Indian temples lie deserted as Chinese priests fly back amid coronavirus scare

Record ID: 1559564

  • Title: Indian temples lie deserted as Chinese priests fly back amid coronavirus scare
  • Date: 29th June 2020
  • Summary: BODH GAYA, BIHAR, INDIA (JUNE 28, 2020) (ANI - NO USE INDIA) PEOPLE WALKING ON ROAD EXTERIOR OF BUDDHIST TEMPLE SIGN READING (English and Chinese): 'MAHABODHI CHINESE TEMPLE' TEMPLE SEEN THROUGH RAILINGS SIGN ON WALL BUDDHIST IDOLS HOLLOW PIT USED FOR FIRE RITUAL CEREMONY IDOLS (SOUNDBITE) (Hindi) TEMPLE WORKER, RIGZING WONGTAK, SAYING: "They (Chinese priests) were trapped due to the lockdown. They left India on June 18 through a special flight sent by China." STALL TEMPLE BUDDHIST STATUE TEMPLE WORKER RIGZING WONGTAK PUTTING LOCK ON GATE
  • Embargoed: 13th July 2020 08:44
  • Keywords: Bodh Gaya Buddhism China India monks prayers. priests temple
  • Location: BODH GAYA, BIHAR, INDIA
  • City: BODH GAYA, BIHAR, INDIA
  • Country: India
  • Topics: Religion/Belief,Society/Social Issues
  • Reuters ID: LVA001CKF9SNJ
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: The Mahabodhi Chinese Temple in India's eastern Bodh Gaya city has no priests to perform prayers as they have left the country amid fears of the coronavirus pandemic, leaving the temple complex deserted.
    Indian priests are offering prayers at the temple after the Chinese priests left the city last week.
    "They left India on June 18 through a special flight sent by China," said a worker at the temple, Rigzing Wongtak on Sunday (June 28).
    The recent India-China border tussle has been also touted as a reason by local media for the priests going back home.
    The deadliest border clash in more than half a century between the nuclear armed giants had stunned India, and fuelled calls for a boycott of goods from China, its second biggest trading partner.
    Twenty Indian soldiers, including an officer were killed in vicious hand-to-hand combat early last week in the Galwan Valley, according to the Indian government, making it the deadliest clash on the India-China border in more than five decades.
  • Copyright Holder: ANI (India)
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2020. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
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