Excelsior Correspondent
LEH, June 27: As many as 185 monks and nuns from Thailand participated in the 3rd `Pad Yatra’ (march of foot) in Leh to spread the message of peace, love and communal harmony.
People of Ladakh accorded a grand reception to these monks, nuns and laypersons from Thailand, who reached Leh on Tuesday after completing a month-long ‘Pad Yatra’ (peace march) from Bodh Gaya via Dharamsala where the Sangha members had an audience with The Dalai Lama before they undertook the yatra towards Ladakh.
The yatra was led by Lord Abbot of Royal Thai Temple, Singburi province in Thailand Phrateppariyattisuthi Thongsuk and organized in association with Mahabodhi International Meditation Centre (MIMC) Leh Ladakh.
Thai Ambassador to India Chutintorn Gongsakdi and other dignitaries received the Sangha members at Shey village. As the Pad Yatra reached Mahabodhi Campus, a grand traditional reception was accorded by the people of Ladakh in honor of the Sangha members who successfully completed the Pad Yatra from Bodh Gaya to Ladakh for world peace.
This is for 3rd time that the ‘Pad Yatra’ is taking place consecutively since 2016. The yatra started after offering prayers at the holy shrine of the sacred Bodhgaya Temple.
“Besides sending a strong message for world peace, this historic ‘Pad Yatra’, has also strengthened the spiritual and cultural relationship between the people of Ladakh and Thailand, and diplomatic relations between the two great nations, India and Thailand,” said Founder-President MIMC Bhikkhu Sanghasena.
Sanghasena informed that one of the main objectives of MIMC has been to promote Ladakh as a spiritual and tourist destination among the South East Asian countries and as a result of the historic Pad Yatra and the series of International Festival of Buddhist Heritage of Ladakh, number of tourists to Ladakh from Thailand is increasing year after year.
Executive Councilor LAHDC, Gyal P. Wangyal, president Ladakh Gonpa Association Gelong Shatup Champa, Nyanabodhi and ‘Delegations from Buddha Haus, vice president Ladakh Buddhists Association (LBA) P T Kunzang, vice president Anjuman-Mon-Ul Islam Dr Noor besides many senior religious and political leaders received the Pad Yatra team members.
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