President Ramchandra Paudel and First Lady Sabita Paudel (wife of President) visited Boudhanath Stupa this morning to offer special prayers and pay homage to Lord Gautam Buddha on the auspicious occasion of the 2,569th Buddha Jayanti. The President performed a circumambulation (parikrama) of the Great Stupa and observed the sacred Astudhatu (holy relics) of the Buddha, symbolizing deep spiritual respect and national recognition of the occasion.
Thousands of devotees had gathered from early morning at Boudhanath, one of Nepal’s most revered Buddhist pilgrimage sites and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, to mark this sacred festival. This year, in a rare and spiritually significant event, devotees were granted the opportunity to witness the holy relics of Gautam Buddha, Kasyapa Buddha, and the Swoyambhu Mahachaitya – all displayed together for public veneration.
According to the Shree Boudhanath and Melamchi Ghyang Guthi, the organizers of the Buddha Jayanti ceremonies, meticulous arrangements were made for the display of these rare relics. The public relic display is one of the most spiritually significant moments of the annual celebration, drawing thousands of Buddhists and visitors alike to Boudhanath from across Nepal and abroad.
President Paudel
Adding to the grandeur of the celebration, a ceremonial procession (Shobha Yatra) is being organized today. This spiritual parade will include the ancient statue of Lord Buddha and the holy relics, accompanied by chanting, traditional music, and Buddhist monastics, showcasing Nepal’s rich cultural heritage. The event will be carried out under the banner “My Birth is for Others,” emphasizing the Buddha’s eternal message of compassion, peace, and service to humanity.
Chairperson of the Ghyang Guthi, Chinese Lama Bhupati Bajra Lama, shared with the national news agency (RSS) that the relic procession and accompanying Peace and Welfare March aim to spread the limitless wisdom, compassion, and teachings of Lord Buddha throughout the world. “This celebration is not just a religious event, but a spiritual message to humanity, and a way to promote Nepal globally as the land of the Buddha,” Lama said.
Buddha Jayanti, also known as Baishakh Shukla Purnima, is observed annually in Nepal to commemorate the birth, enlightenment, and passing (Parinirvana) of Siddhartha Gautam Buddha, all of which are believed to have taken place on the same lunar day. Major spiritual centers like Lumbini, Kapilvastu, Boudha, Swayambhu, and Namo Buddha celebrate this day with vibrant processions, prayers, cultural performances, and international participation.
With dignitaries, religious leaders, devotees, and pilgrims from different parts of the world joining today’s celebrations, Buddha Jayanti once again affirms Nepal’s spiritual significance and its central role in preserving and promoting Buddhist heritage said Mr. President.
