The village of Bodh Gaya in the northern Indian state of Bihar is the site of Gotama Buddha's enlightenment and the most sacred place in the Buddhist world. For over two thousand years, pilgrims have made their way to Bodh Gaya from every part of Asia, often leaving records of their visits in inscriptions, memoirs and even graffiti.

In Navel of the Earth, the author uses these and other sources to chronicle Bodh Gaya's long and fascinating history. He recounts the magnificient ceremonies that once took place at Bodh Gaya and the various legends that grew up around it. He also tells of the revered images and relics once enshrined in its temples and of the many saints and scholars who once lived there. In addition, he highlights previously overlooked fact which challenged the popular belief that Bodh Gaya was destroyed at the end of the 12th century and was, for seven hundred years after that, forgotten and unvisited by Buddhist pilgrims. The result is a book that should prove to be of interest to Indiologists and social historians as well as to Buddhists.

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