On the auspicious occassion of the kalchakra 2017 held in Bodhgaya our chief reporter met ven.H.Saddhathissa Thero,Bhikkhu in charge,Bodhgaya Centre.During talks he told.
The Maha Bodhi Society of India was founded by Anagarika Dhammapala in May, 1891 for the purpose of resuscitation Buddhism in India and of restoring the ancient Buddhist shrines at Buddha Gaya, Sarnath and Kushinara. Having its Headquarters in Calcutta its main attention has been paid in the restoration and revival of the glory and sanctity of Buddha Gaya.
our reporter asked to Bhikkhu incharge about the other centres he replied,
For this he founded the Society’s first Centre at Buddha Gaya.Then centers were established in Sarnath, Sanchi, Lucknow, Orissa, New Delhi, Chennai Ajmer, Bangalore etc.
our reporter asked again about the services you offfered plz elaborate.
Today the Centre is extending the following activities:-
A small Shrine Room for pilgrims and Visitors.
Free Homeopathic Dispensary
,Free Educational Sponsorship for the Handicap:
Can you throw some light on the prevous history he told,
Anagarika Dharmapala had experienced a shock to find the temple in the hands of a Saivite priest, the Buddha image transformed into a Hindu icon and Buddhists barred from worship as a result of which he began an agitation movement.
The Buddhist renaissance inaugurated by Anagarika Dharmapala through his Mahabodhi Movement has also been described as “conservative” for it considered Muslim conquest in the Indian subcontinent responsible for the decay of Buddhism in India,
The Mahabodhi Society at Colombo was founded in 1891 but its offices were moved to Calcutta the following year. One of its primary aims was the restoration of the Mahabodhi Temple at Bodh Gaya, the chief of the four ancient Holy sites to Buddhist control.
To accomplish this Dharmapala initiated a lawsuit against the Brahmin priests who had held control of the site for centuries. After a protracted struggle this was successful with the partial restoration of the site to the management of the Maha Bodhi Society in 1949.
During our talk he told Bhutenese monks today are getting little modernised.At present he is looking after all jobs and feeling satisfied here.
By – Shyamal Sinha
