The 2,558th birthday of Lord Buddha was
celebrated in a grand manner across various monasteries in Darjeeling,
the Dooars and Terai areas of North Bengal as well as Sikkim.
People from all ethnic communities were
seen thronging the monasteries since early morning to take their
blessings from head lamas and participate in the annual religious rally
marking Buddha Poornima.
In Kalimpong, a sea of people
participated in a rally and prayer meetings, holding Buddhist religious
manuscripts on their heads. The Shri Diwakar Bihar Gumba at 11th Mile
led the rally from Mela Ground to culminate at the monastery following
which a mass prayer was conducted. Similarly, other monasteries in the
region also conducted religious programmes.
A number of monasteries in Mirik held a
religious rally and prayers since early morning. Tashi Choying Choyling
Gumba, Jambuling Gumba, Bokar Gumba and Urgen Wangchuk Choyling Gumba,
all located in Mirik, conducted the annual rally and prayer meetings. In
Tashi Choying Choyling Gumba, more than 70 locals were felicitated for
their service to society.
Down in the Dooars in Kalchini and its
surrounding areas, Buddha Jayanti was celebrated in Furba Chhyoi
Chhyoiling Gumba, Jhyangchhub Chhyoi Feling Gumba, Pema Chhyoi Feling
Gumba, Tashi, Chhyoi Feling Gumba and Tahsi Chhyoi Kuntsholing Gumba.
Religious rallies and prayers were performed during the day, with head
lamas of the respective monasteries blessing a massive gathering of
devotees. In Panighatta, the Baghdogra Buddhist Welfare Society
organised Buddha Jayanti celebrations, while similar programmes were
held at Nirman Dhani Gumba in MM Terai.
Programmes were also held in Siliguri to
mark the 2,558th birthday of Lord Buddha. Various monasteries in
Siliguri, Salugara, Bagdogra, Kadamtala and Salbari conducted their
annual Buddha Poornima rally and held prayers to spread the message of
peace and harmony. Hyderpara Gyanjyoti Vidarshan Dhayan Ashram in
Siliguri observed the day by organising a peace procession, blood
donation and free eye checkup camps and blood sugar level tests along
with other events.
Sikkim too celebrated Buddha Jayanti in a
grand manner across each and every corner of the state, with the annual
Buddha Poornima rally, prayer meetings and other religious programmes.
The key event of the day was held at Dechhen Chholing Gumpa (Tamang
Gumpa) in Gangtok, where apart from devotees, a large number of school
students participated in the rally. Similarly in Jorethang, a rally was
held and prayers conducted at Jhyangchop Choling Gumpa in Daragaon.(EOIC)