Bodhgaya News

Indian monks oppose Bharat Ratna to Dalai Lama
Anand Mohan Sahay in Patna January 23, 2003
Buddhist monks have raised objections to the proposal to honour Tibetan leader Dalai Lama with the Bharat Ratna, the highest civilian honour in India.
All India Monks Association general secretary Bhante Anand leads this section of Indian Buddhists, who are associated with the Mahabodhi temple in Bodh Gaya in Bihar. more

[note: normal site updates will resume after February 17th when the Australian summer holidays end]

Dalai Lama Calls For Peace With China at Buddhist Ceremony VOA News 21 Jan 2003 At least four people have been arrested in India amid heightened security during an eight-day Buddhist ceremony led by the Dalai Lama that ended Monday. more

Dalai Lama closes Buddhist festival with appeal for peace BODHGAYA, India, Jan 21 (AFP) - Tibet's exiled spiritual leader the Dalai Lama has closed a Buddhist ceremony attended by 200,000 devotees with an appeal for peace with China. more

Tibetan Buddhist festival concludes peacefully in India despite threats By ANGUS MCDONALD, Associated Press Writer Bodh Gaya, January 20, 2003 (AP) - Despite a threat from some Indian monks to immolate themselves, the biggest religious gathering in Tibetan Buddhism concluded peacefully Monday with the departure of the Dalai Lama. more

Kalachakra Puja ends with a Long Life Prayer His Holiness the Dalai Lama arrives at Sarnath Bodh Gaya, January 20, 2003: The 28th Kalachakra puja came to an end this morning with a long life puja for His Holiness the Dalai Lama.His Holiness conferred a long life empowerment to the devotees. more

Emergency Appeal for Blankets. Dear Friend and Supporter, Greetings from Bodhgaya. Northern India, and Bihar in particular has been hit by an unprecented cold wave with record cold temperatures. Gaya town has recorded a low of 2.4 degree C, and it is just above freezing in the Villages. more

Four foreigners held in Bodhgaya Gaya, January 18. 2003 (PTI) - Four foreigners - a Tibetan and three Nepalese - have been taken into custody by the police in Bihar's Bodhgaya where Kalchakra puja, the most sacred of the rituals of Mahayana sect of Buddhism, is in progress amidst heightened security measures, Police said today. more

Poor facilities, pickpockets mar Buddhist meet
By Imran Khan, Indo-Asian News Service Patna, Saturday, January 18, 2003 (Source : IANS) -
Thousands of Buddhists from abroad have flocked to the birthplace of the Buddha for a festival, but many are clearly unhappy over the poor facilities and infrastructure. Several foreigners have complained about a shortage of good hotels, restaurants, marketplaces and Internet cafes in Bodh Gaya as well as reliable transport to travel to other parts of Bihar. more

Dharma versus Politics By Tsering Tsomo, Phayul Reporter Saturday, January 18, 2003 The countdown to the 28th Kalachakra ritual ceremony presently underway in Bodh Gaya started with a barrage of verbal threats and allegations of the lowliest kind, utterly baseless, stupidly brash and downright unimaginable against His Holiness the Dalai Lama by a section of neo-Buddhist monks claiming to be the ?worthy? followers of the great B.R.Ambedkar and Buddhism. more

Record 200,000 people attend Buddhist festival in India AFP January 17 2003 A record 200,000 people from across the globe are attending a Buddhist festival in eastern India, despite reports of death threats to exiled Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama, officials said today. The 10-day Kalachakra puja, a Tibetan tantric ritual, was opened on Sunday by the Dalai Lama in the Buddhist holy city of Bodhgaya in Bihar state. more

War on Iraq will disturb world peace: Dalai Lama
The Times of India THURSDAY, JANUARY 16, 2003 BOTH GAYA, Bihar: Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, on Thursday described the threat of war against Iraq as dangerous to world peace and said that thrusting a war on that country would only lead to destruction. more

Dalai Lama against 'thrusting war' on Iraq Bodh Gaya (Bihar), (PTI), Jan 16: Describing war as an organised and legalised form of violence, Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, today disfavoured "thrusting" war on Iraq as it would only lead to destruction. more

Dalai Lama calls for peaceful solution in Iraq By ANGUS MCDONALD, Associated Press Writer GAYA, India, January 16, 2003 (AP) - The Dalai Lama said Thursday that weapons of mass destruction must be eliminated but a peaceful solution should be found to avoid war in Iraq. more

War on Iraq will disturb world peace: Dalai Lama The Times of India THURSDAY, JANUARY 16, 2003 BOTH GAYA, Bihar: Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, on Thursday described the threat of war against Iraq as dangerous to world peace and said that thrusting a war on that country would only lead to destruction. more

No rule of law in China: Dalai Lama UNI Wednesday, January 15, 2003 Patna, January 14 - Expressing concern over the atrocities on the people of Tibet, Nobel laureate Dalai Lama has said "there is no rule of law in China. more

Dalai Lama uses Buddhist festival to promote Tibetan autonomy South China Morning Post Tuesday, January 14, 2003 AMRIT DHILLON in New Delhi and ASSOCIATED PRESS in Gaya, India
The Dalai Lama is using the massive Buddhist festival of Kalachakra in the Indian state of Bihar to call for greater Tibetan autonomy, while other Tibetans gathered at the event for their largest prayer ceremony of the year are campaigning for a boycott of Chinese products. more

Kalchakra puja begins in Bodh Gaya PTI [ SUNDAY, JANUARY 12, 2003 03:10:05 PM ] BODH GAYA: A section of neo-Buddhists sitting on a "fast-unto death" here protesting the alleged "pro-China" bias of Dalai Lama and 17th Karmapa Ugyen Trinley were taken into custody on Saturday night even as the 28th Kalchakra puja began here on Sunday amidst tight security arrangements. more

Dalai Lama calls for rejection of materialism at Buddhist gathering in eastern India By Abdul Qadir Gaya, India, Jan. 12: (AP) - Amid threats and allegations of spying and sacrilege, the Dalai Lama led Tibetan Buddhists' highest worship ceremony on Sunday, calling for the rejection of materialism, greed and violence. more

World peace possible through ahimsa: Dalai Lama BODH GAYA: SUNDAY, JANUARY 12, 2003 (PTI) - World peace can be attained only through Lord Buddha's path of "ahimsa", Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama said on Sunday. "Lord Buddha's preaching of ahimsa (non-violence) is relevant today as several countries have developed weapons of mass destruction. more

Gaya: Fasting neo-Buddhists in custody Bodh Gaya, January 12, 2003 (PTI) - A section of neo-Buddhists sitting on a "fast-unto death" here protesting the alleged "pro-China" bias of Dalai Lama and 17th Karmapa Ugyen Trinley were taken into custody last night even as the 28th Kalchakra puja began here today amidst tight security arrangements. more

China’s changing, there’s hope for Tibetans: Dalai By Nirmala Ganapathy The Indian Express Monday, January 13, 2003 Bodh Gaya, January 12 - Even as the Dalai Lama spoke of world peace through ahimsa at the inaugural session of the nine-day Kalchakra Puja here, thousands of Tibetan refugees raised free-Tibet slogans outside. Around 20,000 Buddhists from Vietnam, Tibet, China, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Nepal had assembled for the 28th Puja today. more

Dalai Lama opens Buddhist festival of thousands in India BODHGAYA, India, Jan 12 (AFP) - Tibet's exiled spiritual leader the Dalai Lama on Sunday opened a highly-secure, 10-day Buddhist ceremony attended by 200,000 people. Security forces sealed off Bodhgaya -- a normally quiet town in eastern India where the Buddha attained enlightenment two and a half millennia ago -- and searched visitors to the Kalchakra festival who entered through 24 metal-detector gates. more

Kalachakra Puja begins with a message for world peace Bodh Gaya, January 13, 2003: The three-day preliminary teachings of the Kalachakra puja began yesterday in the afternoon at the Kalachakra Maidan in Bodh Gaya. Over a hundred thousand devotees from all over the world attended the teachings by His Holiness the Dalai Lama, which continued this afternoon. more

Preliminary teachings begins tomorrow Bodh Gaya, January 11, 2003: The three-day preliminary teachings of the Kalachakra puja by His Holiness the Dalai Lama begins tomorrow at one in the afternoon. His Holiness will teach on the 37 Practices of Bodhisattva and Lamp of the Path to Enlightenment. more

Hefty fee for seeing Buddha's ashes draws flak TIMES NEWS NETWORK [ SATURDAY, JANUARY 11, 2003 01:14:01 AM ] Patna: The state government's decision to introduce an entrance fee of Rs 100 from January 11 for having a glimpse of the holy ashes of Lord Buddha at present kept in the Patna museum has evoked sharp reactions from the people. more

Buddhist monks threaten immolation (Rediff.com) Saturday, January 11, 2003 By Anand Mohan Sahay A group of Indian Buddhist monks have threatened to immolate themselves at Bodh Gaya in Bihar if the Dalai Lama does not mediate with them on their demands and not to hold his Kalchakra prayer on Sunday. All India Monks Association general secretary Bhadant Anand told rediff.com on Friday that they have set a deadline of 24 hours for the Dalai Lama to initiate a dialogue. more

Tibetans to expose 'real face' of China during Kalchakra Rediff.com Saturday, January 11, 2003
By Anand Mohan Sahay Tibetans are trying to expose the "real face" of China during the nine-day Kalchakra festival, which starts on January 11 in Bodh Gaya. more

Buddhist Festival All Set to Open in Bodh Gaya on Sunday Patna Daily Saturday, January 11, 2003
Bodh Gaya, January 11 - Bodh Gaya is all set for the opening of the Buddhist Festival of Kalachakra that officially commences on January 12 under the spiritual guidance and presence of the Tibetan leader-in-exile the Dalai Lama. more

Tibetans to propagate cause at Kalchakra festival By Imran Khan, Indo-Asian News Service Patna, Jan 11 (IANS): More than the religious aspect, Tibetans plan to utilise the annual Kalchakra festival here to propagate their cause and expose the "real" face of China to the world. more

Dalai Lama visits Buddhist monastries of foreign countries UNI Thursday, January 09, 2003 Bodh Gaya, January 8 - His Holiness The Dalai Lama today visited the Buddhist monastries of Japan, Thailand, Taiwan, China and Vietnam here today. more

Heavy police deployment made for Kalchakra
The Times of India Thursday, January 09, 2003
By ABDUL QADIR GAYA - Massive police deployment has been made for the forthcoming Kalchakra pooja and to ensure the safety of both the Dalai Lama and Karmapa, the two high risk Buddhist spiritual leaders now in Bodh Gaya for the performance of the complex rituals for the attainment of enlightenment of the participants of the mega prayers, the third to be held near the site of Buddha's enlightenment. more

Neo-Buddhists begin indefinite fast against the Dalai Lama PTI Thursday, January 09, 2003 BODH GAYA, January 9 - Barely three days before the sacred Kalchakra puja, a group of 12 neo-Buddhists today began a fast-unto-death near the Mahabodhi temple here against the Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama's alleged pro-China bias. more

Over 5000 Buddhists from Sikkim attend Kalachakra ceremony Gangtok, India, (PTI), Jan. 09: More than 5000 Buddhists from Sikkim have reached Bihar's Bodhgaya to attend the 'Kalachakra' ceremony to be conducted by spiritual leader the Dalai Lama from January 12. more

One Tibetan Arrested Attempting to Attack the Karmapa, Crowds of Foreign and National Devotees flock to puja Bodhgaya, Jan 7 (Dainik Jagran). [lots of Bodhgaya stories in the Dainik Jagran Gaya edition today. The gist of the main story is that while the Karmapa was leading a puja at the temple a deranged youth tried to throw stones at him and was arrested. There are also stories on the problems with keeping shoe wearing people out of the temple, the fast of the Ambedkarite Buddhists against the Tibetan practice of wearing shoes in the temple compound, the arrival of 80 thousand devotees for the Kalacakra puja, the arrest of the Karmapa's security guard and a Chinese women in suspicious circumstances and the rituals being celebrated for world peace by the Karmapa. I hope to make some translations soon...]

Two 'spies' held before Dalai Lama visit Bodhgaya, Jan 7 (Sify News). A Tibetan security guard and a Chinese woman were detained here by police on suspicion of spying, hours before Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama was due to arrive, police said Tuesday. But the two were later released after the pair insisted they were a couple. link to full story See also another story on Sify that includes "A few thousand foreign tourists have already arrived in the Buddhist holy city, which has been turned into a fortress for the occasion. "At different entry points of the town, 24 metal detector gates have been planted, 15 of them are around the place where the prayers will take place," an official said. " link to story

Preparation for the Kalachakra Pooja nears Completion (from the Tibet Information List) Bodh Gaya, January 3, 2003: Preparation for the 28th Kalachakra Initiation Ceremony is underway with complete devotion and determination. The Secretary of Department of Religion and Culture, Mr. Thupten Tashi, who has been stationed in Bodh Gaya with his staff members for more than a month, led a team of members, including Mr. Ngodup Dhongchung, Secretary of Department of Security, Mr. Sonam N. Dagpo, Additional Secretary of the Department of Information & International Relations, and Mr. Chonjor Palden, Additional Secretary of Department of Health, on a inspection tour of all the sites of the programme venue and took note of the final touches to be given to all the arrangements to be made for this nine-day grand Kalachakra Initiation ceremony beginning from January 12 in Bodh Gaya. full story including details of arrangements in Bodhgaya for pilgrims

Security concerns over Dalai Lama visit to Bihar Bodhgaya, Jan 2 (Sify News). A senior police official in Bihar voiced concern over the safety of Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama with Indian Buddhists stepping up their protests against his visit to the state next week.
The Dalai Lama is expected to arrive in the town of Bodhgaya in eastern Bihar on Tuesday to participate in the prestigious Kalchakra Puja Buddhist festival, which begins on January 11.
"The Dalai Lama has been provided Z-plus security because of the security threat he carries. The local tension is certainly a matter of extra concern," said a top police official in Bodhgaya.
Another Tibetan spiritual leader, Karmapa Urgen Thinley Dorji, arrives on Sunday. Indian Buddhists, who are converts from Hinduism, have been campaigning against the two leaders. link to full story

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