Annual “Sanchi Mahabodhi Mahotsava” thousands of devotees thronged relic exposition

The annual “Sanchi Mahabodhi Mahotsava” at the Sanchi Chetiyagiri temple in Madhya Pradesh, India was held on November 25 and 26 in a grand manner with the participation of thousands of devotees.

The Sanchi Mahotsava organized jointly by the Government of Madhya Pradesh and the Mahabodhi Association is considered to be the largest Buddhist religious festival held in the Madhya Pradesh of India. The annual Sanchi festival was held for the 71st time this year.

Thousands of Buddhists and non-Buddhists flock to the Sanchi festive site every year to watch thanchi Mahotsava and worship the relics, centred on the Sanchi Chetiyagiri Vihara.

This year too, the Sanchi area as well as the surrounding roads was full of people throughout the two days of the festival.

The relic exposition of Ven. Sariputra and Mahamoggallana (Agrashrawaka) was started by President of the Sri Lanka Maha Bodhi Society, Chief Sanghanayaka of Japan and Sanchi Chethiyagiri Viharaya Ven. Banagala Upatissa Nayaka Thera. Madhya Pradesh Director General of Police Anuradha Shankar Singh also participated in the event.

Arvind Kumar Dubey, Chief Administrative Officer (Collector) of Raison District also joined the occasion. General Secretary of the Sri Lanka Mahabodhi Association President’s Councillor Dilshan Jayasuriya and Asian Media and Cultural Association (AMCA) Chairman Upul Janaka Jayasinghe also participated.

“The event is an opportunity for the world Buddhists to worship the relics of the great Agrashrawaka only once a year.

The Sanchi Mahabodhi Mahothsawaya is held on the last Saturday and Sunday of November every year since 1952 at the request of the late Prime Minister of India, Shri Jajablal Nehru,” Ven Banagala Wimalatissa Thera said.

Accounting to statistics nearly one thousand Buddhist monks and nuns from many countries including Sri Lanka, Japan Vietnam, Singapore, Thailand and several other countries participated in the relics’ exposition. Besides nearly one million Buddhist devotees participated in the event.

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