 |
||
|
||
| Advertise with us! |
|
|
The Mahabodhi temple at the spot where the Buddha attained
enlightenment had been plundered in a systematic manner over the
past few decades. At least 1,000 precious artefacts had been stolen
from the 1,500-year-old temple and their niches replaced with fake
ones.
In another classic example of official apathy, neither the
Archaeological Survey of India not the Mahabodhi Temple Management
Committee, constituted by the state government for the shrine's
well-being, had ever maintained any record of the idols and stupas
in the temple. None of the monasteries in the area paid any
attention to the thefts. However, the Mahabodhi Temple Liberation
Struggle Committee took up the issue.
About a decade back, the ASI had conducted a survey of the articles
stolen from the temple and submitted a report to the management
committee. But there is not trace of report now.
Bhante Anand, a neo-Buddhist and vocal member of the management
committee, said most of the idols and stupas were smuggled out
between 1970 and 1990. Many of the original idols carved in granite
had been replaced with clay models coated with golden paint. The
fake idols do not match the original icons.
Many of the granite stupas were replaced by ones made of cement
Bhante Anand said precious granite idols of the Buddha existed in
every niche of the temple wall. Now only ten idols remain, he said.
Though the smuggling had been going on for quite sometime, the
police had never bothered to investigate the crime. A few months
back, acting on a complaint from Bhante Anand, the then district
magistrate, Mr Rajiv Gauba raided the Both Gaya mutt and recovered
60 statues.
The value of these idols and stupas, dating back to the Ashoka
period, can be gauged from the importance of the shrine and the
illegal trade in leaves from the sacred peepul tree and the soil of
Vajrasan (the seat of enlightenment). A leaf from the tree bags at
least Rs 50 while the going rate for a handful of soil is at least
Rs 100.
Bhante Anand said most of the idols were smuggled out when Bhante
Gyan Jagat was the superintendent of the management committee. He
was alleged to be a Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh man in the garb of
a monk. Several idols and stupas are still being kept in the mutt
of the Bodh Gaya mahant, who happened to be the caretaker of the
shrine before the enactment of the Bodh Gaya Temple Act, 1949.
The Act provided the setting up of the Mahabodhi Temple Management
Committee of eight members, four Buddhist and the rest Hindus. The
DM of Gaya was named as the ex-officio chairman. The Act also
provided for the appointment of a secretary and a superintendent.
The committee now runs the affairs of the temple.
However, the Bodh Gaya Mahabodhi Vihara All India Action Committee
has been demanding full control of the temple and pressing the
state and the central government to remove the Hindu members from
the committee. This organisation of neo-Buddhists headed by Arya
Nagarjun Surai Sasai, a monk of Japanese origin, has its
headquarters in Nagpur.
Meanwhile, the ASI has received Rs 4.5 lakh from the committee for
repair of the shrine which is almost in ruins The plaster of the
temple is peeling off and cracks have appeared on its surface.
Sources said the last chemical wash was undertaken in 1980 but no
repair work had been undertaken since 1956.
During the chemical wash, the stones, bricks and wood of the
structure were treated with chemicals to clear the moss and end
the action of salt and stone moth to prevent the decaying process.
A preservative cast was also applied.
Last year when the ASI director general, Mr B.P. Singh, was on a
visit to Gaya along with the governor, he was approached by the
management committee to undertake repair and a chemicals wash of
the temple.
The committee agreed to bear all expenses of the operation. A team
of experts then visited the shrine to assess the damage and
estimate the cost of renovation. Now with the handing over of the
money, the work is expected to begin soon.
It can be mentioned that the district magistrate had sent a fax
massage to the ASI six months ago requesting renovation of the
shrine on a was footing.
However, Buddhist scholar, Mr P.C. Roy, said there was no immediate
threat to the temple. Despite the cracks and the moss covering the
walls, the structure had not been damaged much he said.
He, however, expressed concern over the thefts of the precious
artefacts from the temple.
The director of state archaeology, Mr Nasim Akhtar, said the temple
was not being properly managed. The state government and the ASI
had not control over it and the management committee called all the
shots, he said.
The former district magistrate, Ms Rajbala Verma, had ordered
closure of the first floor of the temple at the advice of experts.
She also prevented pilgrims from going upstairs as the burning of
lamps and incense sticks had considerably damaged the walls.
However, Tibetan Buddhists of the Nygma Pa sect opposed the
restrictions, saying the administration was trying to interfere
with their rituals. The thousands of candles and lamps lit around
the shrine by this sect poses a threat to the plaster work.
|
||
|
||
| Advertise with us! |
|
|