From: sp2@cec1.wustl.edu (Sundara Pandian)
Subject: Another Yatra
Organization: Washington University, St. Louis MO
Date: Tue, 13 Oct 1992 19:28:21 GMT

  Source : Times of India
  Dated : Oct 5, 1992.
  (Editorial)

     More than the purpose, it is  the  timing  of
the  `yatra' to Bodh Gaya proposed to be taken out
by Buddhist monks towards the end  of  this  month
which  must  give  cause  for concern. Considering
that the current truce on the Ayodhya issue  comes
to an end at that time, the possibility of tension
being heightened by yet another religious  proces-
sion  cannot  be  ruled  out.  The  Buddhists,  of
course, have a  legitimate  grievance  and  it  is
hardly  surprising that they have taken a leaf out
of Mr L.K.Advani's book to draw attention to their
longstanding  complaint  about  the  virtual Hindu
domination of their most sacred shrine. The  irony
behind  the  move  cannnot  be dismissed. Although
Hindus and Buddhists do not have an adversal rela-
tionship notwithstanding what may have happened in
the past when  the  original  `pipal'  tree  under
which  Lord  Buddha attained enlightenment was cut
down by a Hindu fanatic, it is noteworthy that yet
another  minority  religious group feels aggrieved
over the fate of its place of worship. The problem
is a legacy of the period in the 16th century when
a Hindu `mahant' took control  of  the  Bodh  Gaya
temple  and  his  successors defied all subsequent
attempts to hand over the shrine to Buddhists,  as
demanded  by  countries  like Burma, Sri Lanka and
Japan. In view of the authority exercised  by  the
`mahant',  the observance of Hindu rituals has be-
come commonplace, much to  the  annoyance  of  the
Buddhists.  A `Shiva Lingam' had also mysteriously
appeared in the temple, much as the  idol  of  Ram
"appeared" in thr Babri masjid in 1949.
     In that same year, the control of the  Hindus
over  the  Mahabodhi temple was marginally reduced
by a Bihari  government  legislation  under  which
four  Hindus  and four Buddhists became members of
the temple management committee, but since the lo-
cal  magistrate,  who is usually a Hindu, was made
ex-officio chairman, the Hindus automatically  en-
joyed  a  majority.  It  is the Laloo Prasad Yadav
government's eminently sensible move to amend  the
law and set up an all-Buddhist committee which has
again brought the matter to the forefront.  It  is
not  impossible  that  the  delay  in enacting the
legislation has persuaded the Buddhists to take to
the  streets  over  their century-old demand first
voiced in 1891 by Angarika Dharmapal, a  Sri  Lan-
kan.  However, it is open to question whether they
should have adopted less  demonstrative  means  to
air  their grievance if only to avoid exacerbating
an already surcharged atmosphere in which religion
has  become  a plaything of politicians and toler-
ance is at a discount. It is to be hoped that  the
long  road  taken  by the procession from Bomay to
Nagpur and then to Delhi, Patna and  finally  Bodh
Gaya  wull be without ay incident. Better still, a
swift acceptance of the  demand  can  obviate  the
need for any procession at all.

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