More than 20,000 devotees, including 10,000 monks and nuns from at least 22 countries, are participating in this landmark event, which runs from December 2 to 12. This gathering signifies a vital moment for Buddhist World heritage and inter-community collaboration within India’s diverse Buddhist landscape.

In an unprecedented display of unity, 20 Buddhist organisations have come together for the first time to host the 20th Annual International Tipitaka Chanting Ceremony at the Mahabodhi Temple in Bodhgaya, Bihar, eastern India.

This collaboration is historically significant, representing a joint effort by groups from various Indian states and different Buddhist traditions. Their shared purpose is to chant the sacred scriptures for world peace from Buddhism's most revered site.

The ceremony centres on the recitation of the Tipitaka, or 'Three Baskets', the primary scripture collection of Theravada Buddhism - the earliest preserved teachings of Buddhism in the Pali language.

This ancient practice of oral chanting serves both as an act of spiritual devotion and as a means of preserving the Dharma. Participants believe that the merit generated from this practice contributes to global harmony and the well-being of all beings.
The Mahabodhi Temple, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, marks the location where Prince Siddhartha Gautama is believed to have attained enlightenment.

By uniting at the UNESCO World Heritage Site of the Mahabodhi Temple, the organisations emphasise India's enduring role as the cradle of Buddhism and a custodian of its living heritage.

The ceremony transcends a mere ritual; it is a powerful collective statement demonstrating how diverse communities can collaborate for a universal aspiration -peace - while sending a message of unity to the world.