On the day, thousands of Nepalese gathered in Kathmandu to observe mass prayers reciting the holy Dhammapad, Buddhists’ holy book that is a collection of sayings of Lord Buddha.

Nepalis from all walks of life, around 75,000 in number and yet to be confirmed by Guinness Book, gathered at Kathmandu’s largest open square Tundikhel to take part in the procession.

Under the theme ‘Buddha was Born in Nepal’, the event saw participation of famous Nepali personalities like Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli and other high-profile government officials such as Defense Minister Ishwor Pokharel, CPN-MC Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal, besides movie celebrities Dheeraj Rai, Nikhil Upreti and Rajesh Hamal.

The participants called this a move towards promoting peace and harmony across the world.

According to the World Record Council Nepal, the event organizer, says the ceremony was aimed at spreading the stature of Nepal as the Land of Buddha and to create new Guinness World Record.

The program is being organized for nation and nationality and to spread Buddha’s message across the world,” read the organizer’s statement.

“Nepal is the birthplace of Lord Buddha, the country which has the height like of Sagarmatha (Mt. Everest) let’s make it peaceful. We have adopted the path of prosperity let’s make it that way. Let’s make it happiest country in the world. I want to make a request with the world, the world leaders, the world government and all organizations to search for the solutions through dialogue or through peaceful way if problems exist, not the war,” Oli said in his address at the gathering.

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Voicing against the delay in reconstruction of monasteries hit in the massive earthquake in 2015, around 500 monks gathered on streets of the capital city on Tuesday.

The gathering, which included monks from 14 quake-hit and 11 other districts, marched towards the office of the Buddhist Philosophy Promotion and Monastery Development Committee (BPPMDC).

Besides a prompt response for the reconstruction of destroyed monasteries, monks also demanded the resignation of BPPMDC Chairperson Narendra Kumar Gurung and Khempo Karma Chhiring Tasi Lama.

“People holding these crucial posts have failed to discharge their duties. It’s high time we spoke for our rights. We don’t have monasteries to pray even more than two years after the quake,” said Furi Sherpa Lama (49) from Solukhumbu, the district that witnessed the destruction of as many as 154 monasteries in the 2015 quake.

No Aid Despite the Allotted Budget

Out of 5,000 monasteries in Nepal, 993 witnessed damages in the 2015 earthquake. Even though a sum of Rs 8 billion was allotted for their reconstruction, none of the monasteries have received money, said the monks.

“We received a letter from the BPPMDC director asking us to start reconstruction. We hired masons, dug the foundation and collected all raw materials required for building the monastery. We were told that we would get Rs 5.1 million for reconstruction. But, we never received the money,” says Pema Garja Sherpa lama (73) of Okhaldhunga-5, Okhaldhunga district that witnessed a damage of 17 monasteries.

Adding to the concerns, the Nepal Reconstruction Authority (NRA), about a month ago, scrapped the decision of Rs 8 billion budget and allocated only Rs 1 billion for reconstruction, stating that ‘the BPPMDC’s estimate was too high’.

Krishna Bahadur Tamang, Coordinator of the monk’s struggle committee said they would announce further protests if the demands are left unaddressed.

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