On the Buddha's trail: Bodhgaya's transformation must prioritise locals

While presenting the 2024 Union Budget over a month ago, Nirmala Sitharaman — the Union Minister of Finance and Corporate Affairs — announced that the Mahabodhi Temple Corridor in Bodhgaya would be transformed into a “world-class” pilgrim and tourist destination.

This World Heritage Site, of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, is one of India’s crown jewels. It is high time the central government stepped in to dedicate resources towards its development for the “spiritual significance” that the minister emphasised and for its potential to boost diplomatic ties.

The place where the Shakyan prince Siddhartha Gautama became the Buddha or the enlightened one is sacred to Buddhists all over the world. On my frequent visits to the shrine, including twice this year, it has been heartwarming to witness Indian, Nepalese, Sri Lankan, Bhutanese, Bangladeshi, Tibetan, Burmese, Korean, Vietnamese, Cambodian, American, Japanese, Spanish, and Chinese Buddhists paying their respects. Some choose to meditate in silence; others make offerings. Some circumambulate the Bodhi tree; others chant mantras.

This plurality is admirable because Buddhism has taken various forms as it has travelled across cultures, and practitioners belonging to one school or tradition may not always see eye to eye with another as they cling to their own form of practice as the only authentic one. At the Mahabodhi Temple Complex, there is ample room for all these expressions of faith, and for people who visit only to enjoy the history, art and architecture, greenery, and serene atmosphere. It is always moving to see tilak-sporting Hindus, burqa-clad Muslims, and turban-wearing Sikhs there, affirming the values of mutual respect and harmonious coexistence that millions of Indians cherish despite attempts to divide people on the basis of religion and instigate them against other. I was raised in a Jain family, yet I feel absolutely welcome at the Mahabodhi Temple Complex. The Buddha’s teachings have resonated with people across centuries because they address the universality of suffering, and lay out a path for liberation. This inclusive character of the shrine must be retained as the government’s plans evolve further.

What kind of changes will be made? Which stakeholders will be involved in the consultative process and the implementation? Will the upgrade focus on improving infrastructure and connectivity or also offer skill-based training, create jobs and empower local entrepreneurs? Any intimation of change sparks anxiety in the human mind, so the questions are understandable especially as the minister mentioned that the transformation will be “modelled on the successful Kashi Vishwanath Temple Corridor”. The restoration of the Kashi Vishwanath Temple has been received not only with praise but also plenty of criticism, so one hopes that the government will take care to learn from previous mistakes and not repeat them in Bodhgaya. That said, the two sites are different and have their own challenges.

After all, the transformation must benefit first and foremost the people who live in Bodhgaya, and should not cater only to an improved experience for pilgrims and tourists who go there for a brief period of time. Apart from looking at the economics of it, the aspiration to create a world-class destination must also take into account the perceptions that people have about Bihar in particular, and India at large. The lack of safety in public places is a big concern for women and LGBTQIA+ people, and it often shapes decision-making around where to travel and spend their money.

Speaking of gender, the government can make up for a glaring absence in Bodhgaya. The 80-feet Great Buddha Statue, which is not far from the Mahabodhi Temple Complex, is surrounded by sculptures of the Buddha’s 10 principal disciples during his lifetime — Ananda, Sariputta, Punna, Mahakaccana, Rahula, Subhuti, Upali, Mahakassapa, Mahamogallana and Anuruddha. However, there is no visible public acknowledgement of the earliest Buddhist nuns. A creative exhibit at the Archaeological Museum of Bodhgaya might be a good start.

We know of these women’s lives and achievements thanks to the Therigatha — an anthology of poems by senior Buddhist nuns.

Charles Hallisey’s translation, titled Poems of the First Buddhist Women, was published by the Murty Classical Library of India, established at Harvard University through a gift from entrepreneur and computer scientist Rohan Murty. In July 2024, when his mother, Sudha Murty — a member of the Rajya Sabha — gave her first speech in Parliament, she spoke passionately about the need to promote tourism in India, and build good toilets and roads to encourage tourists to come. These are basic necessities, and the government must take heed.

The writer is a journalist, educator, book reviewer and cultural commentator. He is @chintanwriting on Instagram and X