Spiritual gatherings bring Lumbini back to life

The steady chanting of sacred prayers fills the air. More than a thousand Buddha statues stand nearby as people dressed in yellow and saffron robes pray together. Theravada and Mahayana Buddhists take turns reciting religious texts, which are translated into seven languages for participants.

Large groups of monks, nuns, novice nuns and Buddhist teachers can be seen along its roads, accompanied by equally large numbers of lay devotees. After four to five years of relative quiet, the birthplace of Buddha is once again bustling with visitors. A series of major spiritual gatherings has filled Lumbini with prayers and chants for world peace.

The large-scale assemblies have also helped reaffirm Nepal’s place as a source of peace for the world, said Bhikkhu Siri Bajir, an assistant professor at Lumbini Buddhist University. Nepal’s novice nuns held the eighth World Peace Monlam Prayer from October 30 to November 1, with 100 participants. The event was organised by the Nepal Buddhist Lotus Sramaneri Association.