Ancient Buddhist temple razed in Himachal blaze

Hindustan Times ^ | July 15, 2006

[nickcarraway]

A fire in a 1,000-year-old Buddhist temple in a remote valley of Himachal Pradesh has reduced the pinewood-structure to ashes and also destroyed a number of scriptures, artefacts and murals, officials said.

The fire at the temple in Ribba in Kinnaur valley, about 200 km from Shimla, started late on Friday and caused losses of nearly Rs 125 million, they said.

Besides, 170 Buddhist scriptures written over centuries by monks on birch paper rolls, many murals of Lord Buddha, antique jewellery and other artefacts have been reduced to ashes.

Himalayan pinewood planks that were used to construct the temple only fanned the fire, the officials said.

Built in 980 AD, it is one of the few Buddhist temples in the valley.

It is still unclear how the fire began.

[river rat]

"It is still unclear how the fire began."

Damn.....it must have been those pesky Lutherans again...

Next -- they may attack some of those most cherished and "holy" Mosques......soon enough.

Semper Fi

[Tax-chick]

"It is still unclear how the fire began."

Smoking in bed?

[TigersEye]

Most unfortunate.

[Moonmad27]

Sad as this is from a historical point of view, isn't it a major Buddhist point that people aren't supposed to be attached to posessions?

I'm reminded of the Zen poem

Since my house burned down
I now own a better view
of the rising moon.

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks Nick for the topic. Not pinging, just cataloging.

To all -- please ping me to other topics which are appropriate for the GGG list. Thanks.

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[SunkenCiv]

Ah, why not?

To all -- please ping me to other topics which are appropriate for the GGG list. Thanks.

Please FREEPMAIL me if you want on or off the
"Gods, Graves, Glyphs" PING list or GGG weekly digest
-- Archaeology/Anthropology/Ancient Cultures/Artifacts/Antiquities, etc.
Gods, Graves, Glyphs (alpha order)

[ApplegateRanch]

This is what comes of using 300 year old extension cords.

[Hegemony Cricket]

Clinton recalls, as a child, many ancient Buddhist temples being burned down...