A special peace prayer program was held at Lumbini, the birthplace of Lord Buddha, on Friday, as concern grows nationwide over recent unrest linked to breakdowns in social harmony.
Peace Prayer Organized at Buddha’s Birthplace at Lumbini
The event was organized to convey a message of social harmony, tolerance, mutual brotherhood, and lasting peace, amid a backdrop of tension that has seen curfews imposed in several districts of Madhesh Province, including Janakpurdham and Rajbiraj, and a security incident in Siraha in which a police assistant constable was injured by gunfire.
Call for Harmony Amid Rising Unrest
According to the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, the prayer assembly also served as a solemn tribute to those who lost their lives in activities directed against social harmony in recent days. Participants offered floral and spiritual homage to the departed souls as part of the ceremony.
Tribute Paid to Victims of Violence at Lumbini
The gathering brought together respected Buddhist monks and nuns (guru-gurumas) alongside representatives of civil society, united in the shared purpose of spreading a message of peace and brotherhood from one of the world’s most sacred pilgrimage sites.
Religious Leaders and Civil Society Unite
As part of the observance, participants lit ceremonial lamps and performed traditional religious readings and rituals, praying for the swift restoration of peace and stability across the country. The event echoes a similar ceremony held earlier in the week at Lumbini’s Mayadevi Temple, where monks from both the Theravada and Mahayana traditions performed protective chanting rites, with one monk describing the country’s current situation as difficult.
Traditional Buddhist Rituals for National Peace
Following the prayer program, the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation issued an appeal calling on all citizens to unite in preserving peace, tolerance, and harmony nationwide. The appeal comes as political parties and civic groups elsewhere in the country have also moved to respond to the unrest, with the Nepali Congress vowing action against leaders and activists who disrupt social harmony, and a similar peace rally reportedly planned in Chitwan.
Government Calls for Unity and Social Harmony
Officials say Lumbini’s symbolic role as a global centre of peace makes it a fitting venue for such appeals, as the country navigates a period of heightened social and political tension.
