On the occasion of the 2568th Buddha Jayanti, devotees visit the Maya Devi Temple in Lumbini, a world heritage site and a sacred place for Buddhist faithful to offer their prayers. Monks from India, Nepal and China performed rituals, sang hymns and offered offerings in the Maya Devi temple’s sacred garden. A peace procession was organised in the morning by several social groups including monks, civilians and school children from different schools.
In a program organised in the Lumbini Conference hall, ambassadors from India, Sri Lanka and Vietnam and heads of international organisations such as BIMSTEC arrived to deliver congratulatory messages to Nepal. Prime Minister of Nepal Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ said that the incumbent government is actively developing Buddha’s thoughts, guidance and birthplace as the destination of world peace and spiritual tourism.
The government of Nepal was carrying out activities to develop Lumbini as a religious site that could be visited by millions of Buddhists around the world and general people once in their lives.
By Sweta Singh (Kathmandu)
