don't miss sarasam

kandroma

the root institute is a safe decent place to stay in bodhgaya. the food is safe and i the rooms are clean. it is a buddhist center, so sometimes you can luck out and meet some very high lamas there.

SilverMaple

For me Bodhgaya was a really wonderful experience – sitting at the foot of the Bodhi Tree in the Mahabodhi Temple in the evening as the pilgrims gather there. I wouldn’t have missed that for anything. We had a totally safe and pleasant stay there in October – and no problems with food. It’s hard to say what risks are involved because we took precautions – more than some other posters – and at the time you never know which precautions were necessary and which ones weren’t. We minimised time spent in Bihar outside Bodhgaya, probably took it too far, and of course avoided road travel at night. We flew in from Kolkatta to Gaya airport on the new Indian Airways pilgrim flight (originates in South-East Asia & stops off at Kolkatta). Then taxi from Gaya airport. We stayed at the Roots Institute in Bodhgaya, a Buddhist meditation centre which has a 24 hour staffed police post immediately outside the gate of the walled compound (info at www.rootinstitute.com). We never felt unsafe at any time in Bodhgaya itself and I would now happily stay anywhere there. Centre of town can be hassly – but there’s no hassle once inside any of the Buddhist temples or monasteries, a lovely atmosphere.We left Bodhgaya by a daytime taxi to Patna, hired in advance from an agency in Bodhgaya, then caught a night train from Patna to Siliguri. Nearest thing to hassle was the repartee on the platform at Patna station, which is not a vastly friendly place. The train journey through Bihar was very pleasant. A policeman with a sub-machine gun was sitting outside our compartment throughout the journey. Was he there to protect us? Or just travelling to see his mum? You never know.