The 2566^th Buddha Jayanti was celebrated with great enthusiasm and religious fervour on May 16 at Pologround, Leh.  His Holiness Chetsang Rinpoche was the chief guest of the occasion.

Buddha Jayanti falls on the full moon  day, 15th of the Fourth month of the Tibetan Buddhist calendar  which is known as the Saga dawa dus chen  and is the most auspicious day for the entire Buddhist community. The day celebrates Buddha Shakyamuni’s birth, enlightenment and parinirvana. Buddha was born in Lumbini and attained enlightenment under the Bodhi tree in Bodh Gaya. He preached his first sermon or turned the wheel of Dharma in Deer park, Benaras (Sarnath). 

Religious procession “Bhumskor” was carried from Chowkhang Vihara past Namgyal Tsemo and culminated at Polo ground.  

His Holiness Chetsang Rinpoche thanked everyone for inviting him and extended greetings to everyone. He spoke about the interdependence "if this exists, that exists; if this ceases to exist, that also ceases to exist". The basic principle is that all things arise in dependence upon other things.

His Holiness spoke relevance of Buddha’s teaching in today’s world and advised everyone to follow his teachings for world peace. He said that today world is suffering from war, pandemics etc. and people should be more compassionate and do social work to benefit all sentient beings.

His Eminence Thuksey Rinpoche; CEC, LAHDC Leh Tashi Gyalson; MP, Ladakh, Jamyang Tsering Namgyal; Executive Councillors, LAHDC Leh- Tashi Namgyal Yakzee and Ghulam Mehdi; President, Ladakh Gonpa Association, Ven Shedup Chamba and many other dignitaries were present.

LG Mathur greeted everyone on the occasion of Buddha Purnima and appreciated LBA for organising the event. He expressed pleasure at seeing the participation of the public and school students in large numbers after the Covid-19 pandemic.

He also remembered Dr BR Ambedkar, the Father of the Indian Constitution who followed Buddhism, for integrating the values of Buddhism into the Indian Constitution and playing a pivotal role in establishing world peace and harmony.

LG Mathur informed about various proposed initiatives by the Administration along with Hill Council, Leh such as drinking water, toilets and parking facilities at monasteries. He also informed about the plans to set up museums at monasteries such as Phyang and Spituk. He shared about efforts being made to plant juniper trees in monasteries in Ladakh for their usage in various religious rituals. He further shared that the objective of the juniper plantation drive is to increase green cover and develop a sacred grove in the monasteries.

LG Mathur shared the plan to plant 1.5 lakh saplings in Chushul this year in collaboration with Go Green, Go Organic- an organisation mentored by HH Chetsang Rinpoche to preserve the fragile Himalayan environment.

He also appreciated HE Thiksey Rinpoche and LBA President Thupstan Chhewang for inviting HH Dalai Lama to Ladakh.

LBA President Thupstan Chhewang said, “After UT status, the Buddha Jayanti celebration was lowkey for two years because of COVID pandemic and today it gives an immense joy to celebrate the day together on a mega scale.”

Cash prize and certificates were also presented to the winners of the mass essay writing competition which was held on Dr. B R Ambedkar birth anniversary. 

School students performed dances, participated in Buddhist debate, speeches on life of the Buddha and his teachings.

The final words of Lord Buddha were, "Come now, dear monks. I bid you farewell. Compounds are subject to dissolution. Prosper through diligence and work out your salvation". Shakyamuni Buddha attained parinirvana in 483 BCE at Kushinagar, India.