The Global Peace Prayer Festival (GPPF) and Kalachakra Empowerment have drawn thousands from all walks of life, leaving many towns and villages unusually quiet. Over the past few days, numerous shops and homes have remained closed. Yet, for the hundreds who stayed behind to tend to their families, farms, and fields, the live broadcast of the event brought the celebrations right into their homes, making the experience all the more joyful.
In Tsirang’s Mendrelgang Gewog, the village, usually bustling with orange trading, now lies unusually still. With the orange harvest sold, many villagers have travelled to the capital to attend the Global Peace Prayer Festival (GPPF) and the ongoing Kalachakra Empowerment.
In some households, family members have taken turns to experience this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to receive teachings and blessings from revered religious masters and scholars from around the world.
Meanwhile, public transport and taxis have seen a sharp rise in passengers, with bus tickets to Thimphu fully booked until yesterday.
Thubchen Dorji, a taxi Coordinator in Tsirang said, “After the commencement of GPPF and Kalachakra Empowerment, our colleagues who used to operate taxis within Tsirang have also started ferrying passengers to Thimphu. As we see, the taxi parking here has become empty. We don’t have a shortage of passengers these days. Around eight taxis travel to Thimphu every morning and return in the evening.”
Around 200 vehicles have already travelled from Samdrup Jongkhar to Thimphu since the beginning of this month.
Similar scenes unfold in the rest of the country. Many shops and businesses remain shuttered. In some districts, entire villages have emptied out, with homes locked and only a few residents left to manage the daily chores.
“After learning about the prayer festival, many people made early preparations to attend it. Around eight or nine households have left for Thimphu, locking their homes, which remain closed to this day. Some even returned to take their parents along, allowing them to attend the prayers,” said Kencho Dorji, Chhungsekha-Dhomkha Tshogpa, Wangdue Phodrang
For many who couldn’t make the journey, the live broadcasts on television and social media offered a sense of participation. They say they hope to attend such an event themselves in the future.
“My children are not here, so I had to stay back and look after my cattle. I wanted to attend the GPPF but couldn’t because of my animals. However, I am offering prayers by watching the religious events on television. Many of my neighbours have gone to attend the prayers, and they are still there,” said Wangda, a villager from Dewathang Gewog in Samdrup Jongkhar.
For many, devotion transcends distance. They believe that those who pray with faith receive the same blessings, wherever they may be. For Bhutan, the Global Peace Prayer Festival has become more than just an event. It is a moment of collective devotion and unity, bringing people together from near and far.
Pema Tshewang, Tsirang, Kinley Wangchuk, Changa Dorji, Namgay Wangchuk
Edited by Sangay Chezom
