Cross-disciplinary Perspectives on a Contested Buddhist Site Bodh Gaya Jataka [Paperback]

Bodh Gaya in the North Indian state of Bihar has long been recognized as the place where the Buddha achieved enlightenment. This book brings together the recent work of twelve scholars from a variety of disciplines - anthropology, art history, history, and religion  to highlight their various findings and perspectives on different facets of Bodh Gayas past and present.

Through an engaging and critical overview of the place of Buddhas enlightenment, the book discusses the dynamic and contested nature of this site, and looks at the tensions with the on-going efforts to define the place according to particular histories or identities. It addresses many aspects of Bodh Gaya, from speculation about why the Buddha chose to sit beneath a tree in Bodh Gaya, to the contemporary struggles over tourism development, education and non-government organizations, to bring to the foreground the site's longevity, reinvention and current complexity as a UNESCO World Heritage monument. The book is a useful contribution for students and scholars of Buddhism and South Asian Studies.

Introduction: The Multiple Lives of Bodh Gaya: Defining Views and Changing Perspectives  David Geary, Matthew R. Sayers, and Abhishek Singh Amar  Part 1: Empowering the Landscape of the Buddha  1. Gaya-Bodh Gaya: The Origins of a Pilgrimage Complex Matthew R. Sayers 2. Sacred Bodh Gaya : The Buddhaksetra of Gotama Buddha Abhishek Singh Amar 3. The Changing Landscape at Bodh Gaya Janice Leoshko 4. Bodh Gaya and the Issue of Originality in Art Frederick M. Asher Part 2: Monumental Conjectures: Rebirths and Retellings  5. Established Usage and Absolute Freedom of Religion at Bodh Gaya: 18611915 Alan Trevithick 6. Queen Victoria Beneath the Bodhi Tree: AlS(