Buddhist vihara gutted by fire in Arunachal Pradesh

BORDUMSA: A Buddhist temple in a remote village at the easternmost edge of the state's Innao Sengmai village was gutted in fire at the wee hours of Friday last, while the followers of the Theraveda cult of Buddhism were drenched in festive mood on the Sangken festival across Arunachal. According to local residents, the fire that broke out at the wee hours was so devastating that, except the idol of Lord Buddha and scared books, nothing could be evacuated from the temple.

Innao Sengmai is a remote village inhabited primarily by the Tai-Khamti Community under Bordumsa Sub Division in Changlang district. The cause of the fire is suspected to be an electric short-circuit in the kitchen attached to the temple.

While talking to the local journalist, Nyana Bodhi, the monk at the temple, said that they were awakened by a loud bang in the kitchen nearby, and in a few minutes, the fire engulfed the entire vihara and burned down everything. "The timely assistance of the local MLA Somlung Mossang with his immediate physical visit appeared like a destined blessing for us during our despair and hard times," said the monk Nyana Bodhi.

Meanwhile, an official spokesperson of the local MLA, Somlung Mossang, said in his official correspondence that the local legislator, acting swiftly upon the tragic incident, cut off his day's schedule and rushed to the disaster site to have first-hand knowledge of the incident.

“I hereby announce a grant of Rs 50 lakh from the Local Area Development Fund for the construction of a new vihara and assist the mandir committee with Rs 2 lakh as immediate relief to make arrangements to ensure the day-to-day religious proceedings of the temple”, added Somlung Mossang.