[ Prem Chetry ]
BOMDILA, 3 Jul: The Grand Buddhist Dharma procession arrived at Buddha Peace Park here in West Kameng district on Friday.
The event is a part of the year-long ‘Year of Compassion’ celebrations dedicated to the 90th birth anniversary of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama.
Organised by the Monyul Sherab Sangpo Society (MSSS), the procession began on Wednesday from the seven-century-old Lhagyala monastery, the birthplace of the legendary queen Khandro Drowa Sangmo.
Devotees dressed in traditional attire welcomed the procession, which carried a statue of the 14th Dalai Lama. The gathering also joined in mass prayers,seeking his longevity and well-being.
The objectives of the procession are to promote the universal guiding principles of the Dalai Lama, including compassion, peace, environmental conservation, and universal brotherhood, MSSS president Geshe Thupten Kunphen said.
He further said that Bhoti is the language of the community’s spiritual values, and that its promotion and adoption in daily life are of great significance.
Meanwhile, Thrizino-Buragaon MLA Tenzin Nyima Glow appealed to the people of the district to celebrate the Dalai Lama’s 91st birth anniversary in their respective areas and offer prayers for his long life while promoting the message of peace and harmony.
The procession will pass through Kalaktang, Rupa, Bomdila, Dirang, Sela, Jang, Lhou, Lumla, Gorsam Chorten in Zemithang, and Urgelling monastery, the birthplace of the Sixth Dalai Lama, Tsangyang Gyatso, covering more than 250 km, before culminating in Tawang on 12 July.
The procession will also traverse part of the route taken by the Dalai Lama during his historic journey to India while escaping Tibet in 1959.
“At every stopover, devotees will offer special prayers for the good health, long life, and continued guidance of His Holiness, whom they revere as a living Buddha,” the organisers said.
West Kameng ZPC Phurba Droima, ADC (HQ) Ashok Tajo, SP Dr DW Thongon, and Bomdila Buddhist Society secretary Dr Dechin Droka also attended the event.
