Founded: March 15 2002
Last updated: May 21, 2002

Administration Bows to the All India Monks Association
Bodhgaya, 25 May. The District Administration has given in to the demand of the All India Monks Association. The site for the Temple Management Committee cultural program has been changed and the program for Buddha Purnima tomorrow in the Kalacakra Maidan completely handed over to the All India Monks Association. A letter this intent was issued by the subcommittee of the District Magistrate on the 23rd of May.
In the letter issued on the 23rd is states clearly that permission has been granted to the All India Monks Association to celebrate Buddha Jubilee on the 26th of May in the Kalacakra Maidan. In the next line of the letter it says that the cultural program of the Temple Management Committee is to be organised in the Pragati Maidan. [a patch of land near the tourist bungalows away from the centre of Bodhgaya:-PGF].
It is notable that the National Secretary of the All India Monks Association the Venerable Ananda had written to the District Magistrate. In the letter he stated clearly that for the previous five years the All India Monks Association had organised programs and accomodation for Buddhists and puja and devotional rituals. For this reason they should be given permission again to hold their program on the said site.
It is worth noting that this letter of the Venerable Ananda had been a headache for the local administration for some days. The Bodhgaya Temple Management Committee had arranged for the coming Buddha Purnima to not only have special puja ceremonies but also hold a cultural program. According to previous information the Committee's cultural program was to have been held on the Kalacakra Maidan. Due the Committee's program and the All India Monks Association's program a situation of uncertainty had been created.
Venerable Ananda of the All India Monks Association said that in this matter talks had been held with the DM. In the end the DM had accepted the validity of the All India Monks Association's claim and made the Kalacakra Maidan available to them. For this the Venerable Ananda thanked the DM Brajesh Mehotra.

Texts and Translations © Peter G. Friedlander unless otherwise indicated.