Bodh Gaya temple dome to be inlaid with gold

The dome of Bodh Gaya's 1,500-year old Mahabodhi temple, Buddhism's holiest shrine that was rocked by a string of bombings in July, will be inlaid with gold thanks to an offer made by a pilgrim, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar said Thursday.

"The ASI (Archaeological Survey of India) has accepted the proposal of a Buddhist pilgrim with certain terms and condition to decorate the Mahabodhi temple's dome with gold," Nitish Kumar told reporters here.

After the serial blasts last month, ASI confirmed that no damage had been detected in the temple's structure.

The Mahabodhi temple is estimated to have been built between the 5th and 6th century AD. It was a long-lost structure that was re-discovered in the 19th century by the ASI's founder, Alexander Cunningham.

The Mahabodhi temple is a World Heritage Site where the Buddha, who was born in neighbouring Nepal, attained enlightenment around 2,500 years ago. It is visited by millions of pilgrims annually from all over the world, especially from Sri Lanka, China, Japan and the Southeast Asian region.