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"Honour for India to participate in Global Peace Prayer Festival," says India's Ambassador to Bhutan

Thimphu [Bhutan], November 11 (ANI): India's Ambassador to Bhutan, Sandeep Arya said that the Global Peace Prayer Festival is an unprecedented event in the past from the past history of Bhutan. Arya, while speaking to ANI, said that it is an honour for India to participate in this peace festival. "There are two aspects to the significance of the visit. One is the it's a very, very special time at which the visit is taking place. There is something called Global Peace Prayer Festival, which Bhutan says is an unprecedented event in the past from the history of Bhutan. So that festival is going on right now. And that festival has a series of rounds of prayers and rituals which are going on over these 14 days or so, praying for world peace and happiness," he said. He further said that the event will witness the participation of several Bhutanese people. "So Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi will also be participating in the Peace Prayer Festival along with the Bhutanese leaders. So I think it's a matter of participation in that together with the Peace Prayer Festival. It is the birthday celebration, the 70th birthday of His Majesty, the fourth King of Bhutan, who was in charge of affairs here between 1972 and 2006. So 34 years, who has been, I think, a very widely respected figure and there is going to be a public function, a large function with participation of large number of Bhutanese," he said. He highlighted that the relics of Lord Buddha brought from India is a significant step. "So Prime Minister's participation in that festival is also a matter of an honour for India to participate in something which is so special for the country in which an Indian leader is participating. And we have the visit of the relics of Lord Buddha, which have been brought specially for at this time, which is a very significant time, which will be there for public veneration and exposition at one of the most prestigious halls in the city of Thimphu. So all of that, the entire environment right now in Bhutan, as you would see, I think is a very special environment, very celebratory environment, also a very solemn and very auspicious occasion," he said. Arya said that both leaders will take stock of the bilateral relations between both the countries. "Together with that, think since the leaders will be meeting, they will also be looking at the relations between the two countries and different aspects of the progress and development of these relations and reach decisions which will be helpful for taking forward the relationship and cooperation in different areas between the two countries," he said. Arya said that PM Modi will participate in the functions and then will inaugurate hydropower project in Bhutan. "So one is the public celebrations which will be taking place for the 70th birth anniversary of the fourth King of Bhutan. So Prime Minister will be participating in that function. He will have bilateral talks with the King of Bhutan. He will also be meeting and interacting with the Prime Minister of Bhutan. He will participate in the inauguration, the joint inauguration with Bhutan for 1,020 megawatts, which is a fairly large hydropower plant called Punatsangchhu-II," he said. Arya further said that Bhutan's Royal family will also host a banquet in honour of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. "So those are the main activities. There will be a couple of other formal functions which we will know the details tomorrow, including a banquet in honor of the Prime Minister, which will be hosted by the Royal Family," he said. Arya then pointed that Buddhism is an extremely spiritual religion. "So Buddhism is something which is very deep in the belief system and in the faith. In Bhutan people are very highly religious, very spiritually oriented, which is I think a very striking factor which is visible all around," he said. Arya further said that the Bhutanese regard India as an important place, as a land of Buddha. "So I think as and of course, therefore the belief system is rooted in the thoughts and teachings and what we call four noble truths and eightfold path by Lord Buddha. Buddhism, therefore serves as a very important connection because India is seen as land of Buddha where Lord Buddha spent most of his time, received enlightenment, gave sermons and many other sites connected to them. Lots of Bhutanese pilgrims already go, I think tens of thousands of people go every year. So this is something which connects really the countries in a very, very close manner," he said. Arya then told ANI that the relics of Lord Buddha are very sacred. "Therefore, holy relics of Lord Buddha are considered very, sacred by all Buddhists because they are what in Hindi we call Sharir Dhatu, or actually kind of body relics of Lord Buddha, which are very sacred. They are kept in the National Museum in Delhi. They have been brought for these 10 days for public veneration in Bhutan," he said. "So it happening at a time in a country where the faith and belief system is so closely, I think so respectful. And so I think it's a way for people of Bhutan to be able to also pay their respect, their regard and pray to the relics of Lord Buddha," he said. The festival aims to strengthen deep connect between both the nations. "And I think in the process also know a little more about the Buddhist connections between the two countries. And I think it will strengthen that deep connect between the people. And of course, Prime Minister and the royal family they will also be visiting their relics and I think therefore at the level of the leadership, at the level of the government, at the level of the people, I think it will really bring us closer in all those forms," he said. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will pay a State visit to Bhutan from November 11-12. During the visit, PM Modi will also participate in the Global Peace Prayer Festival organised by the Royal Government of Bhutan. (ANI)

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