Dry River Bed Of The Phalgu Or Niranjana In Winter, With Bodhgaya And The Dome Of The Mahabodhi Temple In The Distance Royalty-Free Stock Photography

The Phalgu or Niranjana, a river that flows past Gaya, India in the Indian state of Bihar, is a sacred river for Hindus and Buddhists. It is subject to high floods during the monsoons but in other seasons of the year it dwindles to a stream wandering through a wide expanse of sand. Before attaining Enlightenment, the prince Siddhartha Gautama practiced asceticism on the banks of the river in the village of Bakraur.