UP hosts ‘Kapilvastu Mahotsav’ to highlight teachings of Buddha

SIDDHARTHNAGAR - A five-day long festival ‘Kapilvastu Mahotsav’ is being organised in Uttar Pradesh’s Siddharthnagar district to highlight the teachings of Lord Buddha.

Kapilvastu is the birthplace of Lord Buddha where a large number of Buddhist monks from India and abroad were invited to the festival.

Jagdambika Pal, a Congress MP, said the development in the birthplace of Lord Buddha has not been given much importance but now mega projects are underway for the progress of the area.

“We, after trying very hard, convinced Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress chief Sonia Gandhi. Gautam Sengupta, Director General of the Archaeological Survey of India, came here to Siddharth Nagar. A major project is underway in which Kumari Sheilja, Union Tourism Minister has sanctioned five crore rupees,” said Pal.

Various folk singers and dancers performed at the festival.

Ravindra Jain, a renowned Bollywood singer, said it was very saddening to see that in today’s world people are forgetting the teachings of Lord Buddha.

“An Indian prince had spread the message of peace and now the situations have changed so much that more than us Japan and China follow his teachings,” said Jain.

As per historical evidence, Kapilvastu was the ancient capital of Sakya clan of kings to which Buddha belonged.

Buddha left his palace in Kapilvastu at the age of 29 and revisited it 12 years later after attaining enlightenment.

Kapilvastu boasts of a large ‘Stupa’ (dome), which is said to have housed Buddha’s bone relics.

Buddha has achieved the ‘Enlightenment’ after 49 days of meditation, the result of which is now known as the ‘Four Noble Truths’ of the religion Buddhism. By Pawan Shah (ANI)