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The sacred relics of the Lord Buddha embarked on a journey to Bhutan on Saturday, a gesture of spiritual and cultural fellowship between India and Bhutan.
The relics, enshrined at the National Museum in New Delhi, were taken to Thimphu on an Indian Air Force aircraft, accompanied by a high-level delegation led by Dr. Virendra Kumar, Union Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment. The public exposition, scheduled between November 8 and 18, is part of the Global Peace Prayer Festival (GPPF), which aims to promote world peace and humanity's healing, coinciding with the 70th birthday anniversary of Bhutan's fourth King, Jigme Singye Wangchuk. Bhutan, the only Vajrayana kingdom, places great significance on this event, showcasing its deep-rooted Buddhist heritage. The relics will be displayed at the Kuenrey Hall of Tashichho Dzong in Thimphu, a historic seat of Bhutan's government and monastic body. Three special exhibitions will accompany the exposition, exploring the life of Guru Padmasambhava, the excavation of Buddha relics, and the Buddha's teachings. On November 4, the Global Peace Prayer Festival 2025 began at the Changlimithang Stadium in Thimphu, with Bhutan Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay in attendance. The festival marks the start of a landmark 13-day spiritual gathering that brings together Buddhist leaders, practitioners, and peace advocates from around the world from November 4 to 17. It seeks to unite spiritual leaders and practitioners from all Buddhist traditions to foster peace, compassion, and harmony in a world increasingly marked by conflict and division. Organised by the Royal Government of Bhutan, the Global Peace Prayer Festival features sacred rituals, a non-sectarian Global Peace Prayer, the mass recitation of Bazaguru, public blessings, and the Kalachakra Empowerment. Eminent lamas, scholars, and practitioners from Theravada, Mahayana, and Vajrayana traditions are participating, reflecting Bhutan's effort to harness the transformative power of loving-kindness and awareness for global harmony. The festival commenced with the sacred ritual of Jabzhi Dhoechog, conducted by the Central Monastic Body at Kuenselphodrang. This rare ritual, performed on a grand scale, combines peaceful offerings with wrathful protection to cleanse and purify the body, speech, and mind of negative karma. At Changlimithang Ground, representatives from various Buddhist sects will join in a unified Global Peace Prayer, offering prayers for world peace in multiple languages, including English, Tibetan, and Dzongkha, with simultaneous translations provided during teachings and empowerments. Eminent lamas will offer public blessings to devotees, followed by the mass recitation of the Bazaguru mantra, a collective act of mindfulness and devotion uniting participants in a shared aspiration for global peace. (ANI)
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