DAY 2 OF CANDLELIGHT RALLIES IN BODH GAYA: 50,000 devotees and monks march for Karmapa

Monks resolve to protest in Delhi against insensitive handling  and proceed to Dharamsala to stand in solidarity with the Karmapa.  WANGCHUK BHUTIA reports from Bodh Gaya

BODHGAYA, BIHAR: Around 50,000 devotees turned out to join a peaceful candlelight march here at Bodh Gaya on Sunday evening. This was the second consecutive evening in which offended believers walked silently through the streets of this pilgrimage town to register their support for the XVIIth Karmapa Orgyen Trinley Dorjee who is being hounded by the national media with speculations of being a Chinese agent.

These allegations, it may be recalled, follow from conspiracy theories which erupted from the raids conducted by Himachal Pradesh police on Gyuto Monastery and the recovery of around Rs. 8.5 crores in cash from there. Chinese Yuans, along with currency from 24 other countries, including Indian rupees were recovered. While the Karmapa’s followers insist these were offerings made by visitors, the Yuan angle is being played out as a link to Chinese intelligence agencies.

Monks and lay people at the procession here insisted that monasteries across the world receive cash donations from visiting devotees. 

The rally here at Bodh Gaya was organised by the “Himalayan Committee” and was led by Chorten Rinpoche from Himachal Pradesh accompanied by Mingyur Rinpoche from Nepal. 

Special prayers were also offered at the Mahabodhi temple by monks from different monasteries before the rally marched out.

“There is nothing irregular about the cash recovered. He [the Karmapa] is not a Chinese agent and we support and believe in him,” said Chorten Rinpoche while briefing the press before the rally.

He also said that the money recovered from Gyuto Monastery at Sidhbari near Dharamsala [the Karmapa’s transit home for the past 10 years], was donations offered by devotees from all over the world for the sake of the Karmapa’s Dharma activities as well as other altruistic projects. 

While urging the concerned authorities to investigate the case properly, Chorten Rimpoche also appealed that proper information be released so that wayward speculations, which were hurting Buddhists across the world, were curtailed.

The rally was joined by monks and followers from across the country [this correspondent met people from Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh etc at the rally] and also followers from across the world including Japan, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan, America, Thailand, France etc.

The rally started at 6 p.m. from the Mahabodhi Stupa and ended at the Nyinma Menlom Chenmo Monastery. It was also decided that representatives from all the monasteries will assemble at New Delhi on Tuesday, 01 February, to register their feeling of offence over the manner in which the incident has been handled with the central Government after which they will head for Dharamsala to stand in solidarity with the Karmapa.