Buddhist monks offer prayer for universal peace in Sikkim India News and Travel Times Provides India-centric and other News and Features

Hundreds of Buddhist monks and devotees have converged at the altar of Guru Padmasambhava at Samdruptse in Sikkim to offer mass collective prayers for universal peace during the ongoing 12-day long spiritual event. The Vajra Guru Dhungrup (recitation of 12 crore vajra guru mantra) began on Tuesday at Samdruptse, around four kilometres in Namchi district, where 135 feet tall statue of Lord Padmasambhava, believed to be the biggest of its kind in the world, is located. Organised by the Guru Padma Sambhava Society of Namchi, the 12 day long spiritual event include invocation of 120 million Vajra Guru Mantra (hymns devoted to Lord Padmasambhava). This is the third year that the Guru Padma Sambhava Society has organised the event. Pema Tshering, a Buddhist monk said that the prayer and chanting of religious hymns is to invoke blessing for the cause of universal peace and prosperity and welfare of all sentient beings. "This religious festival is organised by the Guru Padma Sambhava Society. This mantra is to invocate for the welfare of all the sentient beings and during this Dusshera Puja, thousands of animals are slaughtered all over the world. So for the salvation of these animals and birds, we invocate these mantra and for the welfare and prosperity of all the sentient beings," said Pema Tshering, a Buddhist monk. Apart from Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, West Bengal and Assam, monks and devotees from Bhutan and Nepal are also participating in the event. "At present, we have 300 monks and 300 civilians and by the time the Puja finishes we expect a turnout of more than 1000 people and this Puja is being conducted for the last three years successfully with the help of the government of Sikkim," said Buddha Tshering Tamang, General Secretary, Guru Padma Sambhava Society, Namchi. The newly erected statue of Guru Padmasambhava at Samdruptse is not only a centre of pilgrimage but also a popular tourist destination. Guru Padmasambhava is revered, as second Buddha in Sikkim, a state largely dominated by Buddhist population.