Leh, May 1 (IANS) Union Home Minister Amit Shah said on Friday that this year’s Buddha Purnima festival is not only a religious event but a historical and cultural moment as the sacred relics of Lord Buddha have returned to Ladakh after 75 years.

Addressing a large gathering in Leh, Amit Shah greeted the people of Ladakh on this special Buddha Purnima festival.

He said, “The joy of Buddha Purnima has come with its usual message of peace and brotherhood, not only because this is the birthday of Lord Buddha, but also because the sacred relics of Lord Buddha are here after 75 years. When these relics were brought here 75 years ago, there was hardly any communication, there were no roads and no connectivity and that must have been the reason for very few people having been able to have the ‘darshan’ of these relics. The occasion today is very special because a large number of Buddhists from Leh and Kargil, and also followers of other faiths, have come to have ‘darshan’ of the sacred relics."

“Lord Buddha was born on Buddha Purnima, he attained salvation on Buddha Purnima, and he gave up physical existence on Buddha Purnima. This is the rarest happening in the life history of any Avatar”, he said.

The Union home minister said whenever the Dalai Lama comes to Ladakh, he says this is the land of spiritual enlightenment and special in the history of Buddhism.

“Whenever Buddhism faced trouble, the ray of hope emerged from Ladakh, and whenever peace prevailed, the real message of brotherhood and coexistence came from Ladakh”, he added.

He said being part of the historic Silk Route, Ladakh was not only a landmark trade centre but also a centre for meditation and cultural interaction.

“Ladakh has many relics of Buddhism, and this continues to be the pilgrimage place for all Buddhists of the world,” he said.

He said that when Lord Buddha attained salvation, he gave his message to all his followers. “I must say in the end that Lord Buddha’s message is as relevant to our times today as it was 2,500 years ago”.

--IANS

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