Sujata Village

Sujata was the name of the young woman who fed rice milk to the emaciated Siddhartha Gautama, thus ending his years of harsh asceticism and beginning his return to a “middle path.” Today, just across the river from Bodh Gaya, is a village named after this brave young woman (for at the time, Siddhartha was a horrendous sight to see).

A few days back, a colleague and I made our way over there and here are a few photos…

Some of the very friendly children there. One of the things I remarked recently that I love so much about India is how easy it is to get a smile out of people: locals and pilgrims alike. Perhaps it’s the spiritual aspect of the area, but most people have a sense of lightness and joie de vivre that is quite uncommon back in the states and England.

Siddhartha and Sujata, and a well-placed donation box…