Mahabodhi Temple

Mahabodhi Temple Latest News

The Supreme Court recently agreed to review a petition seeking the repeal of the Bodh Gaya Temple Act of 1949, advocating for its replacement with a central law to better manage the Mahabodhi Temple in Bihar.

About Mahabodhi Temple

• It is one of the four most sacred sites of Buddhism, marking the location where Buddha attained Enlightenment (Bodhi), along with:
  • Lumbini (Buddha’s birthplace)
  • Sarnath (Buddha’s first sermon)
  • Kushinagar (Buddha’s parinirvana)
• Location: Bodh Gaya, Bihar, on the banks of the Niranjana River.
• The first temple at the site was constructed by the Mauryan emperor Ashoka in the 3rd century BC. 
• The present temple was built in the 5th–6th century AD, in the Gupta period.
• It is one of the earliest Buddhist temples built entirely in brick, still standing in India, from the late Gupta period.
• The temple was heavily restored in the 19th century, by Myanmar (Burmese) Buddhists and then by the British archaeologist Sir Alexander Cunningham.
• It was declared a World Heritage site by UNESCO in 2002.

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Mahabodhi Temple Architecture

• The temple structure is 180 feet (55 meters) in height. It is dominated by a pyramid-shaped central tower, called a shikhara. 
• This tower comprises several layers of niches, arch motifs, and fine engravings. 
• Four additional towers, each identical to the main tower but smaller in size, adorn the corners of the two-story structure. 
• A shrine inside the temple holds a yellow sandstone statue of the Buddha encased in glass.
• Sacred Bodhi Tree: Believed to be a direct descendant of the original tree under which Buddha attained Enlightenment.
• Vajrasana (Diamond Throne): A stone slab marking the exact spot where Buddha meditated and attained enlightenment.
• Stone railings surround the temple as well as the Bo tree. 
• One of the most famous of Ashoka’s many pillars (on which he had engraved his proclamations and his understanding of religious doctrine) stands at the southeast corner of the temple.
• The 4.8-hectare complex includes ancient shrines and modern Buddhist structures built by devotees.

Source: ET