A Culinary Pilgrimage: Exploring the Famous Food in Bodh Gaya, Bihar

A peaceful town in Bihar, Bodh Gaya is known as the place where Gautama Buddha achieved enlightenment under the Bodhi tree and is important to millions of spiritual seekers and travelers each year. However, Bodh Gaya has a unique and diverse food culture that you don't want to miss. The food in Bodh Gaya is laden with history that mixes traditional and modern influences, including Tibetan, Bihari, and global influences. In Bodh Gaya, you can take a spiritual journey not just for your spirit but for your taste buds, as well.

1. Litti Chokha – The Bihari Staple

No culinary adventure in Bihar is complete without experiencing Litti Chokha, and Bodh Gaya has some of the best Litti Chokha. Litti is a round wheat ball filled with a spiced mixture of sattu (roasted gram flour) that is cooked on coal or wood fire and rolled in desi ghee. The Litti will also include—chokha—mashed roasted eggplant, tomatoes, and boiled potatoes, with mustard oil, garlic, and green chilies. Litti Chokha can be found at roadside stalls, and local dhabas. Litti Chokha is a filling, earthy meal that takes you back to the rustic life in Bihar!

2. Tibetan and Bhutanese Cuisine

There are a number of Tibetan monasteries based in Bodh Gaya, and in turn there are some Tibetan cuisine influences on the local food scene. You'll find small eateries and street vendors with hot, steaming momos (dumplings) stuffed with vegetables or meat, with spicy chutney. Other Tibetan and Bhutanese foods would be common options as well, such as thukpa (noodle soup), tingmo (steamed bread), and shabalay (fried meat pie). These meals are all comforting with light spices and warm broths, great when the temperature drops.

3. International Café Culture

With the influx of international pilgrims and tourists to Bodh Gaya, it is not surprising that an international café culture has emerged. Small, yet charming cafes like Nirvana The Veg Café, Be Happy Café, and Maya Heritage serve many different options from Indian, Continental, and Asian fusion dishes. You'll be able to sit down with everything from pancakes to pasta, and plenty of vegan curries and organic salads. Many of the cafés promote a mindful eating philosophy, using mostly locally sourced organic ingredients which are ideal for the health conscious traveller.

4. Bhojpuri Thali and Local Dishes

If you want to experience traditional Bihari food, local restaurants have Bhojpuri Thalis, which is an elaborate plate of rice, dal (lentils), seasonal vegetables, pickle, papad, and sometimes a fish or mutton curry. It is simple food, but very comforting with a light flavour - it is seasoned with mustard seeds, garlic, and mustard oil and is best accompanied with chaach (buttermilk) or sattu sharbat (an old traditional cooling drink).

5. Sweet Treats to Try

Bihar has quite the sweet culture, and Bodh Gaya does not disappoint! You must try the thekua - which is a cookie dough, made with wheat flour, jaggery and coconut and deep fried, that is usually made during festivals. Other interesting sweets to try are - the Balushahi (deep fried flour sweet soaked in syrup, similar to a doughnut), khaja, which are crispy folded layers of sweet, and tilkut, made of sesame seeds and jaggery. You can find tilkut in winter when it is cold also.

Food in Bodh Gaya isn't a necessity, it is a representation of its multicultural nature. You'll find hospitality, comfort, and spiritual stillness in the food you eat. Wether it's getting a plate of Litti Chokha from a roadside vendor, or having herbal tea in a quiet cafe among the prayer flags, each bite in Bodh Gaya contributes to the experience. This is a place where food acts as a mediation - perfectly.

Plan your next tour with Soil2Soul Expeditions.