It is a known fact that the prayer bead garland, made from the seeds of the bodhi tree is an indispensable tool for mediation or chanting prayers. But due to the unavailability of the bodhi beads in the country, people import it from neighbouring India and Nepal by paying hefty amounts.
To curb the import, the agriculture ministry has distributed more than a thousand saplings of Bodhichitta tree for mass plantation in Punakha recently. The bodhi saplings were distributed to interested farmers in Barp, Guma and Dzomi Gewogs.
Sixty-year-old Dorji Namgay from Dzomi Gewog received some 12 bodhi saplings. He planted them with assistance from De-Suups and agriculture officials.
Showing his prayer bead garland, bought from Thimphu for more than Nu 40,000 a few years ago, he said he doesn’t worry about replacing it once it becomes old. He reasoned that by then, the trees will bear fruits.
Dorji’s views were echoed by some people in Punakha.
“It’s difficult to know whether the prayer beads are original or duplicate when we buy them from Bodh Gaya. But still, we have to pay a huge amount. So, it will not be a financial burden on us if these saplings produce seeds to make beads,” said one of the residents in Barp Gewog, Tashi Tshomo.
For another resident, Yeshi Dem, who is from the same gewog, the expectation is similar.
“I could not buy bodhi beads so far. So I am using ordinary beads. However, we have planted the Bodhichitta tree sapling, and looking forward to using the beads to make a prayer garland.”
Agriculture officials said the bodhi saplings will take about five years to produce fruits or seeds. According to spiritual beliefs, prayer beads made from bodhi seeds are considered sacred.
“Bodhichitta beads can be used for all chanting prayers of Zhi-Gay-Wang-Drak, unlike the ordinary beads. Likewise, Buddhist scriptures say a single chanting with the Bodhichitta beads has countless benefits,” narrated Lhatu, the Principal of Losel Rigpai Jungney Shedra in Bajo.
The initiative is part of the ministry’s “Million Fruit Trees Plantation Project,” where it bought 5,000 bodhi saplings from Nepal. Including Punakha, Trashigang, Trashi Yangtse, Zhemgang, Dagana, Samdrup Jongkhar and Tsirang received the saplings.
The ministry initiated the bodhi tree plantation in 2016 coinciding with the auspicious day on the Bhutanese calendar- the Zhabdrung Kuchoe.
Businesses dealing with handicraft and religious items shared that the price for bodhi prayer garland ranges from Nu 3,000 to 500,000.
With this rigorous plantation programme, it is hoped that in a few years from now, Bhutan will see aplenty of bodhi beads. This would mean spotting people from all walks of life at religious ceremonies, reciting mantras and doing counts with a string of bodhi beads.
Changa Dorji, Wangdue Phodrang
Edited by Pema Lhaden
