Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar Thursday inaugurated the 49th anniversary celebrations of the Vishwa Shanti Stupa at Rajgir.
The Stupa was the first of the 40 peace pagodas built across by a Buddhist organization founded by 20th century Japanese master Fuji Nichidatsu.
Addressing the function, Kumar recalled that the Vishwa Shanti Stupa built on Ratnagiri hills was inaugurated by the then President V V Giri and the function was attended by luminaries like Jayaprakash Narayan.
He said the Stupa was made approachable by a ropeway
the first occasion for a place in Bihar to have such a facility.
According to an official release, at the inaugural function Kumar was also handed over an invitation, to be forwarded to President Ram Nath Kovind, for attending the golden jubilee celebrations next year.
Kumar also said that Japanese master Fuji Nichidatsu had excellent relations with Mahatma Gandhi and both had inspired and impressed each other in many ways.
"It is a wonderful coincidence that next year we would be celebrating the golden jubilee of the monument for which Fuji had provided the inspiration, along with the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi," he remarked.
The Chief Minister also spoke about his plans for the development of Rajgir and other Buddhist sites in Bihar.
The function was attended, among others, by heads of Nipponjan Myohoji which was founded by Fuji and the Buddha Vihara Society besides Bihar Rural Development minister Shravan Kumar, local MP Kaushalendra Kumar and other senior officals.
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