India and Bhutan deepen spiritual bonds at World Peace Prayer Festival 2025 in Thimphu
The festival was ceremonially inaugurated at Changlimithang Ground by His Majesty King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck and Trulku Jigme Choedra, Chief Abbot of Bhutan.
Union Minister Dr. Virendra Singh joins Bhutan’s royal celebrations as sacred relics of Lord Buddha arrive from India to mark the 70th birth anniversary of the Fourth King
Thimphu, Nov 10: Union Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment Dr Virendra Singh attended the World Peace Prayer Festival 2025 in Bhutan’s capital, Thimphu — a 16-day global initiative dedicated to prayers for peace, compassion, and healing amid mounting global conflicts. The event, which began on November 4, reflects Bhutan’s enduring spiritual heritage and India’s deep cultural and religious connection with its Himalayan neighbour.
Addressing the gathering, Dr Singh highlighted the “deep spiritual connection and timeless friendship” between India and Bhutan, describing the festival as a celebration of the shared civilizational and Buddhist heritage that binds the two nations.
The festival was ceremonially inaugurated at Changlimithang Ground by His Majesty King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck and Trulku Jigme Choedra, Chief Abbot of Bhutan. Organized by the Royal Government of Bhutan, the Global Peace Prayer Festival (GPPF) aims to promote compassion, unity, and inner transformation through prayer and meditation.
A major highlight of the festival is Jabzhi, a profound Vajrayana Buddhist ritual believed to cleanse negative karma and dispel destructive forces. The ritual will be followed by the Kalachakra Empowerment, symbolizing peace and the spiritual realm of Shambhala.
In a historic spiritual gesture, the Sacred Relics of Lord Buddha, enshrined at India’s National Museum, were brought to Thimphu on November 8 as a “goodwill gift” from India. The relics will remain enshrined at the Grand Kuenrey of Tashichhodzong until November 18, after which they will be ceremonially returned to India.
The enshrinement marks the 70th birth anniversary of His Majesty the Fourth King of Bhutan, Jigme Singye Wangchuk, whose visionary leadership introduced democracy and shaped Bhutan’s modern identity as the world’s last Vajrayana Buddhist kingdom. The event also precedes Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s scheduled visit to Bhutan on November 11–12.
India’s Ambassador to Bhutan, Sandeep Arya, said there is “great reverence and appreciation in Bhutan for the arrival of the sacred relics of Lord Buddha,” describing it as a moment of profound cultural and spiritual unity.
Bhutan’s Prime Minister Lyonchhen Tshering Tobgay called the relics a “gift from Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the people of Bhutan,” symbolizing the spiritual partnership that complements the nations’ strong developmental and political ties.
Conceived by His Majesty the King of Bhutan, the Global Peace Prayer Festival stands as a universal call for harmony and goodwill—reaffirming Bhutan’s role as a beacon of spiritual wisdom and India–Bhutan’s shared commitment to peace and human unity.
