VMPL
New Delhi [India], November 4: India, the sacred birthplace of the Buddha and the Dhamma, is set to host the 21st International Tipitaka Chanting Ceremony for the first time in history. The ten-day global congregation will be held at the Mahabodhi Mahavihar complex in Bodhgaya from December 2 to 12, 2026, marking a moment of immense national pride and a historic return of the sacred chanting to the land of the Buddha’s enlightenment. At a special press conference held in Mumbai, Bhante Vinay Rakkhita, General Secretary of the International Tipitaka Chanting Council (ITCC), and member Aman Kamble shared the detailed roadmap of this grand event, fully dedicated to the Triple Gem (Buddha-Dhamma-Sangha). Prominent dignitaries Dr. Vijay Kadam and Dr. Nisha Rangari were also present at the press conference.
Around 25,000 monks, nuns, and lay devotees from over 27 countries will gather under the Bodhi Tree. Participants will include the nine major Theravada nations of Myanmar, Thailand, Nepal, India, Vietnam, Sri Lanka, Laos, Cambodia, and Bangladesh, along with devotees from Indonesia, Malaysia, the USA, Germany, Japan, Korea, and Bhutan. In a powerful display of unity, the Sangha of each country will chant the Tipitaka in their native languages under the theme “Different Languages, One Meaning,” creating a living testament to unity in diversity and a profound message for world peace.
The ceremony will open on December 2 at 8:00 AM with a grand International Buddhist Procession featuring cultural tableaux from participating nations, immediately followed by the historic chanting of the Abhidhamma Pitaka beneath the Bodhi Tree. Throughout the ten days, senior masters and scholars will deliver Dhamma discourses and guide participants in Vipassana meditation. As a special highlight, 220 exquisite four-foot handcrafted golden Buddha statues made in Odisha will be consecrated and offered to Buddhist monasteries and communities across India, while the Mahabodhi Society of Karnataka will adorn the entire Mahavihar complex with elaborate floral decorations.
A 30,000-square-foot air-conditioned pavilion is being erected at the Kalachakra Ground, where free meals will be served daily to all participants along with traditional Sangha Dana for the monks. The event is jointly organised by the Light of Buddhadharma Foundation International-India and the International Tipitaka Chanting Council-India in collaboration with over 17 Buddhist organisations, with full support from the Ministry of Culture, Government of India, and the Government of Bihar. Bihar Chief Minister Shri Samrat Choudhary will grace the inaugural as Chief Guest, with Union Minister of Culture Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat as Special Guest, while other Union Ministers including Shri Nitin Gadkari, Shri Kiren Rijiju, Shri Jitan Ram Manjhi, and Shri Ramdas Athawale are expected to attend. Following the main ceremony, an International Buddhist Peace and Heritage Walk will take place from December 13–15 from Jethian Valley to Amrahavan in Rajgir, and the gathering is projected to inject an estimated ₹25 crore into the local economy while significantly boosting India’s Buddhist Circuit Tourism.
Wangmo Dixey, Founder and Executive Director of the Light of Buddhadharma Foundation International, said, “Bringing the sacred sound of the Dhamma back to its true homeland is a supreme honour. Every chant under the Bodhi Tree is a collective prayer for the peace and well-being of all living beings. At a time when the world urgently seeks harmony, may the prayers rising from Bodhgaya become a global beacon of compassion, unity, and healing.” This historic homecoming of the Tipitaka chanting to Bodhgaya stands as a living testament to unity in diversity and a powerful message of world peace.
The entire press coverage and media interaction for this historic event is being handled by Girish Wankhede’s Entity One Brand Management, based in Mumbai.
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Historic First: India Hosts World’s Largest Buddhist Congregation at Bodhgaya
