Buddha Jayanti to be marked after two years

By Narad Kohar

Taulihawa, Apr. 25: Preparations have begun to mark the 2566th Buddha Jayanti and Lumbini Day in Lumbini on May 16.

According to the Lumbini Development Trust, Buddha Jayanti and Lumbini Day, which were suspended for two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic, will be marked by organising various programmes this year.

Gautam Buddha received enlightenment on the same day of his birthday on the full moon day of Baisakh Shukla Purnima and this day is considered an important day in the name of Trisamyoga Day by the Buddhists.

Ram Naresh Prasad Kohar, the executive member of the Lumbini Development Trust, said that a special programme will be held for three days on the occasion of the Buddha Jayanti at Lumbini in Rupandehi and Tilaurakot in Kapilvastu. 

A public holiday has been observed in the United Nations since 2002 on the Buddha Jayanti. Apart from that, the number of tourists has also started increasing in the Tilaurakot Durbar area where Buddha spent 29 years of his life. According to Kohar, a special programme will be held at Ramgram of Nawalparasi on May 15. A special Buddha Jayanti celebration will be held in Lumbini on May 16. 

President Bidya Devi Bhandari and Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba are scheduled to be invited to the main ceremony to be held in Lumbini. 

Member Secretary of the Lumbini Development Trust Sanu Raja Shakya said that preparations have been started by forming various sub-committees to celebrate the Buddha Jayanti and Lumbini Day. He said that this time the programme will be special as Buddha Jayanti was not celebrated for two years because of the COVID-19 pandemic.