Meeting with the Chief Minister of Bihar, Lyonchhoen Jigmi Y. Thinley requested the Bihar government to give a plot of land in Rajgir, about 3 acres, to build a temple, an area for meditation and a rest house for Bhutanese. The Chief Minister, Nitish Kumar expressed an assurance and said that they have already asked designated officials to identify the land.
Lyonchhoen informed the Chief Minister that the number of Bhutanese visiting the holy destination through annual pilgrimage is increasing by around 20 percent annually. He said that thousands of Bhutanese visit Rajgir to take a dip in the hot spring.
“Bihar is an important place, in the spiritual point of view, not just for Bhutanese people but for a growing number of Buddhist people all over the world,†Lyonchhoen said, adding that he appreciates the way in which the Chief Minister has provided patronage and support for the rich cultural heritage.
Congratulating Lyonchhoen on becoming the president of the Mahabodhi Society of India, the Chief Minister also asked Lyonchhoen to appoint a designated Bhutanese person to look into the matter.
During their meeting, Lyonchhoen urged the Chief Minister to work together with the Mahabodhi society to make Bodhgaya and its rich cultural heritage accessible to everyone. “We must be more active and make teachings of dharma more accessible to people by not being evangelical and unethical,†Lyonchhoen said.
The Chief Minister said that the though Bodhgaya is well connected through the train routes, the domestic flights services will also increase alongside the expansion of the runway. “A new airport will also come up in due course of time,†he said.
The two leaders also discussed to establish additional flights to Bodhgaya and increase the frequency of these flights.
“We are very grateful for the support and care that Bihar government has provided not just to the Bhutanese but also those from all over the country,†Lyonchhoen said.