Holy Buddha Relics Exposition Concludes in Leh
Over 1.18 lakh devotees attend 14-day spiritual gathering across Leh and Zanskar
- Sacred exposition concludes during Monlam Chenmo festival
- More than 1.18 lakh devotees pay obeisance to holy relics
- LG VK Saxena calls Ladakh a global centre of peace and spirituality
- Amit Shah inaugurated exposition on Buddha Purnima in Leh
GG News Bureau
Leh, 14th May: The 14-day Sacred Exposition of the Holy Relics of Tathāgata Buddha concluded in Leh on Thursday with thousands of devotees gathering at the Dharma Centre in Choglamsar to offer final prayers and seek blessings.
The concluding ceremony was attended by Vinai Kumar Saxena and coincided with the sacred Monlam Chenmo, the annual Great Prayer Festival of Ladakh dedicated to world peace and universal happiness.
The event witnessed participation from monks, nuns, Rinpoches and devotees from different parts of India and abroad. Sacred mask dances, known as Chhams, were also performed during the ceremony.
According to officials, more than 1.18 lakh devotees paid obeisance to the holy relics during the exposition, making it one of the largest spiritual gatherings organised in the Union Territory of Ladakh.
The Holy Relics were inaugurated for public exposition on May 1 on the occasion of the 2569th Buddha Purnima by Union Home Minister Amit Shah at Jivetsal in Leh.
Addressing the gathering, LG Saxena described the exposition as a symbol of cultural unity, harmony and spiritual awakening. He said Ladakh had emerged as a global spiritual destination with participation from religious leaders, scholars, historians, pilgrims and tourists from across the world.
“The sacred relics of Lord Buddha will return tomorrow to the National Museum in Delhi, but their blessings will remain here forever,” Saxena said, while urging people to establish Ladakh globally as a centre of peace and contemplation.
The Lieutenant Governor also appreciated the people of Ladakh for maintaining discipline and patience while standing in long queues for hours to seek blessings from the sacred relics.
He thanked the Ladakh Buddhist Association, the All Ladakh Gonpa Association, the UT Administration, Indian Army, Indian Air Force, ITBP and Ladakh Police for ensuring the successful conduct of the exposition.
Among the prominent dignitaries who attended the exposition were Pema Khandu, Union Minister Kiren Rijiju, ambassadors of Sri Lanka and Thailand, Buddhist leaders and international pilgrims.
The relics remained on public display at Jivetsal in Leh for nine days before being taken to Karsha Gonpa in Zanskar on May 11 and 12. Several cultural programmes, conferences and spiritual activities were organised during the exposition.
