The second 'International Festival of Buddhist Heritage of Ladakh' is scheduled to be held for three days in Leh from 16th September. The festival is being organised by Mahabodhi International Meditation Centre (MIMC) in collaboration with Nava Nalanda Maha Vihara Nalanda (Bihar) and is supported by the Ministry of Tourism, Government of Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC) Leh and the All Ladakh Gonpa Association. 

 

The Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare, Ghulam Nabi Azad will inaugurate the festival on 16th September in presence of Tourism Minister, G.A Mir, Urban Development Minister, Nawang Rigzin Jora and Chairman LAHDC, Leh, Rigzin Spalbar besides a large number of delegates from across the globe.

Founder President MIMC and Chairman Festival Organising Committee, Bhikkhu Sanghasena said this while addressing a press conference at Mahabohi Campus on 5th September. "More than 160 scholars and delegates from various countries are expected to attend this mega festival. Guests from Australia, Cambodia, Germany, Italy, Japan, Myanmar, Singapore, Srilanka, Thailand, Taiwan, USA, Vietnam, and Nepal and from different parts of the country are expected to take part in the festival. The largest contingent of 36 members headed by Dr. Victor Wee will be from Malaysia," Sanghasena said adding that during the three-day long festival, Buddhist scholars and meditation and Yoga Gurus will showcase their ethnic tradition. Talking about the aims and objectives of this festival, Bhikkhu Sanghasena said that one of the aims of the festival is to promote Ladakh as a cultural and spiritual destination for tourists across the globe. The festival will also include a Buddhist Film Festival, Book Fare, Ladakhi Cultural Programmes and Buddhist Meditation and Yoga, he added.

As a part of the festival a daylong seminar will be held at the Assembly Hall of All Ladakh Gonpa Association wherein six Ladakhi experts will present papers on endorsement Sutra and Tantra traditions of Buddhism by the Lamas of Ladakh, upholding the purity of Sangha (community) in the Gonpas, maintaining of triple vows of Theravada, Mahayana and Vajrayana Buddhism in practice and theory, importance of threefold precepts of Shila (morality), Samadhi (meditation) and prayaja (wisdom), also highlighting Language, being the root of the culture and current position of Sangha community in Ladakh its problems and solutions.

According to Bhikkhu Sanghasena, the first International Festival of Buddhist Heritage of Ladakh held last year at MIMC Campus was a grand success and delegates from different countries and as well as from India on the valedictory function unanimously declared to make the event an annual feature.