In the footsteps of the Buddha: Bodhgaya’s transformation must prioritize local people

When Nirmala Sitharaman, the Minister of Finance and Corporate Affairs, presented the Budget 2024 over a month ago, he announced that the Mahabodhi Temple Corridor in Bodh Gaya would be transformed into a “world-class” pilgrimage and tourist destination.

This United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization World Heritage Site is one of India’s crown jewels. It is high time the central government steps in to release resources for its development because of its “spiritual significance” the minister stressed, and its potential to strengthen diplomatic ties.

The place where the Shakyan prince Siddhartha

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