Hindu Monk Strives to Save Mahabodhi Temple

May 4, 2008

Author: Asim Khan

Source: CNN-IBN

http://www.ibnlive.com/news/hindu-monk-strives-to-save-mahabodhi-temple/64497-3.html

The Mahabodhi temple is one of the holiest shrines for more than 35 crore Buddhists around the world. However, in the last few years this place has been in news for all the wrong reasons.

Today the situation is so grim that it is threatening the very existence of this holy site, including that of the sacred Bodhi tree.

The sacred peepal tree grows just behind the western wall of the Mahabodhi temple. Over 3.5 million devotees and tourists pray below the tree where the Buddha attained enlightenment.

In the past, entire branches of the tree were chopped off, allegedly by monks who sold bits of the tree to rich foreign devotees.

Today, the man fighting to secure the future of this Buddhist site is a Hindu monk.