| The Government
of India and Sir Ashley Eden, Lt. Governor of Bengal, deputed Sir Alexander Cunningham and
Dr.Raiendralal Mitra, the great savant, who was also associated with many researches
regarding the Jagannath temple at Puri, to restore the Bodh Gaya temple. The work started
near about 1880 and the Vihara was restored to its original shape and size. That the
work was done properly has been fully vindicated by the later finds of models of the
Mahabodhi Vihara in the ancient capital of Arakan, an earthen plaque at Kumrahar near
Patna and another model at Mathura in North India.
Cunningham found and fixed the ancient relies like
Vajrasan, the Animeshlochan Stupa, the Canakamana, the Ratnaghara, the famous Buddha
Pokhar, several inscriptions and the distinctive stone railings, etc. It is only now, when
they have been fixed, that one can appreciate the story of Buddha so far as Bodh Gaya is
concerned. |
