Ladakh a ‘living land of Dhamma’, Buddha’s message of compassion even more relevant today: Amit Shah | India News
Amit Shah Thousands of Buddhists are led on Friday to celebrate the return of Lord Buddha’s body to what he calls “the living land of the Dhamma.”As the relics of the holy bones returned to Ladakh after 1950, the city of Leh wore a festive look, and men, women and children – dressed in traditional attire – poured into ‘Jivetsal’ from all over the UT to witness the auspicious event, which was marked by prayers and rituals.Speaking at the inauguration of the fortnight-long exhibition of the sacred Piprahwa relics, Shah said their return to Ladakh after 75 years was a “historic reunion”.The celebrations are expected to reinforce India’s credentials as the birthplace of Lord Buddha and Buddhism – something that, despite being rooted in irrefutable facts, has been sought to be questioned by few.Shah recalled the Dalai Lama’s statement in his speech that Ladakh is not just a geographical entity but a living laboratory of Buddhist culture and compassion. He also said that the message propagated by Indian civilization for thousands of years has become even more relevant today as it shows that only peace and compassion can lead to solutions “in the midst of instability and conflict”.Festive mood in the city Buddha Purnima The state issue offers a stark contrast to the violence that erupted last year.The 2569th Buddha Purnima is not only an “important religious occasion” but also a “historical reunion” as the Tathagata Buddha returned to Ladakh through these relics after so many years, Shah said.The minister said he agreed with Ladakh Buddhist Association president Tsering Dorje Lakruk’s comments that when the ruins came in the 1950s, few people would have been able to pay respects to the ruins because of the inaccessible terrain and lack of infrastructure at that time.“However, today after 75 years when these relics arrive, I fully believe that Buddhists of Leh and Kargil and people of other faiths will also be able to pay their respects,” Shah said.Over the years, several countries including Thailand, Mongolia, Vietnam, Russia, Singapore, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, and Myanmar have displayed the Piparahwa Restless Relic of Lord Buddha, attracting worldwide attention and devotion.Artifacts related to the Piprahwa Stupa at Kapilvastu (in present-day UP), the birthplace of Lord Shakyamuni Buddha’s Shakya dynasty, were excavated by William Claxton Pepe in 1898. Sacred relics serve as profound symbols of the Buddha’s living presence and his universal teachings.Speaking on the theme of the exhibition, Ladakh LG VK Saxena said that when the world is surrounded by unrest and ideological conflicts, this program is most relevant and timely.LBA president Tsering Dorje said that people have been in a festive mood by what they have seen in nature since the rainbow-like ruins atop the Spituk Monastery reached Leh.
