Buddha Gaya is one of the four holiest places of Buddhism. Here Buddha attained Enlightenment after having meditated for 49 days under the Bodhi tree. In the 3rd century BC emperor Asoka built a shrine to mark this spot of Buddha's sambothi. A later stone railing enclosing this shrine survives on from the Sunga period (1st century BC). Sanchi and Barhut depict the shrine on several reliefs. The shrine was replaced by the Mahabodhi temple, begun in the Kushan period in the 2nd century AD. In the Pala-Sena period it was provided with statuary and revetment. Burmese Buddhists began to restore it in 1877, but a proper scientific restoration was done by Cunningham in 1882.

In the winter of 1876 the late king of Burmah deputed three of his officers to superintend the repairs of the ancient temple at Buddha Gaya. The men arrived at the place in January 1877, and immediately set to work. With the permission of the Mahant, in whose charge the temple is kept, they cleared away a large space around it, built an enclosing wall, renewed the retaining walls of the terrace of the temple, re plastered its interior and took some steps for preserving the sacred Bodhi tree. In the course of their work they brought to light a great number of votive stupas, images, friezes, impression of the sacred feet and other object of antiquarian interest. Some of these they built into the new wall, others lay scattered about the place.

The subject was brought to the notice of the Government of Bengal in the middle of last year and suggestions made to prevent the masking and modernizing of the ancient temple. Thereupon a Semi-official latter was written to me by Sir Stuart Bayley, then Secretary to the Government of Bengal and in it the wishes of the Government were thus set forth- It is not desired to interface with Burmese gentleman beyond giving them such guidance as may prevent any serious injury being done to the temple, of which there seemed at one time some danger from their laying bare a portion of the foundation; and to arrange for such of the antiquities as are worth preserving being properly taken care of. They are at present building them into walls, and sticking foolish heads on to ancient torsos, &c. Mr. Eden wishes to known of you can make it convenient to pay a visit to Buddha Gaya to inspect the work and the remains collected and to give advice as to their value and to their disposition, and whether there are any that should go to the Asiatic Society; and generally to advise the Government un regard to the manner in which the operations of the Burmese excavators should be In compliance with the wishes of his Honor the Lieutenant-Governor of Bengal, I visited Buddha Gaya in the autumn of 1877, and in the course of my inquires collected much information and many drawings, maps and plans, which could not be conveniently embodied in the report I submitted to the Government on the results of my researches. These have since been utilized in the followings pages.