Bodh Gaya Temple Management Committee (BTMC)

The Bodh Gaya Temple Management Committee (BTMC) is a statutory body established under the Bodh Gaya Temple Act, 1949 — a Bihar state legislation — to manage the affairs of the Mahabodhi Temple complex at Bodh Gaya in Gaya district, Bihar. Composition (as per the Act): The Committee has 9 members in total — 8 nominated members (4 Hindus and 4 Buddhists) and the District Magistrate of Gaya as ex-officio Chairperson. The state government appoints the nominated members. The original 1949 Act required that if the DM Gaya was not a Hindu, the government must nominate a Hindu as Chairperson — but this requirement was REMOVED by the Bodh Gaya Temple (Amendment) Act, 2013 passed by the Bihar Legislative Assembly, allowing a non-Hindu DM to head the Committee. The composition has nonetheless remained the subject of long-standing controversy — Buddhist organisations have demanded that the management of an exclusively Buddhist sacred site should be primarily or wholly Buddhist, and that the equal Hindu-Buddhist composition itself should be revisited. Functions: (a) Day-to-day management of the Mahabodhi Temple complex; (b) Conservation and preservation of the temple structure and ancillary buildings; (c) Administration of offerings, donations, and assets; (d) Coordinating ceremonies, including major Buddhist festivals like Buddha Purnima; (e) Liaison with the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), which is responsible for archaeological conservation of the site as a UNESCO World Heritage Site (inscribed 2002); (f) Coordination with international Buddhist delegations and pilgrimage authorities. Mahabodhi Temple background: One of the four holy sites in Buddhism (along with Lumbini — birth, Sarnath — first sermon, Kushinagar — parinirvana). The current temple structure dates primarily to the 5th-6th century CE, though the original was built by Emperor Ashoka in the 3rd century BCE. The Bodhi Tree at the site is believed to be a direct descendant of the original tree under which Buddha attained enlightenment. Inscribed as UNESCO World Heritage in 2002. Reform debate: Multiple petitions have been filed in the Patna High Court and Supreme Court challenging the Act's composition. A major argument is that under Article 26 (freedom to manage religious affairs), Buddhists should have exclusive control over their religious site. Counter-arguments cite historical practice and the Buddha's place in Hindu tradition (sometimes considered an avatar of Vishnu).

• 1 Statutory body under BODH GAYA TEMPLE ACT, 1949 (Bihar legislation)
• 2 Composition: 8 nominated members (4 Hindu + 4 Buddhist) + DM Gaya as ex-officio Chairperson
• 3 Original 1949 Act required Hindu Chairperson if DM was non-Hindu — REMOVED by the Bodh Gaya Temple (Amendment) Act, 2013
• 4 Manages MAHABODHI TEMPLE complex at Bodh Gaya, Gaya district, Bihar
• 5 Mahabodhi Temple = UNESCO World Heritage Site (inscribed 2002)
• 6 Place where Gautama Buddha attained ENLIGHTENMENT under the Bodhi Tree
• 7 ASI handles archaeological conservation; BTMC handles management
• 8 Long-standing demand from Buddhist groups: exclusive Buddhist control
• 9 One of FOUR HOLY SITES of Buddhism: Lumbini, Bodh Gaya, Sarnath, Kushinagar

On Buddha Purnima 2026, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's message foregrounded India's role as the land of the Buddha, with implicit reference to the Mahabodhi Temple at Bodh Gaya. The day also revived the long-standing debate over the BTMC's composition under the 1949 Act (as amended in 2013) — with Buddhist organisations renewing their demand for primarily or wholly Buddhist control of the management committee, beyond the existing 4-Hindu-4-Buddhist parity.