Security Tightened in Bodh Gaya

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You can be rest assured of high security when you attend the coming Tripitaka chanting ceremony from December 2 at Bodh Gaya.  The Tripitaka is similar to the Bible or Koran, a holy text for the Buddhist.  It is a compendium in 3 parts of shlokas and Buddha's preaching in different time and places, including those in Rajgir, Vaishali, Kushinagar and Sarnath.

Ruchir Kumar, Hindustan Times  Patna, December 01, 2013

Unwilling to take any chances in the aftermath of the serial bomb blasts in Bodh Gaya on July 7, the authorities are set to turn this Buddhist pilgrimage town into a fortress for the ensuing prayer season.

A slew of prayer programmes are lined up in the south-central Bihar town between December and February, beginning with the 10-day Tripitaka chanting ceremony from December 2.

With 1500-2000 delegates from 10 countries expected to participate, the district administration is leaving no stone unturned to ensure top-notch security in the town.

Five people, including two Buddhist monks, were injured by the July 7 blasts, several of which occurred at the Mahabodhi temple, among the holiest of all Buddhist shrines.

The district administration is taking the Tripitaka chanting ceremony as a ‘tester’ to the  real ‘big draw’ — the 15-day Kaygu Monlan ceremony, expected to attract 20,000 international delegates, including the Karmapa. The peak carnival time will round off with Bodh Mahotsav in February.

The administration has chalked out a three-layer security arrangement. Two companies of the Bihar military police maintain a 24x7 vigil at the Mahabodhi shrine and the boundary wall of the temple campus was being raised.

“Four door-frame metal detectors have been put in place and all pilgrims are being frisked”, Gaya district magistrate and chairman of the Bodh Gaya temple management committee Balamurugan D told HT.

SSP Nishant Kumar Tiwary said: “Intimation about any foreigner checking into any hotel or monastery has to be sent to the police. We have also advised them to inform us about any unattended baggage.”

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Bodh Gaya (Bihar), Dec.3 (ANI): The International "Tipitaka Chanting Ceremony" (classical Buddhist texts chanting ceremony) has begun in Bodh Gaya, Bihar.

Thousands of monks and devotees from across the globe are participating in it.

The ten-day-long festival will end on December 12, which will be attended by senior monks and their followers from countries like Bangladesh, Cambodia, India, Nepal, Myanmar, Thailand, Sri Lanka and Vietnam.
Pilgrims took part in their traditional costumes at one of the holiest Buddhist shrines, where Lord Buddha is believed to have attained enlightenment under a tree.

"Today is Tripitaka ceremony and everybody all around the world, I believe, has come here to celebrate. I am also very happy to be here as well," said Australian national, Phukhal De Kamal.

As a part of the festivities, a monk lit up the ceremonial lamps before the recitation of the holy Buddhist scripture called 'Tripitaka', which is a collection of Lord Buddha's sermons.

"The holy scripture will be recited for these ten days. This recitation is a collection of Lord Buddha's sermons," said monk Pragyadeep.

Tripitaka, the Buddhist scripture, includes over 18,000 discourses and around 84,000 stories of Gautam Buddha.

Monks from across the world gather each year at Bodhgaya, which is situated on the banks of Niranjana River and is a highly revered site for Buddhists. (ANI)