Mahabodhi Temple Complex
Buddhagaya

now in

World Heritage List of UNESCO
 

     The World Heritage Committee, meeting in Budapest, Hungary, has inscribed Mahabodhi Temple on the World Heritage List. The Mahabodhi Temple Complex is one of the four holy sites related to the life of the Lord Buddha, and particularly to the attainment of Enlightenment. The first temple was built by Emperor Asoka in the 3rd century B.C., and the present temple dates from the 5th or 6th centuries. It is one of the earliest Buddhist temples built entirely in brick, still standing in India, from the late Gupta period.
     The Mahabodhi Temple, one of the few surviving example of early brick structures in India, has had significant influence in the development of architecture over the centuries.
     The site of the Mahabodhi Temple provides exceptional records for the events associated with the life of Buddha and subsequent worship, particularly since Emperor Asoka built the first temple, the balustrades, and the memorial column.
     The present Temple is one of the earliest and most imposing structures built entirely in brick from the late Gupta period. The sculpted stone balustrades are an outstanding early example of sculptural reliefs in stone.
     The Mahabodhi Temple Complex in Bodh Gaya has direct association with the life of the Lord Buddha, being the place where He attained the supreme and perfect insight.
 

It is a pleasure for us to record the declaration of the Mahabodhi Mahavihara as a 'World Heritage Site' by the UNESCO on 27th June 2002 in Hungary.

The main objective of enlisting the site as World Heritage is to attract the tourists at international scale and accordingly make the place clean and beautiful. All round development of the place is now possible after inclusion of the site in the World Heritage List.

The news of declaration of the site as World Heritage should be encouraging and a matter of happiness for we all Indians and particularly for the people of Buddhagaya. We should not at all be disheartened. It is definitely for the good and benefit of all from every point of view.

Declaration of the site as World Heritage does not mean to make the place deserted or cause great demolition to the existing structures. It definitely means to check the growing haphazard constructions and make the area beautiful healthy and according to the norms of UNESCO laid guidelines

On account of the enlisting of the Mahabodhi Mahavihara as a World Heritage Site, the Bodhgaya Temple Management Committee has organised a function to celebrate this occasion on 30th June 2002. A procession was taken out today by monks from all the monasteries, students from the Maitreya Universal School and the other institutions starting from the 80' Buddha Statue to the Main Temple welcoming the decision of the UNESCO. Prayers were held under the Bodhi Tree for universal peace and happiness and the longevity of the Temple. The Secretary of the Bodhgaya Temple Management Committee Mr. Kalicharan Singh Yadav, Ven. Bhikkhu Bodhipala, Bhikkhu-in-Charge and Kailash Prasad expresed the views of the indusion in the World Heritage Site. They took this opportunity to thank the World Heritage Committee, the Ministry of Tourism, Govt. of India, Govt. of Bihar, District Administration of Gaya and all the people associated with this for their dedicated work through which the inclusion was possible.

     
 
     
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