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Buddhists pray in Bodh Gaya for world peace
by Surya Pratap Singh

      Bodh Gaya: A group of Buddhist monks in Bodh Gaya conducted prayers for the world peace in a special annual ceremony, which was attended by about 100 visiting Buddhist devotees from Thailand on Sunday. Monks chanted Mantras to seek peace across the world at the ceremony called 'Kathin Cheeva Daan'. The occasion also drew attraction of the devotees when monks created a tall Lord Buddha statue in just 12 hours time from dawn to dusk. "According to our religion, once in a year during this period we are supposed to come here at Bodhgaya. This year we have made an idol of Lord Gautam Buddha, and we will be praying for world peace too," said Paulsilpa Rattnachudech, a lecturer in Buddhist university, Thailand. Devotees from Thailand come to Bodhgaya during 'Chaturmas' a period that last four months when the monks camp at one place and rarely step out of their monastery. "All Buddhist monks from world over gather at Bodhgaya during this period. We come here and meditate and seek for the blessing of Lord Gautam Buddha," said Payap Shinawatra, a Buddhist from Thailand. Bodhgaya is one of the important pilgrim centres for the Buddhists. It is a place where Gautam Buddha attained salvation, and since then it has become a sacred place for the Buddhists from all over the world. During this period all the devotees donate food, clothes and other useful things to these monks. And the local residents organise a special ceremony for monks.
- Nov 3, 2008