His Holiness the 41st Kyabgon Gongma Trichen Rinpoche graciously arrived at the Mahabodhi Mahavihara Temple, Bodhgaya, on 25 December 2025, marking the commencement of a 10-day special prayer (Puja) for Universal Peace and Harmony, to be held from 25 December 2025 to 3 January 2026.
Upon his arrival, His Holiness was accorded a warm and respectful welcome and was offered Khada (ceremonial scarves) by the Secretary, Bodhgaya Temple Management Committee (BTMC), the Chief Monk of Mahabodhi Mahavihara Temple, Bhante Deenanand, Bhante Manoj, Athin Ji (Vice President, The Great Sakya Monlam Foundation), Tenzin Pema (Administrative Coordinator), Tenzin Nima Gurung Khenpo, along with other senior and prominent monks of the Sangha.
His Holiness also offered special prayers at the Sanctum Sanctorum of the Mahabodhi Temple, the sacred site of Lord Buddha’s Enlightenment.
Sakya Monlam, the great prayer gathering of the Buddhist Sangha, holds profound spiritual significance. The term “Monlam” means aspiration or prayer, and the ceremony is dedicated to generating vast aspirations for peace, compassion, and the spiritual welfare of all sentient beings. Through the collective recitation of sacred texts and prayers by monks, nuns, and lay practitioners, it is believed that the power of these aspirations is greatly magnified.
A large number of devotees from different parts of the world have gathered to attend the sacred prayers.
The 10-day prayer ceremony is being organized with the noble objective of promoting world peace, harmony, and universal well-being, in the sacred presence of the Mahabodhi Temple.
The Bodhgaya Temple Management Committee (BTMC) expressed its deep honor and gratitude for the visit of His Holiness and conveyed its heartfelt prayers for the successful completion of the sacred prayers for the benefit of humanity.