Shaped single crystals of Bi : $Y_3Ga_5O_{12}$(Bi = 0.041, 0.047 and 0.061 mol%) were grown by the micro-pulling-down method. Optical absorption spectra show an absorption band at 288 nm ascribed to the lowest energy $6s^2$ longrightarrow 6s6p transition of $Bi^{3+}$ , while luminescence spectra demonstrate the band at 314 nm ascribed to the reverse radiative transition of the excited $Bi^{3+}$ centres. At room temperature, dominant decay time component was found to be about 440 ns with a minor slower component 580 ns.