The story of Sujata and Lord Buddha

In Bihar, there is a village named as Sujata Garh. It is nearby to Bodhgaya. There is a banyan tree near Sujata garh where a temple has been constructed later.  Sujata temple as well as Sujata Garh – both nearby each other and is across river Niranjana known as Falgu in Gaya.

Earlier this village was known as Senani but now it is known as Bakraur village. Now-a-days devotees from all over the world visit this banyan tree to offer prayer to the tree and a flag. Flag is known as panchsheel. During fourth week of meditation five colors emanated from the body of Lord Buddha and flag represent those five colors.

Since ages nearby villagers having faith and they worship this tree specially during Vat Savitri day or marriage function. Sujata was the daughter of village-head. She also used to pray near this banyan tree in those days and had a wish to have a child. If fulfilled, she will offer milk-rice to banyan tree. During that time 'Gautam Siddhartha' in search of knowledge visited this very place and started meditation under this tree.

In both pictures, I am showing the place where Sujata was living at that time. It was later converted into a monetary by the great Emperor of Magadh Empire Ashoka.

Soon Sujata's wish was fulfilled and she becomes mother. One day she sent one of her maid – Panna to sweep the area around banyan tree as she has to visit to offer milk-rice. When Panna visited, she saw a young man with weak body meditating under the banyan tree. She went back and narrated this to Sujata. Sujata immediately prepared milk-rice and visited banyan tree while having a thought that the man must be God of banyan tree. She offered milk-rice to Gautam Siddhartha by saying – Banyan God please accept milk-rice as offering. Gautam Siddhartha opened his eyes and was surprised. He said: I am not banyan God. I am a simple human being in search of knowledge wandering here and there. Sujata said: Your body is so weak you should accept milk-rice as offering.  Again Gautam Siddhartha without accepting milk-rice went into meditation. At this time Sujata along with her friends sang a song:

"Hey veena ke vadak, veena ke taar ko itna mat kaso ki taar toot jaye...

aur itna bhi dheela na karo ki usse aawaz hi na nikle.."

That means one should not give too much pain to himself nor enjoy too much relaxation. One should always follow middle path.

Picture-4: Above Picture is at the place where this whole incident took place. Now above replica in the forms of statues has been kept on the same place. A temple has also been constructed.

This song was understood by Gautam Siddhartha. He accepted a short break in meditation that was making his body weak and accepted milk-rice. Gautam's five followers who were with him from Rajgrih (also known as Rajgir) was watching this. They immediately left Gautam Siddhartha while thinking him as a hypocrite. Gautam Siddhartha tried to stop them but they were adamant to leave. This made Gautam Siddhartha to say: Will alone continue the journey in search of knowledge and will follow middle path. To test whether his search will end with positive results or not he throw the utensil given by Sujata into Niranjana river to watch whether it flows opposite direction of river flow or not. And it did. That means the search will end with positive results and he continues his journey till he was enlightened under Peepul tree at Bodhgaya.