41st Shakya Monlam concludes in Lumbini [In Pictures]

LUMBINI: The 33rd Shakya Monlam held at Lumbini, the birthplace of Buddha, concluded on Tuesday.

During the 10-day ritual, nearly 7,000 monks, nuns, and Buddha’s followers prayed for world peace and the welfare of all beings.

This annual ritual, which was conducted in Lumbini for 25 years, resumed after an eight-year hiatus on December 8. It was organized in the initiation of the Lumbini Development Trust (LDT) in the presence of the 41st Sakya Gongma Trichen Rinpoche.

The ritual, which is considered the world’s largest Sakya Monlam, created a deeply spiritual atmosphere in Lumbini. Dr. Lharkyal Lama, the vice chairperson of the LTD, expressed pride in hosting the event. “Thousands of monks, devotees and spiritual leaders gathered in Lumbini under the guidance of Sakya Trichen Rinpoche,” Dr Lama said, urging all to support the continuation of this tradition.

According to Shyam Rokaya, an executive member of the LDT, the event has significantly boosted the local economy, with hotels in Lumbini and Bhairahawa operating at full capacity.