Conservation Challenges of the Mahabodhi Temple, Bodh Gaya (India) as a Living Sacred Heritage Site: Issues of Authenticity, Integrity, and Sustainable Management

Shanker Sharma

The Mahabodhi Temple at Bodh Gaya (India), traditionally revered as the site of the Buddha’s Enlightenment, is among the most significant sacred monuments in the Buddhist world. The complex represents an outstanding example of early historic brick architecture and reflects successive phases of construction, renovation, and ritual continuity from the Mauryan period onward. Unlike many protected monuments, it functions as a living religious centre, drawing pilgrims, monks, and international visitors throughout the year. This paper examines the principal challenges in conserving the Mahabodhi Temple as both a material monument and an active sacred space. Key concerns include preserving structural components in accordance with their original fabric and addressing the cumulative impact of mass pilgrimage and tourism. Continuous ritual practices such as circumambulation, offerings and monastic congregations exert sustained pressure on the monument, complicating conservation approaches traditionally focused on material stability and minimal intervention. Earlier restoration phases involved dismantling and reassembling certain exposed structural remains at different locations within the complex. Although undertaken with protective intent, such measures raise critical issues regarding authenticity, spatial integrity, and archaeological stratigraphy. The study further evaluates institutional and administrative dimensions of site management, emphasizing stakeholder coordination and the balance between religious rights and heritage protection norms. Drawing on archaeological documentation, conservation records, and field observations, it advocates an interdisciplinary and participatory conservation strategy that integrates scientific preservation with the safeguarding of intangible religious practices to ensure the long-term sustainability of this globally revered Buddhist heritage site.