Photo Source: ANI/File Photo
International Buddhist Confederation to host cultural program on Buddha Purnima in Delhi
PM to visit Nepal's Lumbini on Buddha Purnima
PM's visit will be screened during the event
Babushahi Bureau
New Delhi, May 14, 2022: The International Buddhist Confederation (IBC) with support of the Ministry of Culture, Govt. of India will host a colorful program for the Vaishakha Buddha Purnima Divas celebrations on May 16 at Weightlifting Auditorium, Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, New Delhi.
The event will start at 2:00 pm with Chanting from various Buddhist sites played on the screen.
During the event, the screening of a film on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s foundation stone laying ceremony, earlier in the day for a Centre for Buddhist Culture and Heritage at Lumbini, Nepal. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will pay an official visit to Lumbini in Nepal on May 16 on the occasion of Buddha Purnima.
It is noted that the site for the Centre for Buddhist Culture and Heritage is IBC's plot of land within the Lumbini Monastic zone.
The Chief Guest for the event will be Kiren Rijiju, Minister of Law and Justice and Guest of Honour will be G. Kishan Reddy, Minister for Culture and Tourism, Government of India and the Special Guest, Arjun Ram Meghwal, Minister of State for Culture, Government of India.
Govind Mohan, Secretary, Ministry of Culture, Government of India will also grace the occasion.
To further endorse and strengthen bonds of shared civilizational and Buddhist heritage and legacy with Nepal, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be laying the foundation stone for the construction of a Centre for Buddhist Culture and Heritage in Lumbini, the most sacred Buddhist Pilgrimage site in Nepal.
The construction of this beautiful unique Centre, with a universal appeal will be undertaken by the International Buddhist Confederation (IBC), India under the auspices of the Lumbini Development Trust with the support of the Ministry of Culture, Government of India.
The significance of the timing of the visit is to coincide the auspicious temple inauguration with the Holy Vaishakha Buddha Purnima Divas. The day is recognized as the thrice blessed day that marks the Birth, Enlightenment and Mahaparinirvana of Lord Buddha. While Buddha was born in Lumbini, in Nepal, he attained enlightenment in Bodhgaya, in Bihar, preached his first sermon at Sarnath and attained Nirvana in Kushinagar, in Uttar Pradesh.
Lumbini is the holy place where, according to Buddhist tradition, Queen Mahamaya devi gave birth to Siddhartha Gautama at around 623 B.C. Lord Buddha, was born in the famous gardens of Lumbini, which soon became a place of pilgrimage.
Among the pilgrims was the Indian emperor Ashoka, who erected one of his commemorative pillars there. The site is now being developed as a Buddhist pilgrimage centre, where the archaeological remains associated with the birth of the Lord Buddha form a central feature.