Tourism ministry leaves ASI behind on Buddhist bandwagon

Tourism ministry leaves ASI behind on Buddhist bandwagon
KAVEREE BAMZAI

NEW DELHI, APRIL 28: Of the 17 sites from India on the World Heritage List, UNESCO may have put one, Hampi, on the endangered list but that hasn't stopped the Ministry of Tourism, fresh from its success with the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway last year, from suggesting that the Mahabodhi Temple Complex at Bodh Gaya in Bihar be the eighteenth.

Ironically, the temple, which was built around sixth century BC, is not protected by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), which has doubts over the 20th century renovations. Ironically too, the sandstone vajrasana (diamond throne) within the precincts of the 52-metre temple is within ASI's jurisdiction -- it is believed to have been made by Ashoka around 270 BC where the Buddha sat in meditation under the Bodhi tree.

Regardless of the ASI's dilly-dallying, the Ministry of Tourism hopes the worldwide buzz around Buddhism -- with followers from Richard Gere to Uma Thurman -- will see it becoming a cultural hotspot, facilitating their nomination of Sarnath next. Though the Ministry of Culture (which administers ASI) had proposed the inclusion of Sarnath last year, the World Heritage Committee rejected it, along with 10 others, for being less than perfect in its presentation.

The Ministry of Tourism is also hoping that world attention will encourage the ASI to undertake excavations in the area around Bodh Gaya and uncover several ancient viharas -- which was suggested by the ASI in 1995-96 and has yet to be implemented. There has been no exploration since the Mahabodhi Temple was excavated in 1891 by Major General Alexander Cunningham, except the efforts of the State Archaeological Department which dug trenches and allowed several statues to be exposed to the elements in the Taradih dig.

In its application to UNESCO, the Ministry of Tourism has said the spot has the same significance for Buddhists as Mecca has for Muslims and Jerusalem has for Jews. The Japan (Overseas Economic Cooperation Fund) has contributed significantly to the development of the region which has a large number of visitors from Sri Lanka and Thailand. The Ministry hopes its case will be made stronger by the fact that Lumbini, where the Buddha was born, is already on the World Heritage List (it is in Nepal).