'Peace bell' installed in Lumbini Minister Kirati hails Nepal, SKorea ties

By Laxman Paudel,Bhairahawa, Nov. 30: A South Korean religious leader has installed a 'peace bell' in Lumbini, the birthplace of Gautam Buddha. Buddhist monk Sanmuk Heja and his team have installed a one-and-a-half-tonne bell at the Korea-Nepal Friendship Peace Park.

The bell was inaugurated on Wednesday amidst a prayer programme organised by the 108 Buddha Society Pilgrimage Prayer Group and the Nepal Lumbini Development Committee. 

Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Sudan Kirati inaugurated the bell by ringing it.

Speaking after the inauguration, Minister Kirati hoped that the bell would serve to spread a message of peace across the world. 

He also said that the bell would strengthen the harmonious relationship between the people of Nepal and South Korea. "Nepal and Korea have a relationship as old as history, as deep as the oceans and as tall as the mountains," Kirati, who is also the chairman of the Lumbini Development Trust (LDT), said. 

"Korea has given Nepalis employment and Nepalis have given Korea their sweat," he spoke of the relations maintained by the two nations, expecting Koreans to help promote Lumbini in their country.

He requested the Buddhist monks, nuns and worshippers who came to Nepal to observe the installation of the bell to encourage the people of their country to visit Lumbini. He said, "Please, start a campaign and encourage everyone to come to Lumbini with their families," he asked.

Minister Kirati expressed concern at the fact that, despite giving birth to Lord Buddha, Mayadevi was not discussed as prominently and called for the construction of a modern maternity hospital to spread her name. "We need to build a Mayadevi Maternity Hospital for mothers to give birth to children like the Buddha," he said, appealing to the global Buddhist community to extend support for it.

LDT Member Secretary Sanuraja Shakya presented a message on behalf of the Trust's Vice Chairman Dr. Lharkyal Lama and thanked Sanmuk Heja and all Buddhists of South Korea for constructing, installing and unveiling the bell. He said that the 'peace bell' should inspire everyone to follow Buddhist's teaching and help end conflicts and establish peace in the world.

Sanmuk Heja also spoke on the occasion and said that the ringing of the bell echoed the sound of the Buddha and the Boddhisattva. "This bell, ringing from the birthplace of the Buddha, will provide courage and strength to seekers who have not yet attained enlightenment and will soothe the sufferings of the creatures of this world," he said.