'Almost dead, Gautam Buddha's Gaya Bodhi tree resurrected'

Patna:  The Bodhi tree in Bodh Gaya, under which Lord Buddha is believed to have attained enlightenment, is healthy once again. “The Bodhi tree is fully healthy now,” said Subhash Nautiyal, one of the two scientists from the Dehradun-based Forest Research Institute (FRI). [caption id=“attachment_381919” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  One of a kind. Getty Images[/caption] Nautiyal said he and his colleague Nirmal Sudhir Kumar removed concrete slabs around the base of the Bodhi tree to resurrect it in a way, after there were fears that it would die out. “It will help the tree to receive water and nutrition in its roots,” he said. Nautiyal, a plant physiologist, along with plant pathologist Kumar were roped in to examine the tree, Bodh Gaya Temple Management Committee member secretary Nangzey Dorje said on Wednesday. A few dry branches of the tree will be pruned on Wednesday keeping in mind the safety of pilgrims and tourists. The temple had sought the help of FRI in 2007 after the Bodhi tree was affected with a milibug disease. It was in Bodh Gaya, about 100 km from here, that Lord Buddha attained enlightenment over 2,500 years ago. The 1,500-year-old temple stands behind the sacred tree. IANS