Japan will continue to participate in Shanti Stupa ceremony at Rajgir, despite severely hit by earthquake earlier this year.Rajgir Shanti Stupa Anniversary ceremony is the annual pilgrimage of Japanese and has been taking place for over 4 decades.This year it will take place on Octobe 25.
Mr. Atsuhiro Horiuchi, Chairman of the board of directors of CGC companies of Japan and vice-chairman of Rajgir Buddha Vihar Society confirmed this event.
Bihar CM Sri Nitish Kumar will be inaugurating this peace and prayer ceremony, which has been dedicated to the disaster-affected people of Japan.
More than 80 Japanese delegates have confirmed their participation. Besides Rajgir Shanti Stupa, they will visit the Mahabodhi Mahavihar, Bodh Gaya. On October 26, the Diwali day, Atsuhiro with wife Taeko will be praying at Patna’s Buddha Smriti Park, which houses the sacred relics of Lord Buddha from six nations. Later, they plan to visit the place of Buddha’s Mahaparinirvana, Kushinagar, and Sravasti in UP.
With the beating of OTAIKO (a hand drum), the celebrations will begin on October 25 morning atop Ratnagiri Hill, facing holy Grddhakuta Hill, where Lord Buddha preached the sacred ‘Lotus Sutra’ (Saddhanrmapundarika Sutra) for eight years.