Around 400 lamas (Tibetan Buddhist spiritual leaders) have begun an annual gathering to pray for world peace, at the world famous Mahabodhi temple in Bodh Gaya in northern India.

The event began on Monday 7 February and will run until February 11. It was originally supposed to start on 2 February but began late because of Covid restrictions, so will be shorter than usual this year.

The Nyingma school of Tibetan Buddhism holds its Monlam Puja prayer festival annually.

This is the 33rd such event and is being performed in the shade of the sacred Bodhi tree located in the World Heritage Mahabodhi Temple Complex..

A picture of Penor Rinpoche, the founder of the Nyingma school, is placed near the place of worship in the shade of the Bodhi tree.

The 33rd Nigma Monlam Puja started from today in the world famous Mahabodhi temple, Bodh Gaya in Gaya district. Although this puja was organized from February 2 to February 11, the temple was closed till February 6 due to the third wave of Corona. The temple has been opened on 7 February. The duration of this ten-day long worship is being organized for only four days. Four hundred Lamas are participating in it.

This Nigma Monlam Puja is being performed in the shade of the sacred Bodhi tree located in the World Heritage Mahabodhi Temple Complex, with the wish of world peace. For this, hundreds of Tormas have been decorated attractively at the place of worship.
A picture of Penor Rinpoche, the founder of the Nigma cult, is placed near the place of worship in the shade of the Bodhi tree. The Tibetan-origin Buddhist lamas involved in the worship are chanting in front of the sect's founder and the Bodhi tree, accompanied by a traditional musical instrument, observing physical distance.