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Mahabodhi Temple Complex at Bodh Gaya

India
Factors affecting the property in 2006*
  • Impacts of tourism / visitor / recreation
  • Management systems/ management plan
  • Other Threats:

    Lack of detailed property documentation

Factors* affecting the property identified in previous reports

a) Lack of co-ordinated and functional management system;

b) Lack of detailed property documentation; increasing number of visitors.

International Assistance: requests for the property until 2006
Requests approved: 0
Total amount approved : 0 USD
Missions to the property until 2006**

Joint ICOMOS-World Heritage Centre mission in April 2005

Conservation issues presented to the World Heritage Committee in 2006

Le rapport d’avancement soumis le 31 mars 2006 par l’État partie donne des informations succinctes sur les mesures prises par les autorités en réponse aux recommandations de la 29e session du Comité (Durban, 2005).

Le rapport indique que le plan d’aménagement de Bodhgaya, intitulé « Plan d’aménagement axé sur le patrimoine de Bodhgaya, Vision à l’horizon 2031 », a été discuté avec les parties prenantes locales à la suite de la demande du Comité que les dispositions du plan de gestion du site d’avril 2005 soient adoptées dans le cadre du plan d’aménagement. La direction régionale des aménagements de Gaya est en train de revoir le plan en intégrant les questions soulevées par les parties prenantes locales en vue de finaliser le document. Le zonage proposé par le plan de gestion a été repris dans ce plan d’aménagement qui met également l’accent sur la protection du patrimoine. L’ICOMOS fait remarquer qu’un plan de gestion et un plan d’aménagement ont des objectifs différents et qu’il serait important d’établir entre les deux un lien garantissant que la protection de la valeur universelle exceptionnelle du bien sera la base de toutes les décisions prises dans le cadre des deux plans.

L’État partie indique également que le plan d’aménagement de Bodhgaya comporte des directives concernant le patrimoine de la ville qui doivent être respectées par tous les grands projets de construction, en particulier une limite de hauteur pour les bâtiments, ainsi que l’interdiction de construire à l’intérieur des limites du bien du patrimoine mondial et de sa zone tampon. Pour le moment, et jusqu’à ce que le plan d’aménagement de Bodhgaya soit approuvé et mis en œuvre par le gouvernement de État, toute construction à l’intérieur du périmètre du bien du patrimoine mondial est interdite. Mais à propos des constructions approuvées de façon illégale constatées par la mission UNESCO/ICOMOS de 2005, l’État partie ne précise pas si l’interdiction de construire est respectée.

Les efforts de l’État partie pour mettre en œuvre les décisions du Comité concernant le plan de gestion sont louables. Cependant, l’ICOMOS recommande que la mise en œuvre de ce plan soit suivie pour s’assurer que les préoccupations exprimées dans la mission conjointe Centre du patrimoine mondial-ICOMOS de 2005 sont pleinement prises en compte, en particulier celles qui concernent la reconnaissance de la valeur universelle exceptionnelle du site et la définition d’un calendrier. 

En réponse à la demande du Comité que des mécanismes de gestion adaptés soient étudiés, l’État partie indique que le renforcement des capacités de l’organisme existant, le Comité de gestion du temple de Bodhgaya (BTMC), est en cours en coopération avec le gouvernement de État de Bihâr et le gouvernement central. L’État partie souligne qu’un consensus sur le mécanisme de gestion doit être trouvé entre les différents groupes d’intérêts et parties prenantes avant de pouvoir apporter tout changement majeur à l’actuel système de gestion. L’ICOMOS insiste sur l’importance de ce point et de la participation du BTMC à la finalisation du plan de gestion.

Le rapport indique en outre qu’une documentation détaillée sur les conditions actuelles à l’intérieur des zones tampons et périphériques, qui servira de base au suivi futur, est en cours de préparation et devrait être finalisée d’ici la fin du mois de juillet 2006. Aucun détail spécifique concernant l’avancement de ce travail n’est donné dans le rapport.

Concernant l’invitation du Comité d’étudier l’opportunité d’une extension de l’inscription de l’Ensemble du temple de la Mahabodhi pour inclure le paysage culturel représentatif des voyages et de l’illumination du Bouddha dans cette région, l’État partie considère que des études archéologiques détaillées et des fouilles sont nécessaires pour déterminer la localisation et l’étendue de sites associés spécifiques, et que la question de l’extension du bien ne pourra être envisagée qu’une fois ce travail achevé. L’ICOMOS considère la zone en question comme un vaste paysage culturel qui peut être défini sans analyse archéologique préalable, et estime que l’État partie devrait donner à cette question la priorité absolue. Cette zone est en effet étroitement liée à la valeur universelle exceptionnelle du bien et tout retard pour inclure ce paysage en tant que partie essentielle d’une proposition d’extension met sa survie en péril.

Concernant le classement possible du bien en vertu de la législation nationale, l’État partie indique que la nature religieuse vivante du site nécessite l’engagement d’un processus pour obtenir un consensus sur le recours à la législation nationale. Ce processus est en cours, notamment au niveau local. L’ICOMOS souligne qu’il est important que le gouvernement indien garantisse aux sites inscrits sur la Liste du patrimoine mondial le plus haut niveau de protection juridique nationale, comme c’est le cas pour les autres biens religieux inscrits sur la Liste.

Analysis and Conclusion by World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies in 2006

The progress report, submitted by the State Party on 31 March 2006, provides brief information on the steps taken by the authorities in response to the recommendations made by the 29th session of the Committee (Durban, 2005).

The report states that the Bodhgaya Development Plan, entitled the “Heritage Led Perspective Development Plan of Bodhgaya, Vision 2031”, has been discussed with local stakeholders following the request of the Committee to adopt the provisions of the Site Management Plan of April 2005 within the development plan. The Gaya regional development authority is presently revising the Plan by incorporating the issues raised by local stakeholders with a view to finalising the document. The zoning proposed in the management plan has been incorporated into this development plan which also includes a focus on heritage protection. ICOMOS notes that a management plan and a development plan have different goals, and that it is important to define the relationship between them in ways that shall ensure that the protection of the outstanding universal value of the property is the basis for all decision-making in both plans.

Furthermore, the State Party reports that the Bodhgaya Development Plan includes heritage guidelines for the town that are to be followed by all major construction projects, notably a height control for buildings, as well as a ban on construction within the World Heritage boundaries and its buffer zone. At present, until the Bodhgaya Development Plan is approved and implemented by the State Government, any construction carried out within the designated World Heritage property area is being banned. However, in the context of the illegally approved constructions noted by the UNESCO/ICOMOS mission in 2005, the State Party has not reported whether the ban on construction is respected.

The State Party’s efforts to implement the Committee’s decisions concerning the management plan are commendable. However, ICOMOS recommends that the implementation of this plan should be further monitored to ensure that the concerns expressed in the joint World Heritage Centre-ICOMOS mission of 2005 are fully addressed, particularly those related to the recognition of the outstanding universal value of the site, and that a timeframe should be set in this regard.

In response to the Committee’s request thatappropriate management mechanisms be explored, the State Party reports that the capacity of the existing agency, the Bodhgaya Temple Management Committee (BTMC), is presently being strengthened in co-operation with the State Government of Bihar and the Central Government. The State Party underlines that a consensus on the management mechanism needs to be established amongst the different interest groups and stakeholders before any major change can be made in the present management system. ICOMOS reinforces the importance of this point and of ensuring full participation of the BTMC in the finalization of the management plan.

The report further mentions that detailed property documentation of existing conditions within buffer and periphery zones, as a basis for future monitoring, has been initiated and is expected to be completed by end July 2006. No specific details concerning the progress of this work have been provided in the report.

Regarding the invitation by the Committee to explore the appropriateness of an extension of the Mahabodhi Temple Complex nomination to include the cultural landscape that is identified with the wanderings and enlightenment of the Lord Buddha in this region, the State Party considers that detailed archaeological surveys and excavations are required to determine the locations and extent of specific associated sites, and that the issue of the extension of the property can only be considered once this work has been completed. ICOMOS regards the area in question as a large cultural landscape, which may be defined without the need for archaeological analysis and comments that the State Party should give this issue the highest priority as this area is inextricably linked with the outstanding universal value of the property, and a delay in including the related landscape as an essential part of an extended nomination puts its survival at risk.

Regarding the possible designation of the property under national legislation, the State Party reports that the living religious nature of the site makes it necessary to initiate a process of consensus-building around any move to national legislation. This process is presently underway, notably at the local level. ICOMOS underlines the importance of the Government of India providing for sites inscribed on the World Heritage List the highest level of national legal protection, as is the case with other religious properties on the World Heritage List. 

Decisions adopted by the Committee in 2006
30 COM 7B.64
State of Conservation (Mahabodhi Temple Complex at Bodh Gaya)
The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC-06/30.COM/7B,

2. Recalling Decision 29 COM 7B.52, adopted at its 29th session (Durban, 2005),

3. Recognises the efforts and progress made by the State Party to respond to the requests made at the 29th session (Durban, 2005);

4. Encourages the State Party to continue its efforts to adopt and implement the provisions of the management plan of April 2005 within the Bodhgaya Development Plan, if possible by 1 February 2007;

5. Invites the State Party to request assistance from the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies to advance the implementation of the management plan, and to ensure the protection of the outstanding universal value of the property, as well as of the adjacent buffer and periphery zones;

6. Reiterates its recommendation to the State Party to undertake all necessary actions to ensure the nomination of the related landscape identified with the wanderings and enlightenment of the Lord Buddha in this region as an extension to the Mahabodhi Temple Complex;

7. Strongly recommends that the State Party, as a matter of priority, follow-up on the possible designation of the property under national legislation;

8. Requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre by 1 February 2007, a detailed report on the progress made on the above points, for examination by the Committee at its 31st session in 2007.

Draft Decision: 30 COM 7B.64

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC-06/30.COM/7B,

2. Recalling Decision 29 COM 7B.52, adopted at its 29th session (Durban, 2005),

3. Recognises the efforts and progress made by the State Party to respond to the requests made at the 29th session (Durban, 2005);

4. Encourages the State Party to continue its efforts to adopt and implement the provisions of the management plan of April 2005 within the Bodhgaya Development Plan, if possible by 1 February 2007;

5. Invites the State Party to request assistance from the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies to advance the implementation of the management plan and to ensure the protection of the outstanding universal value of the property, as well as of the adjacent buffer and periphery zones;

6. Reiterates its recommendation to the State Party to undertake all necessary actions to ensure the nomination of the related landscape identified with the wanderings and enlightenment of the Lord Buddha in this region as an extension to the Mahabodhi Temple Complex;

7. Strongly recommends that the State Party, as a matter of priority, follow-up on the possible designation of the property under national legislation;

8. Requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre by 1 February 2007, a detailed report on the progress made on the above points, for examination by the Committee at its 31st session in 2007.

Report year: 2006
India
Date of Inscription: 2002
Category: Cultural
Criteria: (i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(vi)
Documents examined by the Committee
arrow_circle_right 30COM (2006)
Exports

* : The threats indicated are listed in alphabetical order; their order does not constitute a classification according to the importance of their impact on the property.
Furthermore, they are presented irrespective of the type of threat faced by the property, i.e. with specific and proven imminent danger (“ascertained danger”) or with threats which could have deleterious effects on the property’s Outstanding Universal Value (“potential danger”).

** : All mission reports are not always available electronically.


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