The Quiet Tussle In Bodh Gaya, Where Buddhists And Hindus Contend For A Hallowed Temple: Ground Report

Radheshyam (name changed) is a renowned business owner in Bodh Gaya. His business has grown exponentially in the last decade. He also makes regular donations and helps the needy. The small business community of Bodh Gaya, coming under MSME classification, looks up to him.

Against the backdrop of the current tussle in Bodh Gaya, he finds some time to talk about his childhood, which was largely spent in the modern premises holding the Mahabodhi Temple. Before the modernisation work took off, Radheshyam and his family used to run a small business there.

He is confident of remaining unaffected by possible changes in the governance structure of the Mahabodhi Temple and its premises. But Radheysham does sense that something big could soon transpire in Bodh Gaya which could alter his life and that of his fellow businesspersons as well as the nature of the place.

Bodh Gaya, located around 10 miles from district headquarter, Gaya, and nearly 120 km from Bihar’s capital, Patna, has historically been known for its importance as the place where Gautam Buddha attained enlightenment beneath the Bodhi Tree, around the mid-6th century BCE.

For more than 2,000 years, it has stood as one of the most sacred landscapes in human history—particularly for people in the Indian subcontinent. This place evolved from a quiet village into a bustling epicentre of Buddhist pilgrimage, scholarship, and art.

Despite it being known as the nucleus of peace, Bodh Gaya could not escape the fate of invasions, destruction, and ultimately resuscitation. Just as monks and mahants hold a key spot in its history, the conquerors and conquests also define its legacy.

At this point, it is imperative to delve into the history of Bodh Gaya to develop a deeper understanding of the issue and appreciate its complexity. However, if you find yourself short of time, you can straightaway scroll down to the sub-heading, 'Bodh Gaya Math'. If you think even that leaves a lot of the piece to read, you can scroll down to sub-heading, 'The fight for control'.

That said, this writer would strongly urge you to read the whole piece to get a comprehensive and clear understanding of the current issue.

Buddhism in Bodh Gaya

While Bodh Gaya has been described as a place of pindadaan in Hindu texts, for Buddhist traditions its significance begins in the 6th century BCE, when the Buddha, after years of ascetic struggle, chose Uruvela—later known as Bodh Gaya—as the place for what would later be known as the defining meditative state of his life.

The Tipitaka recounts his decisive moment as “Seeing arose, understanding arose, wisdom arose, knowledge arose, light arose.”

The most celebrated awakening has since been aligned with metaphysical stories of a hero emerging victorious after a fight with an evil demon named Mara.

This description is vividly present on a few of the carvings near the exit gate of the Bodh Gaya temple.

In the subsequent six weeks after attaining enlightenment, the Buddha spent his time meditating at six more different spots near the sacred tree. The seven sacred locations—sattamahatthana—comprising the Bodhi Tree and those six spots, have become the nucleus of veneration.

Despite such a history, the rise of Bodh Gaya as a hub of religious pilgrimage was painfully slow. Unlike Rajgir or Sarnath, where monastic communities flourished early, Bodh Gaya remained on the periphery of Buddhist traditions until Emperor Ashoka of the Maurya dynasty visited this place in the middle of the 3rd century BCE.

Ashoka is widely regarded as India’s first great Buddhist patron—catalysed by his own devotion to follow the Buddha’s life.

His 8th major rock edict reads, “In the past, kings used to go on pleasure tours during which there was hunting and other entertainment. But ten years after Beloved of the Gods’ coronation, he went to Sambodhi and thus instituted Dhamma tours.”

Sambodhi’s interpretation as Bodh Gaya is now a widely accepted fact.

His edicts also mention the construction of stupas, roads, and wells, but the construction of the Mahabodhi Temple is missing. Ashokavadana, the text that describes his reign, highlights Ashoka’s contribution to the spread of Buddhism and veneration of the Bodhi Tree. 

The Vajrasana, or enlightenment throne of the Buddha, located beside the Bodhi Tree, is believed to have been placed there by Ashoka himself though.

Alexander Cunningham, also known as the Father of Indian Archaeology, found that artistic designs on the throne had a lot of similarities with Ashoka’s pillars, leading to the conclusion that these were indeed built by Ashoka. Many other structures excavated by Cunningham could be traced back to the Mauryan era.

These indirect pieces of evidence have led to a understanding (albeit indirectly) that it was Ashoka who built the first Mahabodhi Temple. A Bharhut stupa relief dating back to the 2nd century BCE depicts this early shrine as a two-storey structure encircling the tree, flanked by an Ashokan pillar with an elephant capital.

Ashoka’s legacy was carried forward by his daughter Sanghamitta, who carried a Bodhi Tree sapling to Sri Lanka. The event has been described in the Mahavamsa—historical chronicle of Sri Lanka—with great significance and imagery.

Beyond Mauryan patronage, the temple witnessed initial contributions from lesser-known figures. Inscriptions on the excavated stone railing credit Kurangi, wife of Indragnimitra, and Nagadevi, wife of Brahmamitra—influential couples in Magadh (also interpreted as minor dynasts in the region)—with its construction. 

This railing was later expanded by King Purnavarma.

The modern structure of the Mahabodhi Temple is largely attributed to the Gupta Empire. On its website, UNESCO notes that “the present temple dates from the 5th or 6th centuries. It is one of the earliest Buddhist temples built entirely in brick, still standing in India, from the late Gupta period.”

The Mahabodhi Monastery, arguably the most dominant monastery before the eventual decline of the temple in the 13th century, was also sanctioned by the Gupta Empire after the younger brother of Sri Lankan King Meghavana complained of poor hospitality. 

In his account of the monastery, Chinese traveller Hsuan Tsang wrote, “Outside the northern gate of the walls of the Bodhi Tree is the Mahabodhi Monastery. The utmost skill of the artist has been employed; the ornamentation is in the richest colours.” (paraphrased and translated version).

Cunningham suggested that the monastery flourished during the Gupta period and maintained its dominance during the Pala period. Gupta patronage, predominantly Sri Lankan funding, better facilities, and relative insulation from local politics could have played a role in it. 

Dharmasvamin (Chag Lo-tsa-ba), a Tibetan pilgrim who visited Bodh Gaya after the Islamic invasion, stated that even in its decline, the Mahabodhi Monastery had 300 Sri Lankan monks residing in it.

The Chinese pilgrims really brought Bodh Gaya’s spiritual pull to life with their writings. Fa Hsien, who showed up in the early 5th century—pretty much the first Chinese person we know of to visit—talked about three monasteries there.

He described monks as super strict about their vinaya rules and surviving on locals pitching in with food and alms.

Hsuan Tsang rolls in with a far more vivid description in the 7th century. He described the Mahabodhi Temple as 160 to 170 feet tall, built of brick coated with plaster and adorned with niches laid with pearls and gems.

He also described two big silver statues—about 10 feet each—of Avalokitesvara and Maitreya inside the temple. Near the Bodhi Tree stood a 20-foot stone wall erected by King Purnavarma, where people were observed pouring perfumed water and milk over the roots.

Hsuan Tsang also mentioned these huge crowds showing up to bathe the tree with that same mix of offerings.

Decline of Buddhism in Bodh Gaya

These continuing traditions, coupled with soft diplomacy, proved to be ineffective against the tectonic shifts of geopolitics in the 12th and 13th centuries.

The beginning of a temporary end to Buddhist influence at Bodh Gaya arrived with Bakhtiyar Khilji, a Turko-Afghan general whose plunderous march was intended to suck out every ounce of material and spiritual wealth from present-day Bihar.

Though direct records of Bodh Gaya’s suffering at the hands of Turks have always been subjected to doubt by the established historian class, the collapse of monastic networks, fleeing of scholars to other destinations, and desertion of houses by people during the late 12th and early 13th centuries are too glaring pieces of evidence to absolve them of the crimes of destruction.

Dharmasvamin, who visited Bodh Gaya in the 1230s, provides an account of the fear in which people of Bodh Gaya lived. He reported that the Mahabodhi Temple was abandoned by most Buddhists and only four monks were left.

King Buddhasena had retreated to the forest with only 500 soldiers ready to obey him. Dharmasvamin himself fled for 17 days.

By the beginning of the 15th century, Sariputra, the last known abbot of the Bodh Gaya Mahavihara, had left Bodh Gaya.

Sariputra's departure from the Mahabodhi Temple is interpreted by politically vocal Buddhists today as the last instance of Buddhist practitioners having control over the temple.

From the late 19th century, the demand to hand over the temple to Buddhists has been rising and it is once again creating a furore in Gaya.

However, evidence that the Mahabodhi Temple was in absolute control of Buddhists and that other religions did not exist here is scarce. Multiple written accounts have mentioned that Hindus and Buddhists have been inseparable parts of Bodh Gaya for a very long time, sharing both bitter and sweet memories.

"If we talk about Hindu beliefs - where was Bhagwan Budhha born? He was born at the foothills of Himalayas in Nepal. Himalaya has always been a land of ascetics. He left Himalayas to meditate in Bodh Gaya. There must be some reason. People go to foreign countries for studying because they get better education there. In the same way when Bhagwan Buddha came here, Bodh Gaya was already a land of knowledge. Before his arrival, Shaivites dominated this place" said Swami Vivekanand of Bodh Gaya Math.

Oral traditions in Bodh Gaya recount that Hindus and Buddhists have lived there in unison for millennia. One theory says that the Buddha sat in front of a Shivalinga (supposedly located near the Bodhi Tree) for his defining meditation. Another theory suggests that the temple was built by Hindus.

Hsuan Tsang was also introduced to one such theory which described the temple as a product of motivation by Lord Shiva to Brahmins. However, written credence to these theories are sparse.

Despite these theories still floating in the air, Bodh Gaya Math, which could have benefitted hugely from them, refrains from accepting its historical control (pre-15th century) over the Mahabodhi Temple.

Swami Vivekanand—an IIT graduate who now renders his services to the Math—goes by the written records and explains that after Buddhists left the temple, it was the Math which took care of and maintained the temple. But maintenance and upkeep is all that they claim, and not pre-historic ownership.

Bodh Gaya Math

The Math, which is now taking a wildcard entry to public discourse about Bodh Gaya, has been a constant feature of the place for at least 435 years. It traces its origins to the Giri order, a Shaivite sect within the Dashanami Sampradaya founded by Adi Shankaracharya.

The Math’s history is carefully pieced together in a book called A Brief History of the Bodh Gaya Math, District Gaya, from the pen of Rai Ram Anugrah Narayan Singh Bahadur, a local official who served as Deputy Magistrate and Deputy Collector.

Rai wrote it at the request of G. A. Grierson, the top British administrator in Gaya District, and had it printed in 1893 at the Bengal Secretariat Press in Calcutta.

The book lays out the Math’s journey from its founding in 1590 AD up to 1892 AD, showing how it grew into a place of worship, power, and community support right next to the famous Mahabodhi Temple.

It all started with Ghamandi Giri, a respected Giri Mahant who set up the Math in 1590 AD.

When he arrived here, the Mahabodhi Temple was in ruins, leading to an increasing density of forest. Ghamandi Giri found the place apt to meditate and spent a significant chunk of his meditative stage here. He found Bodh Gaya to be most suitable for establishing a Math and hence the institution was put in place.

Another reason behind establishing a Shaivite Math here could be that Lord Shiva was already being worshipped here.

Explaining the mechanism of protection against Turkish invasion by four monks, Dharmasvamin had written, “They blocked up the door in front of the Mahabodhi image with bricks and plastered it. Near it they placed another image as a substitute. They also plastered the outside door (of the temple). On its surface they drew the image of Maheshvara in order to protect it from non-Buddhists.”

The choice to establish a Shaivite Math here became the foundation of the Math’s fate being intertwined with the Mahabodhi Temple from the very beginning. With time, successive Mahants built on Ghamandi’s work, each contributing to the growth of the institution in their own way.

His disciple, Chaitanya Giri, took the reins in 1615 AD and was crucial in amplifying the Math’s reputation as he spent a significant amount of his time in learning, worshipping, and philanthropic activities. His samadhi was laid to rest in the area now coming under the precincts of the Mahabodhi Temple, and a small temple was also built upon it.

His successor, Mahant Mahadeva Giri, was a devoted worshipper of Annapurna Devi, and legend has it that he received a talismanic katora—a semi-spherical cup said to hold just enough grain to satisfy any recipient—from her for endless distribution of grains.

Mahant Mahadeva Giri also built an Annapurna Devi temple in front of the Mahabodhi Temple. His samadhi also stands nearby.

Under the guidance of Mahant Mahadeva Giri, the grand Math we know today, sprawling over 52 bighas along the Phalgu shores—500 metres away from the Mahabodhi Temple—was built.

“The size of the gate and fortified walls standing even today hints that the entry of elephants and other royalties was a day-to-day affair at the Math,” said Rajeev Ji, a member of the Math.

A special house for charity was also opened for distributing food and other necessities to the devotees as well as the needy section of the local population.

His successor, Mahant Lal Giri, was handed over the control of the villages of Mastipur and Taradih, in which the Buddhistic Mahabodhi Temple is situated, by Mughal Emperor Muhammad Shah through a royal decree in the form of madad mash (alms land). Wazir Qamaruddin Khan, one of the patrons of the Shah, also donated a jagir of six villages to the Math.

Earlier, in 1717 AD, Emperor Farrukhsiyar had granted Antarid and many other villages to Mahant Keshava Giri, who would eventually become the successor of Mahant Lal Giri. Mahant Keshava Giri was also hailed as a “Faqir Kamil wa Hay Pavast”—a monk of supreme spiritual merit—by Farrukhsiyar.

Steadily, the Math gained command over a vast tract of land, which was crucial in its transformation into a landed estate. 

Mahant Raghava Giri and Mahant Ramhit Giri further contributed to its expansion. Ramhit Giri secured lakhiraj (tax-free) lands and villages from the Maharajas of Tikari and Ichak.

His successor, Mahant Balak Giri, was granted a few villages from Maharaja Ramsingh of Jaspur. Mahant Balak Giri was succeeded by Mahant Shiva Giri, who is also known for his personal charismatic influence and commanded over 1,400 disciples—bringing the Math to its zenith.

This also coincided with the time when the East India Company was trying to establish itself in a commanding position. The British started their inquiry on the Math and its properties under Regulation II of 1819 and Regulation III of 1828. Regulation II of 1819 and Regulation III of 1828 were British laws that allowed the East India Company to seize and manage land for revenue defaults, temporarily affecting the Bodh Gaya Math’s properties under Shiva Giri until their restoration in 1841 after an inquiry.

After inquiries, all properties of the Math were released, and Mahant Shiva Giri was acknowledged as Mahant by the British. Mahant Shiva Giri passed away in 1846 AD.

Bhaipat Giri became Mahant of the Bodh Gaya Math in 1846 AD. By the end of his tenure in 1867, Mahant Bhaipat Giri had strengthened the Math’s position by ensuring autonomy under colonial rule. 

His disciple, Mahant Hem Narayan Giri, enriched the Math and its legacy with a Sanskrit manuscript library, a Rs. 50,000 house in Varanasi for gosains, temples, a dharamshala, a tank at Zindapur on Hazaribagh road, and famine relief efforts in 1873-74, for which he was honoured by the government of the day.

In 1882, he briefly appointed Krishna Dayal Giri, who donated Rs. 2,500 for Mahabodhi Temple repairs during his four-month tenure. In these three centuries, the Bodh Gaya Math emerged as a natural custodian of the Mahabodhi Temple (since the land was under it). The Math's command over the site remained uncontested for a very long time.

In the 19th century itself, discussions of reviving the Mahabodhi Temple as a Buddhist site had begun circulating in power corridors. Francis Buchanan-Hamilton, a Scottish surgeon, surveyor, and botanist, is considered one of the first individuals to associate Bodh Gaya with a uniquely Buddhist fate.

One complaint emerging from historical accounts of those years is that the Math was an enabler in destroying the Buddhist legacy at Bodh Gaya.

The Math denies any such charges and says that when Buddhists had departed, they were the ones holding the fort for pilgrims. Additionally, the excavations largely found temple ruins belonging to the pre-Math era, which gives an upper hand to Math's claim.

“The modern Bodh Gaya statue which you see in the Mahabodhi Temple was protected by the Math in its premises. It was instituted with a proper Hindu consecration ceremony by Hindu Pujaris after a proper consultation held between Alexander Cunningham, Mahant Ji, and J. D. Beglar,” said Swami Vivekanand of the Bodh Gaya Math.

Vivekanand Giri elaborates that in the upper chamber, murtis of other gods were kept, and devotees worshipped them as well as Gautam Buddha.

The fight for control

However, things changed in 1891 when Anagarika Dharmapala, a young Sri Lankan Buddhist, visited the Mahabodhi Temple.

He postulated that since the Mahabodhi Temple traditionally belonged to Buddhism, the Buddhists should have exclusive control over it. He established the Maha Bodhi Society of India for the purpose.

Through court cases, sporadic agitations, and political pressure, Dharmapala fought hard but could not find a way to wrest its control for the Buddhists. However, the mobilisation got partial success when Congress agreed to accommodate this demand in its freedom struggle.

In 1922, the thirty-seventh annual session of Congress was held in Gaya, Bihar. It was decided that a committee to look into the issue would be formed under Dr Rajendra Prasad, who later became the first president of India.

Dharmapala was also a member of this committee, which submitted its report in 1937 (after Dharmpala's death) and recommended forming a joint management committee for the temple consisting of four Hindus and four Buddhists.

Deliberations on this proposal did not yield any agreement, and political authorities also did not have much time at their disposal for executing it.

In post-1947 India, Dr Rajendra Prasad came to the negotiating table with legitimacy as a freedom fighter, senior leader, an advocate who served as President of the Constituent Assembly, and also a son of Bihar who enjoys a good rapport on both sides of the aisle.

The Bodh Gaya Temple (BT) Act was ultimately passed in 1949. It established a Bodh Gaya Temple Management Committee (BTMC) of nine members—four of which would be from the Hindu and Buddhist communities each.

One of the seats for Hindu members is reserved for the presiding Mahant of the Bodh Gaya Math. The District Magistrate (DM) of Gaya is the de facto president of the committee. The Act in its original form made it compulsory to have a Hindu as DM and hence de facto President.

Both these positions indicate that the Bodh Gaya Math feared that Hindus’ rights would be compromised if it was not involved in the management of the place.

According to the Math, the fear has proved to be true. Time and again, the demand to restructure the BTMC and make it an all-Buddhist committee has been raised.

The latest of them began earlier this year. A plethora of Buddhist organisations sat in protest demanding the repeal of the BT Act, 1949, in the beginning of February 2025.

Scores of Buddhists from organisations like the Buddhist Society of India, Buddhist International Forum for Peace, and many others sat near the Mahabodhi Temple in Bodh Gaya, claiming to go on hunger strike. Dozens of protesters sitting on hunger strike and organisations chose the All India Buddhist Forum (AIBF) as their negotiator with the government.

The AIBF has submitted a memorandum to the Bihar government stating that the rights of Buddhists provided under Articles 13, 14, 15, 25, and 26 have been violated by the presence of Hindu members in the BTMC. The letter also claims that the Brahminisation of Bodh Gaya began after the introduction of the BT Act, 1949.

Pinning the blame on the BT Act, 1949, for every wrong which they believe is going on in the Mahabodhi Temple, the AIBF demands the repeal of the BT Act, 1949.

“We have conducted rallies, met with the minority commission and other authorities, and told them to include only Buddhists in the Mahabodhi Mahavihara by repealing the contentious act,” said Akash Lamba, general secretary of the AIBF.

However, the document accessed by Swarajya also states that the AIBF is ready for an amended Act as well, given that it reserves all seats for Buddhists in the committee. The rationale behind such a demand is that Buddhists are in a better position to protect their religious and cultural rights.

“If the mosque is controlled by Muslims, the church is controlled by Christians, the Hindu temple is controlled by Hindus, and the gurdwara is controlled by Sikhs, then why is the Buddhist shrine controlled by other religions?” said Bhante Vinayacharya, arguably the most aggressive face to emerge out of this protest.

Aside from this rationale, there are a lot of everyday issues behind the current tussle in Bodh Gaya. One of them is the position of places of worship for Hindus near the Mahabodhi Temple.

As one comes down the stairs to enter the Mahabodhi Temple, there is a small hut-sized construction of a few rooms housing Hindus’ places of worship. Amidst these protests, a Shivling situated in one room and five Pandavas situated in another have become a bone of contention.

A lot of Buddhists who seek alms during the 9-11 AM window said that due to rituals in these places, Buddhists find it hard to focus on their own way of revering their own god. “When we sit for meditation, sometimes the bell, while at other times the chanting of a mantra, breaks our peace,” said a practitioner.

However, during the course of our interaction with the Buddhist practitioners in and around the temple, it turned out that these accusations were hurled by local Buddhists only. The complex hosts a lot of Buddhist practitioners who leave their monasteries and come to the Mahabodhi Temple in the morning and go back late in the evening. None of the dozen such practitioners complained about the disturbance.

Since the latest round of protests began a few weeks ago, this place has witnessed a lot of verbal scuffles between Buddhists and Hindus. Multiple videos have surfaced where the pujari of the temple is being questioned about the phenomenon of the five Pandavas resembling different meditative states of Lord Buddha.

Then, there are clout-seekers who came just to create controversy by asking obvious questions which they know won’t be answered.

A staff working in the Mahabodhi complex said that it has now become a regular phenomenon. “Somebody in a white shirt, trousers, and blue gamcha will come and start blabbering that when they came here before Covid, the Shivling or Panch Pandavas were not there. It is due to them that security of Hindu mandirs has been enhanced. You will find at least three police personnel guarding it,” said the staff member.

The enhancement of security is one phenomenon which has got traction after the videos of confrontation between both sides went viral on the internet. A few also claim that two activists recently tried to throw away books which pujaris use for worshipping at the temple. 

Police personnel present there deny such an incident, but if this allegation is seen in the context of enhanced security of four idols towards the north of the Mahabodhi Temple under a peepal tree, the allegations do not give an impression of being borne out of thin air.

Under the peepal tree (not the Bodhi Tree), four idols of Lord Shani, Lord Vishnu, Lord Ganesha, and Hargaouri are kept. While the policeman asked to protect them found his job boring, the Buddhists who were there for meditation continued with their daily lives without caring for what was kept beyond their immediate surroundings.

Due to the tense atmosphere, taking mobile phones inside the Mahabodhi Temple premises has been barred by the administration.

On the issue of whether the Shivlings (both inside and outside the Mahabodhi Temple) have been installed in the recent past, local residents say that it is a false allegation. “Even though I want the BT Act to be repealed, I won’t lie and say that the Shivling was not there. I have been watching it since my childhood, which was in the 80s,” said Radhe Shyam.

Other locals also corroborated it, with a few even stating that Hindus are being slowly sidelined from the temple despite forming a majority of visitors there.

Swami Vivekanand Giri says that even after the passing of the BT Act, 1949, it could be implemented only in 1952 after a court case which ended in agreement between the Math and the Bihar government. 

“In accordance with that agreement, the Mahabodhi Mahavihara would be divided into two parts, one under the BTMC and the other under the Math. Most of the complex would be under the BTMC except a few temples, samadhis, guest houses, and pujaris’ rooms,” he added.

Even for the premises under the BTMC, it was agreed upon that idols and symbols related to Hindus would also be worshipped by pujaris. Swami Vivekanand further informs that at that time the Mahabodhi Temple also contained idols of Lord Vishnu, Lord Shiva, and Lord Ganesh.

“Buddhists removed these idols and we did not complain about it because we do not believe in defaming our home. People of this country are unaware of what has happened to us in the last few decades,” he added.

Interaction with locals—especially business owners located near the Math—gives a glimpse into a possible reason behind such removals.

In the post-independence era, the Math freely donated the land under it. Thousands of acres, which include the land on which Magadh University stands today, were given for social services.

At the same time though, the Math started losing its land to encroachments for causes like auto stands and shopping establishments, among others. The grand fortified building also looked like a sneak peek into the glorious past of the Math.

However, efforts to revive its legacy have been underway in the last few years.

“Court cases for removing encroachments have been won or settled, shopping establishments settled on Math lands have started paying rents—albeit nominal—the temple's renovation work is in full swing. We are now organising meetups and discussions with various dignitaries. Math's importance as an educational centre will also be revived with multiple universities already offering their services,” said Shashi, a member of the Math.

For many, the attempt by the Math to establish itself could be one reason why neo-Buddhists—a term mainly used for those who turn to Buddhism because Bhim Rao Ambedkar did so—are trying to assert themselves and gain control of the Mahabodhi Mahavihara.

Apparently, even if the BT Act, 1949, is repealed, only a few groups are expected to benefit from it.

Dedication, unity, peace, politics and conflict at protest site

At Dumhaoun, less than 3 km from the Mahabodhi Temple, the new protest site is bustling with old and new protesters. It has people from all walks of life—be it a banker or a retired defence officer—and multiple states of India. Depending on the time of day, this number fluctuates between 80-500 with the capacity to fill more spots if needed.

The protest site is an open ended land on the roadside. Towards the back, it has a large tent which covers a sitting spot for protestors. At any given time, at least 50 Buddhists can be found sitting here in total silence, sometimes with tape on their mouth and sometimes sitting in meditative state.

Electronic arrangements placed near the front row provide avenues for guest speakers - ranging from district chiefs of outfits like Bhim Army to devotees dedicated to the cause address the crowd.

The front end of the protest site is used for deliberations by temporary guests, YouTubers, political parties, and other social media users who want to highlight the issue. Indeed, the issue is making rounds on social media.

People who proudly flaunt themselves as Bahujan YouTubers, owners or editors of Bahujan magazines or social media handles are arriving in large numbers.

A press conference, which began with “All You Bahujan Journalists are welcomed in this press conference” is livestreamed on channels having lakhs of subscribers. The videos are given inquisitive captions - which are borderline provocative, invoking caste, religious and ideological identities of persons in the videos. 

Off the cuff discussions tend to tilt towards conspiracy theories like Khilji being Brahmin, but AIBF, the main protesting organisation, does not encourage such statements.

However when one enters the protest site, due care has to be taken for not being labelled as ‘Brahminist’. For instance, when a person named Jagat Pal Bauddh, claiming to be Kasganj district chief of ASP proceeded to touch the feet of Akash Lama and also said ‘Namaste’, he was told, “Do not do these, even this has been taught by Brahmins”

Apart from protestors and social media channels, various small and large political outfits have also marked their presence here - primary of which is Bhim Army and its volunteers. They are playing a big role in the management of the place.

From cleaning the site after dinner to putting and taking down the tent they are everywhere. “Chandrashekhar Ji went to parliament for this, we are doing bare minimum to help him” said one of the volunteers.

Most volunteers present here are passion-driven and dedicated to the cause. Big and large buses flock here from different parts of the country. People from Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, and even Sikkim, Ladakh, and other regions have marked their presence there.

The arrangement is quite disciplined which is why the administration has not felt the need to deploy forces here. 

This is the kind of harmony which AIBF and other protesting organisations would ideally want in the Mahabodhi temple complex. On being quizzed about what problems Buddhists face on a daily basis, Akash Lama said, “All of it has been well documented. We here want an amicable solution, just like Hindus and Muslims arrived at Ayodhaya where Muslims were allotted a separate piece of land”

When Swarajya asked him about Math’s claim that they have protected this site for centuries and hence do not deserve to be thrown out, Lama said, “I would not want to comment on the issue”

Standing beside him, Dorjee, a former officer in the armed forces and now a part time YouTuber, said that Hindus already have so much. “ I have served the nation with Hindus all my life and never had any problems with them - be it Brahmins, Yadavs, Rajputs or anyone else. Being a practitioner of Mahayana Buddhism, I am also not seen in a good light by a lot of Buddhists. However, that does not blind me to the fact that this place historically belongs to Buddhists and should be handed over to them” said Dorjee.

In all these discussions, there is one part of the tussle which people at the protest site do not seem willing to discuss.

Fragmented Buddhist bodies

The question is that if Buddhists are given absolute control of the Mahabodhi Mahavihara (comprising properties near the temple as well), who and how many of these organisations at the protest site will take over. Older monks sitting in monasteries of Bodh Gaya say that this protest is so fragmented that their internal division will kill it from within.

A glimpse of it was seen at the press conference Swarajya attended at the protest site. Towards the end of it, many people sitting in the front row started complaining that cameras were focussed only towards few people and others were not being allowed to speak. “You talk about inclusivity in the committee and here you are excluding us from speaking to the media” said one complainant.

People rushed to calm them, but the drama continued for a few more minutes after the conference ended.

Bhikkhu Pragyadeep, the secretary of the All India Bhikkhu Sangh(AIBS) told Swarajya that this is bound to happen. “Almost all monasteries are sitting silent on the issue. No one supports them because their leaders are taking advantage of goodwill of poor protestors there”

Bhikkhu Pragyadeep recalls the fate of earlier protests when various groups had positioned themselves as well-wishers of Buddhist communities and demanded the same in mid 90s. Lalu Yadav, the then chief minister of Bihar had asked a few protesters at the time to become a part of BTMC and raise their demands from inside the system.

Monk Pragyasheel was also one of them and he eventually ascended to the secretary position in the committee. BTMC secretary looks after day-to-day affairs and is a de-facto second in command behind the Gaya DM. Pragyasheel is also one of them.

In his statements, Pragyasheel has raised demands to give Buddhists a place in the Vishnupad temple.

Responded Swami Vivekanand of the Math: “When did we say it is not feasible? In Ram Mandir, Bhagwan Buddha has been shown as the ninth avatar of Bhagwan Vishnu. We have always worshipped Bhagwan Buddha. If one starts worshipping Bhagwan Vishnu or Bhagwan Shiv, there is a place for you as well. Who is stopping you”?

Bhikkhu Pragyadeep, who has seen these events for decades, recalled that the stint of Pragyasheel was one of the worst in BTMC history.  “Instead of ‘Mukti’ (freedom), Pragyasheel took ‘Niyukti’ (appointment) and was a total failure during his time. Sri Lankan Buddhists were the worst sufferers of his regime” said Bhikkhu Pragyadeep.

Despite its disagreement with current protestors, AIBS supports the principle behind it and said that the demand is justified. “This can’t be solved here. It has to be discussed between governments, ministers and BTMC members, rather than these protestors. They are diluting the legacy of Bodh Gaya” said Bhikkhu Pragyadeep.

The Mahabodhi Society of India, originally established by Anagarika Dharampal—the man whose life was dedicated to handing over the site’s control to Buddhists—is also one of those organisations which is not supporting this protest, though they have not articulated their reasons behind it. Swarajya’s endeavour to reach out to Bhikku Bhante Shivali was not met with the desired response.

Hindu unity

Meanwhile, Hindus, both Math devotees as well as the common public have started to feel the heat of protests. The chatter among local businessmen is that these protests are being organised mainly by Maharashtra-based groups so that they could take donation money there.

Maharashtra-based leaders like Prakash Ambedkar and Ramdas Athawale supporting the protests only gives them the chance to say, "I told you so".

A shopkeeper, who is given a military nickname, says that Hindus and Buddhists both stay here in cohesion. “I have seen it since childhood. We will not allow anyone to disturb peace here. Hindus and Buddhists both have shared history here and also have a share in it” said the Brigadier Sahab (nickname).

When a protest rally was being taken out from the Mahabodhi temple to the protest site by Bhim Army, a businesswoman assessed the situation in a similar manner. “It is all a part of the effort to bring Maharashtrians here and replace us” said the woman.

A hotel manager said that the original inhabitants of Bodh Gaya are extremely peace loving. “If a Hindu procession passes through streets and some Muslim miscreants try to disturb it, rest assured that his own community will beat him. The same holds true for Hindus as well. It took a lot of patience and sacrifice by us to get here and none of us would like any nonsense in the name of religion here” he added.

On its part, Bodh Gaya Math has unofficially begun the work of uniting everyone who wants peace to survive in Bodh Gaya. While Hindus earlier used to practice their faith in private, at least two processions have been held by ISKCON in the last few weeks. Chanting of 'Hare Rama, Hare Krishna' are becoming more frequent, while devotees offer books to bystanders.

The Math also organised a three-day Brahmachari Sangotsav-2025 in which Arif Mohammed Khan, Bihar governor was invited to deliver a lecture.

These events, organised with local support, are attended by people from both Hindus and Buddhists communities. The Sangotsav itself witnessed the presence of dozens of Buddhist monks, indicating a harmonious co-existence till date. Notably, none of the Buddhist members of BTMC have extended their support to these protests.

Amidst all of these activities, the BTMC, the organisation at the nucleus of these events, remain unaffected in its daily functioning. Everyday issues like crowd management, cleanliness, and promotional activities are continuing as usual. Tourists visiting the place praise the management and its efforts for tourist-friendly approach and facilities like separate entry and exit gates, availability of well-informed guides, cordial atmosphere and cleanliness among others.

Even with two Hindu members and four Buddhist members, the meetings of the BTMC are said to be cordial.

“There is no such issue in our meetings. We do not have any quarrel like you people (media) would expect. Due care has been taken to ensure that a Buddhist is appointed the Secretary. Why would there be an issue” said Dr. (Smt.) Mahashweta Maharathi, member-secretary of the BTMC.

One way to consider the issue is to ask whether it is a matter of faith or a matter of real-estate. Whatever the ultimate solution be, care must be taken to ensure that not even a single Hindu or Buddhist pilgrim faces discrimination based on his/her religion.

The current BTMC members would definitely agree with that objective. The ratio of Buddhists and Hindus is 4:2 in the BTMC. On factual ground, it is not entirely an opportune moment to claim Hindu dominance at the BTMC.

However, for a political mind, prevalence of less Hindu members (due to technicality) is an opportunity to grab.

For pilgrims and practitioners, the temple remains a sanctuary of peace, its sanctity rooted not in committee ratios but the timeless connection to humanity’s quest for enlightenment.

The true test lies in ensuring that this sacred space survives the tumult of modern claims and counterclaims.