12-05-2025
Buddha Purnima: Guv, CM pray for peace and harmony
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Gaya/Patna:
Governor Arif Mohammed Khan
and
CM Nitish Kumar
led the
Buddha Purnima
celebrations in the state on Monday, offering prayers for global peace and the
Mahabodhi Mahavihara
in
Bodh Gaya
, governor Khan, the chief guest at the event organised by the Bodh Gaya Temple Management Committee (BTMC), prayed at the sanctum sanctorum and presented a robe, flowers, incense sticks and kheer to the statue of Lord Buddha.
He also unveiled Prajna-2025, the BTMC's annual bilingual magazine. A peace procession earlier in the day, from the 80-feet Buddha statue to the sacred Bodhi tree, saw participants offer prayers under the world heritage Mahabodhi chairman and district magistrate Thiyagarajan SM highlighted recent developments at the Mahavihara, including the installation of a 180KW solar power plant and the recycling of offered flowers into incense products. The event featured speakers such as International Buddhist Council president Ven N Tenzing Gyatso and Thailand's Upasika Thosporn Wachiraganphen, who spoke on the life and teachings of Patna, CM Nitish Kumar participated in a spiritual programme at Buddha Smriti Park where he offered prayers to Lord Buddha and meditated at the Pataliputra Karuna Stupa. Guided by monks, he worshipped Bodhi trees from Bodh Gaya, Anand, and Sri Lanka's Anuradhapura. "I prayed for the happiness, prosperity, and harmony of the state and the country," he CM also visited the Vipassana Centre, appreciated its facilities and later offered prayers to the Buddhist rock and Bodhi tree at his residence. Deputy CMs Samrat Choudhary and Vijay Kumar Sinha, ministers and MPs also attended the event.
