Patna: Two dozen commandos from Thailand are guarding nearly 300 kg gold in 13 boxes in Bihar's Bodh Gaya town as work began to cover the dome of 1,500-year old Mahabodhi temple in glitter.
The much awaited work to gold-plate the dome is being carried out by a team of technical experts from Thailand, officials said.
Two days after the 289 kg gold, donated by Buddhist devotees from Thailand, was brought at Bodh Gaya in a special plane from Bangkok, technical experts have finally started the work under tight security in and around the temple, said N. Dorjee, secretary of the Bodh Gaya temple management committee.
"It is a happy moment for all of us that the spire of the temple will get a glittering look with gold," Dorjee said.
Arvind Kumar Singh, a member of the committee, said the work by experts from Thailand is being videographed since it involves handling gold.
"A 40-member team, including a dozen experts and two dozen commandos, from Thailand arrived at Bodh Gaya with gold in 13 boxes to complete the work in 40 to 50 days," Singh said.
He said the team is led by Thailand's former deputy prime minister General Pricha.
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