Leh : Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday said that Ladakh is not just a geographical region but a "living laboratory" of Buddhist culture and compassion. He highlighted that India's civilisation has long promoted the message of peace and that knowledge and cultural traditions have been preserved in the region for centuries.
While addressing the Holy Relics Exposition and Cultural Ceremony on Buddha Purnima in Leh, Shah said, "...When the Dalai Lama comes here, he says that this land is not merely a geographical land. This land is a living laboratory of Buddhist culture and compassion. On this land, knowledge has been preserved... India's civilisation has been conveying the message of peace for thousands of years."
Shah said that this year's Buddha Purnima has gained special importance as sacred Buddhist relics have returned to Ladakh after 75 years. He noted that earlier, due to poor connectivity and lack of roads in the mountainous region, very few people were able to see or experience these relics.
"In a way, the significance of today's Buddha Purnima has increased greatly. After 75 years, these sacred relics have arrived in Ladakh. When these relics came here 75 years ago, very few people were able to have their sacred viewing, experience their spiritual energy, or receive the message of Lord Buddha," he said
He added that with their return on the occasion of Vaishakh Purnima, people of Ladakh, Kargil, and other communities will be able to draw spiritual and divine inspiration from them. "At that time, these were difficult mountainous regions with no proper means of transport. There were no roads or accessible routes. Now, after 75 years, on the auspicious occasion of Vaishakh Purnima, when these relics have arrived again, I firmly believe that all followers of Buddhism in Ladakh and Kargil, as well as people of other faiths, will draw spiritual energy from these sacred relics and experience a sense of divinity," Shah further said.
Buddha Purnima marks the birth of Gautam Buddha, the founder of Buddhism. It is also known as Vesak. Buddha, regarded as the ninth incarnation of Lord Vishnu, was born on Shukla Purnima of Baisakh month in the lunar calendar. There is a coincidence that the dates (lunar calendar) the Buddha was born, attained wisdom, and Mahaparinirva (passing away) fall on the same. Buddha was born in the royal family of King Suddhodhan and Queen Mayadevi, who had left his palace at the age of 29 for penance. He is also regarded as the 'Light of Asia.'