The much awaited work to gold-plate the dome is being carried out by a team of technical experts from Thailand, officials said.
Two days after the 289 kg gold, donated by Buddhist devotees from Thailand, was brought to Bodh Gaya in a special plane from Bangkok, technical experts have finally started the work under tight security in and around the temple, said N Dorjee, secretary of the Bodh Gaya temple management committee.
‘It is a happy moment for all of us that the spire of the temple will get a glittering look with gold,’ Dorjee said.
Arvind Kumar Singh, a member of the committee, said the work by experts from Thailand is being videographed since it involves handling gold.
‘A 40-member team, including a dozen experts and two dozen commandos, from Thailand arrived at Bodh Gaya with gold in 13 boxes to complete the work in 40 to 50 days,’ Singh said. He said the team is led by Thailand’s former deputy prime minister General Pricha.
‘About 24 Thailand commandos are providing security to the gold boxes kept in the temple premises,’ Singh said.
The district administration too has deployed additional security to safeguard the gold. Thailand-based company Kreing Thavorn Containers Co Ltd. is carrying out the work.
Dorjee said last year Thailand’s King Bhumibol Atulya took the decision to cover the dome of the temple with gold.
But it took some time to get clearance from the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) for the work. The ASI officials will also provide technical supervision for the gold inlay work.
Two days after the 289 kg gold, donated by Buddhist devotees from Thailand, was brought to Bodh Gaya in a special plane from Bangkok, technical experts have finally started the work under tight security in and around the temple, said N Dorjee, secretary of the Bodh Gaya temple management committee.
‘It is a happy moment for all of us that the spire of the temple will get a glittering look with gold,’ Dorjee said.
Arvind Kumar Singh, a member of the committee, said the work by experts from Thailand is being videographed since it involves handling gold.
‘A 40-member team, including a dozen experts and two dozen commandos, from Thailand arrived at Bodh Gaya with gold in 13 boxes to complete the work in 40 to 50 days,’ Singh said. He said the team is led by Thailand’s former deputy prime minister General Pricha.
‘About 24 Thailand commandos are providing security to the gold boxes kept in the temple premises,’ Singh said.
The district administration too has deployed additional security to safeguard the gold. Thailand-based company Kreing Thavorn Containers Co Ltd. is carrying out the work.
Dorjee said last year Thailand’s King Bhumibol Atulya took the decision to cover the dome of the temple with gold.
But it took some time to get clearance from the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) for the work. The ASI officials will also provide technical supervision for the gold inlay work.