Kalimpong,13 May: The 17th Gyalwa Karmapa Trinley Thaye Dorje arrived at Kalimpong on 13th May from Bagdogra airport mainly to attend the three day long Buddha Purnima Festival to be observed here at Diwakar Buddhist Institute from the 15th May. Karmapa was warmly welcomed by his followers thronged from different states of India and also from neighbouring countries. A large number of Indian and foreign devotees of Buddhism are expected to gather at the centre during this period when Karmapa is scheduled to preach and teach his disciples. According to available information the organising committee has also planned to hold a mass rally of the Buddhist followers on 17th May at the town which would be a kind of its own in terms of its significance.
The main attraction of the three day long programme would be the offering of blessing by the Karmapa to his devotees and a debate competition between the students of Diwakara Buddhist Institute, Kalimpong and Vikrama Shila Buddhist Institute, Pokhra, Nepal.
The other programme include praise to Buddha and the Sixteen Arhats, Manjushree Puja, Aspiration Prayers (Monlam), Teachings by Karmapa, Mahakala Puja, Graduation ceremony of second generation students, symbolic reading of the holy Kagyur, initiation of Buddha Amitayus by Karmapa and mandala offering to him by first generation graduates etc.
It may be mentioned that the Buddhist monasteries and learning institutes located in Kalimpong town have been playing a vital role in making the area a destination of religious tourism since last few years as most of the foreigners have started to visit these centres for variety of purposes. This has been boosting up the economy of the locality also.
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