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

Mahabodhi Temple Bodhgaya included in World Heritage List.
Gaya, 28 June, (Dainik Jagran). The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation 26th Meeting was concluded in Budapest last night. In which the announcement was made that the Mahabodhi temple would be included in the World Heritage list.

[full translation of the story to come later, but the following from the end of the story is very striking as it seems to indicate that an effect of the listing will be the demolition of most of the village centre to create a one kilometre radius buffer zone around the temple.]

The Commissioner Shri Sirohi said that development works would be undertaken in three stages. In the first stage during the rainy season the whole of Bodhgaya would be made verdant by the construction of parks. In the second stage a buffer zone would be implemented in which with the help of the local people a zone of one kilometre in radius from the temple would be cleared. The third stage would be a five year plan including an over bridge for the Niranjana river, a transport town in Dhanava, the construction of attractive parks by the river and arrangements for drainage etc.

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