LUMBINI: The Buddha Jayanti celebration and the third edition of the International Buddhist Conference scheduled to be held at Lumbini from May 6 to 8 have been postponed due to the risk of COVID-19.
Buddha Jayanti, also known as Buddha Purnima, falls on Baisakh Sukla Purnima as per the lunar calendar which is a full moon day. This year the day falls on May 7 and it is 2565th Buddha Jayanti.
According to Lumbini Development Trust’s Saroj Bhattarai, all the events that were going to be organized on the occasion of Buddha Jayanti have been called off until further notice. The move has been taken after the directives of the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation.
The Ministry issued a circular asking all the concerned agencies to postpone all the events in view of the outbreak of COVID-19 all over the world including Nepal, informed Bhattarai.
Traditional lamps will be lit in the Mayadevi Temple premises from May 6 to May 8 maintaining physical distance, according to Bhattarai. He added, “The monks and the nuns of the monasteries in Lumbini will offer prayers and pray for the world peace on Buddha Jayanti.”
The International Buddhist Conference which was likely to receive participants from 21 countries has been called off too.
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