Cultural troupes from Japan, Sri Lanka to perform at Bodh Mahotsav

Gaya: Cultural troupes from Japan, Laos, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Myanmar and Thailand, along with Bollywood playback singers will perform at the main cultural programme of the Bodh Mahotsav, beginning Thursday evening.According to district administration, Union MSME minister Jitan Ram Manjhi, Bihar assembly speaker Prem Kumar, and deputy CMs Samrat Choudhary and Vijay Kumar Sinha will inaugurate the festival at a function near the Vishnupad temple on Thursday evening. The event will be held at the Kalachakra ground, located about 200 metres north-west of the world heritage Mahabodhi Mahavihara.A day before the main event, a Gyan Yatra (journey to enlightenment) from Dhungeshwari Hills to Sujata Stupa will take place on the morning of Jan 21. Buddhist monks, nuns, male and female foreign tourists, schoolchildren, stakeholders of the Bodh Gaya tourism industry, and local residents will participate in the 9-km-long yatra.The main cultural programme will begin on the evening of Jan 22. In addition to troupes from Vietnam and Thailand, playback singer Javed Ali will perform. The second cultural evening, scheduled for Friday, will feature performances by troupes from Sri Lanka and Laos, alongside Roop Kumar Rathod. On January 24, singer Bhoomi Trivedi will perform along with cultural troupes from Thailand and Japan.An international seminar on “Awakening Humanity: The Timeless Relevance of the Buddha’s Enlightenment”, a Mahila Mahotsav, Bodh Gaya Haat, acrobatic dance performances, sand art, painting competitions, and food stalls will be among the other attractions during the festival.