Pilgrims ascending the steps leading to the sacred bo tree in Anuradhapura, Ceylon (Sri Lanka). Many pilgrims are dressed in robes, and some are carrying a sheet above their heads. The bo tree in Anuradhapura is a cutting from the bodhi tree where Siddhartha Gautama was believed to have achieved enlightenment and become the Buddha. Brought to Sri Lanka from India in the 3rd Century BCE, the bo tree is the oldest historically documented tree in the world. It draws many Buddhist pilgrims, especially during the celebration of the Buddha’s birth in May, (1912).

Identifier
NYSA_A3045-78_3379

Date Original
1912

Language
English

Source
New York State Archives. New York (State). Education Dept. Division of Visual Instruction. Instructional lantern slides, ca. 1856-1939. A3045-78, 3379.

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