A Pilgrimage Special: Remembering a Kind Lady

Sujata is a common name for an Indian female which in Sanskrit means from a good family or bringer of luck. Near Bodhgaya, crossing a bridge over the river Neranjara, we came to the village of Bakrau where we were to visit the Sujata Kuti or Sujatagarh. During the time of Lord Buddha, a certain Sujata had prayed for a husband and a son at a Banyan tree. When her wish was fulfilled, she returned to the Banyan tree to offer food to the God she believed was there. Instead, she had found the then still unenlightened Lord Buddha meditating there and had thought that he was the God of the Banyan tree. She offered milk rice to Lord Buddha who upon eating, threw the bowl into the river, saying If I am to succeed in becoming a Buddha today, let this bowl go upstream. If not, let it go downstream. The bowl went upstream. The stupa here was built in three stages between the eight and ninth century AD and this is supposed to be the place where the Lady Sujata offered milk rice to Lord Buddha prior to his enlightenment...

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Entering Sujata Village...
I was reminded of an African village...


A stupa to remember a lady...
A farm...
Walking through it...
To a little temple...


Where there is a statue of Lady Sujata offering milk rice to Lord Buddha...