In a message of peace from India’s highest plateau, a 32-day ‘padyatra’ of Buddhist monks culminated with a peace walk in Ladakh on Sunday. They lauded Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s initiatives to develop places associated with Buddhism, while religious leaders said he had emerged as a global peacemaker.
The people of the newly formed union territory, meanwhile, thanked the prime minister for giving it that status. The Indian Minorities Foundation (IMF) also took part in the peace walk at Ladakh. The monks, belonging to different countries like Thailand, Nepal, Vietnam, Sri Lanka, Bhutan and US, were accompanied by other devotees, leaders of other religious communities, and students.
Spreading Buddha’s message of peace and harmony, they walked from NDS Stadium to Shanti Stupa in Leh-Ladakh, which is located at a height of 11,841 feet. In the 32-day padyatra, 150 Buddhist monks and laypersons from walked for world peace. They reached Mahabodhi International Meditation Center (MIMC) in Ladakh after they had started the dhamma padyatra from Dharamshala in Himachal Pradesh on June 12.
They were welcomed by Bhikkhu Sanghasena, founder and president of MIMC, and the delegation of the IMF led by convenor Satnam Singh Sandhu. Other dignitaries present included Pattarat Hongtong, ambassador of Thailand to India; Kyabje Taklung Matul Rinpoche, Kyabje Thuksa Rinpoche, Kyabje Urgain Rinpoche, Kyabje Bamtul Rinpoche; Ven Mahayana monks, Ven Pradhamvachirakawee (lonpo); Ven Theravada monks, Ven Tsering Angdus, president of the Ladakh Gompa Association; Thupstan Chhewang, president of the Ladakh Buddhist Association (LBA); Ashraf Ali Barcha, president, Imami Council; Dr Abdul Qayoom, president of the Main Islamic Council; Sonam Pawez, president of the Christian community; Dechan Changa, former president of Christian Community and Ven Dr Ponchai from Thailand.
“The whole world is going through many challenges. It needs a great leader who can bring peace and harmony, and that is our PM Narendra Modi, who is a karmayogi himself,” said Sanghasena, who is an internationally recognised Buddhist leader. “India is fortunate to have such a great leader who combines spiritual values – like yoga, meditation, and ‘vasudhaiva kutumbakam’ – to the general development of India and the world.”
“The whole world is looking at India and PM Modi to lead the world with ancient wisdom. We all should feel fortunate that India is under the leadership of PM Modi who spreads peace and harmony,” said Sanghasena, adding that Modi has emerged as a global peacemaker. “He has played an active role as a peacemaker during the war between Russia and Ukraine. He has very unbiased concerns about humanity and both the countries – Russia and Ukraine – listened to him and respected his views.”
He said wherever PM Modi goes, he creates history. “If you see his recent historic state visit to the USA. It opened new pathways for both countries. The world is looking at him to lead towards peace and prosperity,” he added.
The IMF, which was also part of the peace walk, was led by its convener Satnam Singh Sandhu. He said PM Modi has elevated all the minorities in the country during the nine years and addressed their protracted issues. “PM Modi took the historic decision of making Ladakh a separate UT, a long-pending demand of the Buddhist community, which opened the doors to development for this region. This was done after 63 years, after it was first raised in the 1950s by the Buddhist community. The welfare of minorities is at the core of the policy-making of PM Modi’s government. He has brought a new ray of hope for these communities who were largely sidelined by the previous governments and only seen as a vote bank,” he said.
He also said the minority communities are feeling safe and prospering under the leadership of PM Modi and are now part of India’s holistic development. “The whole world appreciates the initiatives taken by PM Modi for the welfare of minority communities. His contributions to peacemaking and the promotion of a culture of peace are taking the teachings of lord Buddha to every corner of the world,” he added.
Pornchai Palawadhammo, president of the World Alliance of Buddhists (WAB) based in Thailand, who was part of the padyatra, said India is the motherland of Buddhism and it teaches peace. “India and Thailand can work together and create peace for the world. Indian PM Narendra Modi is a powerful and popular man and he understands the teachings of Buddha and he practices them,” he said.
Priya Ranjan Trivedi — founder of Indira Gandhi Technological and Medical Sciences University and Global Open University Nagaland, president and speaker of the World Spiritual Parliament, and president of the International Association of Educators for World Peace (IAEWP) — said, “Prime Minister Narendra Modi has brought Buddha on the world map. Since PM Modi has friendly relations with countries in South Asia where Buddhism is already practiced, it will lead to friendship and brotherhood in the world that will go a long way.”
He also mentioned that PM Modi has done wonderful work for the upliftment of the minorities in India, including the development of a Buddhist circuit for the community. Under his leadership, everyone is given equal opportunities, and everyone needs to work together for sustainable development in the country, he added.
Qayoom said, “PM Modi is one of the tallest leaders in the world and his hard work has taken the country forward. He has put the country on the global map and India’s elevated stature is now accepted globally.”
He added: “The whole world now recognises the potential of India by the initiatives taken by PM Modi during the last nine years.”
Gyal Wangyal, former chairman of Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council Leh (LAHDC), expressed his gratitude the PM for promoting Buddhism and its teachings and taking important initiatives to preserve its cultural and traditional aspects, including his decision of developing the Buddhist Circuit.
He further said Modi considered all religions to be equal and has taken important initiatives to ensure equal opportunities and rights for the people of minority communities.
Thupstan Chhewang, president of Ladakh Buddhist Association, said it is important to have love, compassion and brotherhood for creating world peace, which is being promoted by Modi through ‘Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat’.
“PM Narendra Modi is taking the whole nation forward through ‘Sabka Sath, Sabka Vikas’, and under his leadership, Ladakh has prospered and seen an impressive development,” he said.
Tenzin Nyima, All Ladakh Gonpa Association joint secretary (private), said: “The entire world desires to live in peace and harmony. Even Lord Buddha has given the word of beholding love and compassion for each other, hurting no individual, and living together in unity.”
He appreciated the efforts of PM Modi in promoting the teachings and ideologies of Buddha and inspiring people to practice them. “PM Modi, who is playing a significant role of peacemaker in the world, is an inspiration for all. While countries like Russia and Ukraine are at war with each other, PM Modi is making consistent efforts for relationship building and peacemaking with all across the world, and inspiring other nations to do the same,” he said.
Rigzin Dorjey, president of Ladakh Buddhist Association Leh-Youth Wing, said: “India — the land where Buddhism was born and home to traditional and most significant centers of Buddhist learning such as Nalanda — has always been known for propagating the message of unity, peace and harmony in the world. And, in today’s world, where peace is the key necessity of humankind, Buddhist monks and followers in India are giving the message of peace.”
Sonam Wangchuk, spokesperson of the Ladakh Buddhist Association (LBA), who is also a member of MIMC, said, “PM Modi during the last nine years has taken several initiatives to develop the Buddhist centres in Ladakh and other parts of the country. He has remained focused on the development of places associated with Buddha, especially the work done for the Buddhist circuit.”
“He visited Ladakh several times and showed his commitment towards the development of Buddhist centres. The whole Buddhist community is thankful to him for his initiatives and for promoting the teachings of Buddhism,” he said.
Local students taking part in the peace walk said under the leadership of PM Modi, there has been significant development in the field of education in Ladakh. They said after the declaration of Ladakh as a UT, a new phase of development has begun. Ladakh now has a central university, a college and many schools. As a result of which the level of education has increased.