Bihar Chief Minister attended the 55th annual celebration of the establishment of Vishwa Shanti Stupa in Rajgir, Nalanda

Bihar Chief Minister Shri Nitish Kumar today attended the 55th annual celebration of the establishment of Vishwa Shanti Stupa in Rajgir of Nalanda district. Addressing the ceremony, the Chief Minister said that today it is a matter of great happiness that the 55th annual celebration of the establishment of Vishwa Shanti Stupa has been organized. On this occasion, I wish all the best. Also, I greet and welcome all the guests from India and abroad, especially from Japan. He said that you all know that the Vishwa Shanti Stupa in Rajgir was built in the year 1969 by Fuyuji Guruji of Japan and it was inaugurated on 25 October 1969 by the then President VV Giri ji. Since then, the program is organized here every year on 25 October. In the year 2019, when the Vishwa Shanti Stupa completed 50 years, we went to Delhi and invited the then President Shri Ram Nath Kovind ji and he came to this program, which was a very big program.

The Chief Minister said that Lord Buddha has a very old relationship with Rajgir. He used to live in Venuvan and then went to Gaya from here, where he attained enlightenment and since then that place is known as Bodh Gaya. Lord Buddha went to 'Sarnath of Uttar Pradesh' after attaining enlightenment where he gave his first sermon. After that he again came to Rajgir and started preaching on the nearby Griddhakut mountain. After this he went to Vaishali and other places. Finally he became very ill and reached Kushinagar in Uttar Pradesh where he attained Mahaparinirvana. He said that we have developed all the places related to Lord Buddha in Rajgir. Venuvan, where Lord Buddha lived, was not in good condition earlier. Its area has been increased and it has been beautified. The road to and from Griddhakut mountain has been repaired. A 50-foot-high statue of Lord Buddha has been installed in the middle of water in Ghodhakatora. Apart from this, Buddha Smriti Park and Buddha Stupa have been constructed in Patna. The construction of Buddha Samyak Darshan Museum in Vaishali is in the final stage. He said that we have an old relationship with Rajgir. We have been coming here since childhood. After coming to power in the year 2008, we stayed in Rajgir for 7 days and visited all the places. It was here that the cabinet meeting was held next to the Vishwa Shanti Stupa. All the development work has been done in Rajgir, now people have got many facilities and now the number of people coming to Rajgir has increased a lot.

The Chief Minister said that the mountains of Rajgir, which are called Panch Pahari, are crores of years old. Earlier there were very few trees and plants here. We have done tree plantation here, now the greenery on the mountains has increased a lot. He said that Zoo Safari, Nature Safari and Glass Bridge have been constructed here. Rajgir has been associated with 5 religions, including Hindu, Muslim, Buddhist, Jain and Sikh. We have developed the places of all religions. There are Kunds here from which hot water comes out. The great Sufi saint of Muslim religion Makhdoom Saheb Kund has also been developed. The Malmas fair of Hindu religion is organized here every third year. Last year in the year 2023, when all the facilities were provided in the Malmas fair, more than 3 crore people came here. Venuvan, a place associated with Buddhism, has been expanded and beautified and the way to Griddhakut mountain has been repaired. Paths have been made to go to the places associated with Lord Mahavir of Jainism. Guru Nanak Dev Ji of Sikhism had come here. 'Sheetal Kund Gurudwara' has been built here. He said that I thank all the people who came to the 55th annual celebration of the establishment of Vishwa Shanti Stupa. I also thank Rajgir Buddha Vihar Society for organizing this program.

The Chief Minister circumambulated the Vishwa Shanti Stupa and prayed to Lord Buddha and prayed for the happiness, peace and prosperity of the state.

The program was also addressed by the Vice Chairman, Rajgir Buddha Vihar Society and Chairman Board of Director CGC Company Limited of Japan, Mr. Atsuhiro Horiuchi.

The Chief Minister was presented with a gift sent by His Holiness the Dalai Lama. In the program, the Chief Minister honored the Chief Monk and Vice Chairman, Rajgir Buddha Vihar Society, Mr. Atsuhiro Horiuchi and CEO, Sentoku Company Limited, Mr. Kensuke Horiuchi associated with Rajgir Vishwa Shanti Stupa by presenting them with a symbol and a shawl.

The Chief Minister inaugurated the newly constructed integrated building near the ropeway by unveiling the plaque on the occasion of the 55th anniversary of Vishwa Shanti Stupa, Rajgir.

The Chief Minister flagged off the Swachh Rajgir Abhiyan. On this occasion, Water Resources cum Incharge Minister, Nalanda District Mr. Vijay Kumar Chaudhary, Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister Mr. Prem Kumar, Rural Development Minister Mr. Shravan Kumar, MP Mr. Kaushlendra Kumar, MLA Mr. Kaushal Kishore, Legislative Councilor Mrs. Reena Devi, Secretary to the Chief Minister Mr. Anupam Kumar, Secretary of Environment, Forest and Climate Change Department Mrs. Bandana Preyashi, Special Officer to the Chief Minister Mr. Gopal Singh, Commissioner of Patna Division Mr. Mayank Barbade, District Magistrate of Nalanda District Mr. Shashank Shubhkar, Superintendent of Police of Nalanda District Mr. Bharat Soni, Managing Director of Bihar State Tourism Development Corporation Mr. Kanwal Tanuj, Secretary of Rajgir Buddha Vihar Society Mrs. Mahasweta Maharathi along with other local public representatives, Buddhist monks and representatives from the country and abroad, guests and other officials were present.