People offer prayers during the celebration of Buddha Jayanti Festival at Swayambhunath in Kathmandu, capital of Nepal, on April 30, 2018. The Buddha Jayanti festival is celebrated as a holy day by Buddhists in many Asian countries to mark the birth, enlightenment and Nirvana of Gautam Buddha. (Xinhua/Sunil Sharma)
KATHMANDU, April 30 (Xinhua) -- Nepal on Monday marked the 2,562nd Buddha Jayanti, the birth anniversary of Lord Buddha, across the country by spreading the message of peace, non-violence, harmony and co-existence.
Buddhist pilgrims and the followers of his principles thronged into various Buddhist sites, including in Lumbini, the birth place of Buddha, Swayambhunath stupa and Boudhanath stupa in the capital and in various monasteries, offering prayers to Buddha and chanting hymns.
Every year, Buddha Jayanti is celebrated on the full moon day in the Nepali month of Baishakh marking Buddha's birth, attainment of enlightenment and his death.
To mark the occasion, Nepal government organized a special event in holy land Lumbini, located in the western part of the country, amid the presence of President Bidya Devi Bhandari and Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli.
Extending best wishes to the Buddhist community and his followers, President Bhandari expressed wish that may this holy day inspire the entire human kind to follow Buddha's principles of mutual goodwill, harmony and non-violence.
"If we internalize the Buddhist philosophy, internal peace and fraternity are unavoidable. It will facilitate unity, tolerance and goodwill among all those oriented towards social development and lasting peace," President Bhandari said in her message.
In his message, Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli said Gautam Buddha remains a symbol of pride for all Nepali people and inspires all to internalize the spirit of global fraternity of Buddhist religion.
Meanwhile, the Nepali president laid the foundation stone for International Buddhist Meditation Center and Conference Hall in Lumbini, which will be built within two years.
