South Asia '08, part seven:Bodhgaya bonus bonus

So here are a few of the panoramas that I mentioned in the previous SA08 post. The first was taken at the top of the stairway that leads down into the Mahabodhi Temple grounds. The other two show the (not original) Bodhi Tree. The original tree was done in by the wife of Asoka a couple thousand years ago, but it was replaced by a seedling that had been transported to Sri Lanka. I'm not sure how old this current organism is.

I read something in one of the Kolkata papers about an investigation of the temple management, following allegations that a branch was cut from the tree in order for it to be sold abroad. See more at the linked page: "Bodhi tree branch cut three years ago."



"The Bodhi tree behind the Mahabodhi temple, which has grown from the original banyan tree under which Buddha attained enlightenment, saw new leaves after four years last year. [In May 2007], IANS reported that the tree was threatened by an unknown disease. Hundreds of fresh leaves of the holy tree are falling off daily. Brahamchari blamed the temple officials of negligence of the Bodhi tree. Sources in Bodh Gaya said plant scientist A.K. Singh had suggested some corrective measures after examining the tree. Thousands of Buddhist pilgrims from across the world carry back leaves from the tree. An official of the Mahabodhi temple, which the UNESCO has declared a World Heritage Site, said the Bodhi tree is the sixth regeneration of the original banyan tree."

Part six...Part eight