Discussion – Evolution of Buddhist Sites

Factors that have affected the status of the place:

Lumbini:

The government has played an important role in developping a national identity and enhancing the cultural significance of Lumbini. It also received international funds for the preservation of Lumbini.
The overall globalization helped to spread the significant value of Lumbini among both Buddhists and non-Buddhists around the world.
The development in technology and transport improved the accessibility of Lumbini to attract more national and international tourists.
Tourism is probably the most significant factor, as it brings economic benefits to the nation. There is a majority of secular tourists nowadays.
The development of Lumbini is still on-going. The aim is to give the religious site a more cultural and international tone in other to gather more visitors. However, the process is quite slow, as the main plan was made in 1975, and there is not a lot that has been changed yet.

Bodhgaya:

The Indian government, as well as the government of Bihar have had a significant influence on the evolution of the Mahabodi complex and the city of Bodhgaya by investing in the development of the overall infrastructures
Investments from other countries’ governments also have played an important role, since they constructed international facilities which brought more tourist from everywhere in the world.
The improved accessibility and transports developed to reach Bodhgaya, such as the railway station, the highway and the airport helped to increase the number of visitors, as well as allowed international visitors to go there.
The revival of Buddhism, as well as the notion of “worldwide Buddhism” developing since the 20th century by different Buddhist communities helped the promotion of this site to a worldwide scene, which changed Bodhgaya from being a mere Indian site to an international Buddhist site. This is particularly due to the Tibetan refugees who installed themselves in India. The government policy of Nehru, as well as the increasing international relationships of India were also significant.
The recognition of Bodhgaya as a UNESCO world heritage site since 2002 also further brought Bodhgaya to the international scene. This is particularly significance for Western tourism.
Tourism is probably the main source of influence on the development of Bodhgaya, be it secular and spiritual. Buddhist tourists from all over the world, as well as secular tourists, here mainly from the Western world, increased the significance of Bodhgaya and allowed the government to make profit out of it.
The local and international business and handicraft consequently invested more and more in the souvenirs trade, promoting an image of Bodhgaya as a cultural centre, in addition to being a Buddhist site.
Buddhist communities also used Bodhgaya as a mean to promote their message, linking religion to political and ethical purposes, as exemplified with the different organizations that used Bodhgaya as their seat.

Kushinagar:

Unlike Lumbini and Bodhgaya, Kushinagar is not a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is much less developed.
The religious aspect of Kushinagar has remained prominent throughout the past 90 years; many temples belonging to different countries and monasteries have been established.
Tourism provides an economic benefit for the state but there are still relatively few accommodations and services available. Both spiritual and secular visitors come to Kushinagar but it is not easily connected to other main sites of the Buddhist pilgrimage.
The Maitreya Project has provided a means for improvement and development of Kushinagar. It aims to provide benefits in many aspects – spiritually, in education and health care, and economically, through employment opportunities.
The government has plans for infrastructure development (railyway station, airport, highway); however, there is slow progress as it is not a main concern.

Comparison of Lumbini, Bodhgaya and Kushinagar

Similarities between the three places

Tourism: it can be both religious and secular. Tourists may come here for pilgrimage, which is mainly the case for Buddhists, for a spiritual retreat, or simply for sightseeing.
Festivals and celebrations additionally play an important role in the promotion of the sites. Buddhist festivals gather a lot of visitors from all over the world, since they are thought to be a main source of merit making. In addition, social gatherings are also a way to mix religious and cultural aspects, thereby emphasizing the growth of Buddhism as a “worldwide” religion.
Governments (here India and Nepal) play an important role in the development of those sites. They see it mainly as a way to make profit, as well as to promoting their national identity. Nationalism and religious institutions tend to get blurred on the one hand, while also starting to get opposed to each other, as both claim their part on the site.
Religious institutions and organizations are also important, as they use the sites to promote Buddhism awareness. Moreover, they take part in the development of the sites in order to increase their number of followers.

Differences between the three places

Each location is at a different stage of development, since their evolution started at different times. Therefore, they are focusing on different criteria. For example, Lumbini is focusing in the development of its accessibility, while Bodhgaya has already done it a long time ago. Kushinagar, quite surprisingly, stands far behind in terms of development. In addition, a lot has already been done in Bodhgaya concerning the development of basic infrastructures, while Lumbini and Kushinagar are still making a lot of plans for future investments.
The size of the place, as well as its location play an important role in the development of the sites, since it will influence the interest of visitors. For example, Kushinagar and Lumbini are located in quite remote places, while Bodhgaya is not far from Varanasi and Patna, two important cities.
The fact that those three sites are ruled by different governments also has an influence, regarding their financial means and interests. For example, Uttar Pradesh (where Kushinagar is) is probably much more focused on other places besides Kushinagar, since many heritage sites are located in this state (Agra and the Taj Mahal, Fatehpur Sikri, Ayodhya, Varanasi). This is further evidenced by the fact that there is no fee to enter the site. Bihar, on the other hand, is highly focused on Bodhgaya, as it is one of the main place of interest of this state. Lumbini also needs to rely on tourism as a main source of profit, but the development is much slower, which may be due to a lack of funds in the Nepalese government (in contrast to India, which is evolving quickly).
It is interesting to see that not all of them are part of the UNESCO. Lumbini has been seen as a world heritage site since 1997 and Bodhgaya since 2002. Kushinagar is not part of it. This difference is striking, when one thinks that Bodhgaya is much more developed than the rest.

Final comments:

What stands out amongst the three sites is the utilization of religion for commercial purpose, be it from the government or the religious organizations. The growing interest in making money out of Buddhist sites is what has drastically influenced the development of the sites. Moreover, this evolution stresses the issue of the modernization of the concept of religion, as well as of the religious community. Indeed, Buddhism also had to evolve during the 20th century and adapt to our society, which is why Buddhist communities started to get more and more involved in social, political and ethical issues. Buddhism is no longer only concentrated on a spiritual path. Therefore, one can say that the evolution of Buddhist sites, which can also be called a “resacralization of space” (Geary, 689), goes hand in hand with the modernization of Buddhism. However, even though many secular elements and organizations are claiming more and more their part in the sites, leading to a changing representation of Buddhism, “the symbolic and sacred primacy of place is undeniable” (Geary, 692), which emphasizes that the religious role of those Buddhist sites remains important. Indeed, this religious aspect plays a significant role in their promotion to an international audience, and may be what actually makes them so attractive in our increasingly secular society.