Stickerji Souvenir Wooden Fridge Magnet | Bodh Gaya

A small printed block of wood, magnetic on the back — that's the physical object. What it stands for is a town where more than a dozen countries have each built their own monastery, Thai roofs beside Japanese gardens beside Tibetan prayer halls, all within walking distance of each other in Bodh Gaya. The Falgu River running past town even gets a mention in the Ramayana, as the spot where Rama performed funeral rites for his father. During the annual Kalachakra period, the number of visiting Tibetan Buddhist monks and pilgrims can outnumber the town's own residents.

Take this home if you've done that international monastery circuit yourself, or give it to someone captivated by Bodh Gaya's mix of nationalities living out one shared pilgrimage rather than by its history alone.