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Patna,(BiharTimes): On the last day of 10-day 32nd Kalchakra Puja Bihar Chief minister Nitish Kumar flew to Bodh Gaya and requested the 14th Dalai Lama to organise an international event like this one at newly built Buddha Smriti Park in Patna. Nitish said the Buddhist religious programme would provide inspiration for creating an atmosphere of peace in the country and the world. |
Incidentally, noted Hollywood personality, Richard Gere, shared dais with Nitish and Dalai Lama on this occasion.
The mega prayer for world peace and creation of living Buddhas through meditation and soul purification drew over two lakhs pilgrims from over 64 countries. However, 10-day prayer (Jan 1 to 10) was marred by total mismanagement, chaos and incidents of theft and pick-pocketing, it is alleged.
Live translated version of the Dalai Lama’s sermons delivered in Tibetan was made available in 18 different languages on the FM band transistors at the prayer venue. The programme was also available online for the benefit of Buddhists, who could not come to Bodh Gaya on the occasion.
Gere, who was in Bodh Gaya since the beginning of the Puja, made his maiden appearance on the podium along with Dalai Lama and chief minister Nitish Kumar. He briefly played anchor to the book release programme at the Kalchakra venue. Dalai Lama released the book titled, Ethics For Whole World, before the conclusion of the programme.
Gere maintained an extremely low profile throughout his stay and it could not be known where was he staying.
The Dalai Lama, while addressing an estimated crowd of 50,000, said though religion is a private affair, practice of virtues like compassion, love and pain alleviation made all the difference. To make the world a better place to live, these virtues have to be imbibed and practised.
The Dalai Lama was honoured with the Supreme Master of the Complete Teachings of the Buddha award.
A long life prayer was also held for the long life and health of the Dalai Lama and other participants of the event. After that Nitish said that the Dalai Lama had made a prophecy that His Holiness would live up to 113 years while he (the chief minister) wants him to live longer than that.
Speaking at the concluding function, the chief minister said initially there was a proposal to hold a part of the Kalchakra Puja in the Buddha Smriti Park in Patna. Now that it could not materialize, the chief minister requested the Tibetan spiritual leader to bless an international event in the Park in Patna. He also requested the Dalai Lama to visit Bihar again and again as his visits bring good to the state through peace, harmony and conflict resolution.
Responding to the demand made by his Arunachal Pradesh counterpart Nabam Tuki for a piece of land in Bodh Gaya for construction of a Dharamsala for pilgrims of his state as it has a very large Buddhist population, the Bihar chief minister said that he would do everything possible in this regard.
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