Seems the monkeys in Bodh Gaya are attarcted to the sweet offerings left by pilgrims. But the hordes of arboreal primates are more damaging to the tree, say its attendants, than the Tamil Tigers’ attack on the site in 1985, left many dead, but didn’t hurt the tree.

Guards ring bells, burst crackers or flash torch lights to scare off the invading primates, but Buddhism won’t allow the use of violence to deter the monkeys.

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