Buddhist monks offered special prayers inside the Mahabodhi Temple at Bodhgaya to mark a series of bombings that shook the holy site last year on July 7.
Security stands by as Buddhist monks mark first anniversary of serial blasts at Mahabodhi.
From Authint Mail
A large contingent of Thai Buddhists participated in the peace prayers with representatives of Bodhgaya’s non-Indian monasteries, including those from Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Thailand, Japan and Myanmar. The Times of India also reported a daylong fast held by displaced shopkeepers (among others), whose shops were demolished to make room for more security outposts. According to Nadrik Sangh chief Suresh Singh, these shopkeepers, who still have not been compensated, were the true economic victims of the blasts.
In what Indian and Western news outlets described as a “terror attack”, four explosions occurred inside the Mahabodhi Temple, three blasts at Tergar (Tibetan) Monastery and one more near a large, 80-foot Buddha statue nearby.
The cylinder bombs were crudely made and while there were no fatalities, two people were injured and many commentators were struck by how easily the attackers had slipped past security and struck at the very heart of the Buddhist world. “The terrorists apparently miscalculated,” offered one senior police officer on condition of anonymity on the day of the attacks. “Today being Sunday, fewer believers were present. We are extremely lucky to have escaped with minor injuries to two devotees. The terrorists had planned to inflict maximum damage.”
Mahabodhi Temple marks the ground on which the Buddha attained enlightenment and decided to teach the world the Dharma that he rediscovered. UNESCO added Mahabodhi Temple to its list of World Heritage sites in 2002.
Religious and political leaders rallied to condemn the bombings last year. Indian President Pranab Mukherjee decried the terrorist attacks as “a senseless act of violence targeting innocent pilgrims and monks who had gathered to worship at this temple dedicated to the great apostle of peace – Gautama Buddha.” Sri Lankan President offered his sympathy for the victims and condemnation of the attackers: “[i]t is with great sadness that I condemn the explosions within the hallowed precincts of the most venerated and sacred Bodhgaya shrine in Bihar and India.” Delegates from a number of Buddhist traditions at the Eighth Global Conference on Buddhism in Singapore passed a resolution on the bombings: “We are deeply saddened, but we forgive those responsible for bombing the Mahabodhi Temple in Bodhgaya. You may damage the most important temple in Buddhism but you will not destroy our faith in forgiveness and compassion.”
On 4 November 2013, the Times of India reported that the National Investigation Agency had announced that the Indian Mujahedeen, a front for the Pakistan-based Lakshar-e-Taiba, was responsible for the attacks.
Yahoo! News India reported district magistrate, Sanjay Agrawal, as saying: “Several arrangements are being made so that such incidents like blasts do not recur which took place a year ago. In addition to this we also prayed to God to give us strength to prevent it.” An extensive security drill held on Sunday, the night of the blast anniversary, backed up his words. Sniffer dogs searched for hidden explosives while officers scoured the area for suspicious activity or behavior.
Last year’s bombings stirred media controversy around the alleged lax security at the levels of management and operations. This year and going forward, the management committee of Bodhgaya cannot allow another terrorist attack, no matter how clumsy, to reinforce that perception.