His Holiness the Je Khenpo, Trulku Jigme Choedra, the Chief Abbot of Bhutan, and the country’s Prime Minister Dasho Tshering Tobgay will undertake an official visit to India from September 3 to 10, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) announced on Wednesday.
The Je Khenpo is the Chief Abbot of the Central Monastic Body of Bhutan, the spiritual head of Bhutan and the highest authority of the country’s monastic body, playing a central role in preserving and guiding its Buddhist traditions.
The visit will be marked by the consecration of the Royal Bhutan Temple at Rajgir in Bihar on September 4. The temple, built with support from the Bhutanese side, has been constructed on land provided by the Government of Bihar. The temple project was initiated in 2018 as part of the celebrations of the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Bhutan and India. The ceremony will be led by the Je Khenpo, underlining the shared spiritual and cultural heritage that connects India and Bhutan.
During the stay, the Je Khenpo will also preside over the Moenlam Chenmo, a major Buddhist religious assembly to be held in Rajgir from September 6 to 8. This gathering, organised by the Zhung Dratshang, is expected to draw large participation from monks, devotees and the Buddhist community across the region.
Prime Minister Tobgay will accompany the Je Khenpo for the temple consecration before travelling onwards to Ayodhya to visit the Shri Ram Temple. He is also scheduled to hold official engagements in New Delhi later in the visit, where discussions with Indian leadership are expected to further strengthen bilateral relations.
