Patna,(BiharTimes): Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, who is on Sewa Yatra of Gaya, on Friday ordered a detailed study of Koteshwarnath temple by a team of scholars to discover the historical richness of the ancient temple and also called for all Buddhist sites between Bodh Gaya and Sarnath near Benaras be documented to promote tourism.
Giving this instruction to Director Archaeology Atul Verma and Director of Kashinath Research Centre Vijay Chaudhary after paying visit to the Koteshwarnath temple in Belaganj block of Gaya district he said an archaeological shed-cum-museum would be constructed at the site on Barabar hills.

The place draws its significance from the ancient Baba Koteshwar Nath temple, where a shivling is installed under a banyan tree. Its prop roots lean to the ground and have grown into separate trees.

The chief minister said the Art and Culture department would work for development of the historic site. He directed officials of the department to organise photo competition of ancient trees at historic places like Maine, Panchpakar and other religious sites. The selected photographs should be published in books of schools and Public Relation Department.

The CM ordered to show the site to officials of Forest Research Institute (FRI), Dehradun, to treat the banyan tree. FRI is a premier institution under the Indian Council of Forestry and is at present treating Mahabodhi Tree in Bodh Gaya.

A day earlier Nitish visited Bhuraha village under Gurua block of the district. It is 60-odd km from Gaya and has a natural water source, a temple of Goddess Shakti, a Buddhist temple and a place called Dubbagarh. Ruins related to Buddha are believed to have been buried under the ground at Dubbagarh.
Here he directed the officials to get Dubbagarh excavated and get a museum built at the place to ensure conservation of relics found from the site.