Explorer

China denies arson in Tibetian temple fire

Beijing [China], Feb 23 (ANI): China has denied arson as the cause of a fire at a Tibetian Buddhist temple in Lhasa, its state media reported on Thursday.

The report further said that the Buddha statue did not suffer any damage.

According to Xinhua, the fire broke out last week on the second floor of the Jokhang Temple. The fire had reportedly damaged the temple's golden roof. However, the fire was doused out.

No casualties were reported and the temple has been reopened to the public.

The temple had been closed to the public on Saturday, Xinhua previously reported, citing local sources.

Robert Barnett, an expert on Tibetan Buddhism, posted videos and photos on Twitter which showed that the Buddha statue had suffered "considerable" damage.

The incident occurred as the Tibetans were celebrating Losar, the traditional Tibetan New Year that began last week and coincided with the Chinese Lunar New Year.

The Jokhang temple is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, situated in the heart of old Lhasa in Tibet.

It is Tibetan Buddhism's most sacred site and is the home to the Jowo Shakyamuni, a revered Buddha statue.

According to the UNESCO, the Jokhang Temple is home to numerous priceless cultural artefacts, including over 3,000 images of Buddhas, idols of other deities and historical figures such as treasures and manuscripts.

China's efforts to censor reports of the fire raised concerns among the academics and Tibetans abroad that the authorities were hiding the extent of the damage of the temple, considered to be a sensitive religious site.

China has ruled Tibet since the 1950s and has been accused of trying to eradicate its Buddhist-based culture through political and religious suppression.

In 2008, protests by Tibetan monks in Lhasa escalated into deadly violence targeting China's majority Han ethnic group and the Hui, a Muslim minority group.

In the same year, dozens of monks burst into the Jokhang Temple to interrupt a state-run foreign media press tour intended to showcase the Tibet region's harmony and stability and accused the Chinese government of inciting the protests. (ANI)


This story has not been edited. It has been published as provided by ANI

View More
Advertisement
Advertisement
25°C
New Delhi
Rain: 100mm
Humidity: 97%
Wind: WNW 47km/h
See Today's Weather
powered by
Accu Weather
Advertisement

Top Headline

Arvind Kejriwal To Stay In ED Custody As Court Extends Remand Till April 1
Arvind Kejriwal To Stay In ED Custody As Court Extends Remand Till April 1
Kejriwal To Stay Delhi CM From Jail As High Court Finds 'No Legal Bar,' Ball In LG's Court Now
Kejriwal To Stay Delhi CM From Jail As High Court Finds 'No Legal Bar,' Ball In LG's Court Now
Lok Sabha Elections: Padma Awardee Damayanti Beshra, Ex-BJD Leader Sidhant Mohapatra Join BJP
Lok Sabha Elections: Padma Awardee Damayanti Beshra, Ex-BJD Leader Sidhant Mohapatra Join BJP
Arvind Kejriwal Blasts ED, Tells Court Money Trail Is Sarath Reddy Giving 50 Cr To BJP After Arrest
Arvind Kejriwal Blasts ED, Tells Court Money Trail Is Sarath Reddy Giving 50 Cr To BJP After Arrest
Advertisement
for smartphones
and tablets

Videos

Bihar Lok Sabha Polls 2024: ABP Exclusive With Papu Yadav, MP No Longer Contesting From PurniaVarun Gandhi Pens Emotional Letter To Pilibhit After Being Denied, Says 'Mai Aapka Hu Aur Rahunga'Delhi Excise Policy Case: With CM Arvind Kejriwal's Arrest, Who Will Run The State | Watch ReportLok Sabha Elections 2024: 'BJP Just Wants To Break The Aam Aadmi Party' says Saurabh Bhardwaj
Embed widget