Earlier, former ecclesiastical secretary and member of the Mahabodhi Society, N Dorjee during his visit to Thailand to attend a seminar met Ven Sirimattana and floated the idea of securing the sacred Buddha relic.

According to the member secretary of the Sakyamuni project, Rinzing Chewang, Ven Jamnian Silasettho, the second in the hierarchy of the Vat will be visiting Sikkim in the month of November along with 36 disciple-sponsors from Thailand to hand over the sacred relics as well as to provide monetary assistance to the Sakyamuni project.

It is also informed that the Sakyamuni team had left the relic at the Vat with Ven Sirimattana for safe keeping and will be brought in November along with other sacred relics.

During their visit, a ceremonial function is slated to be held at the project site in Rabong on November 24, later this year.

This visit is also seen as a historic meeting of the two sects of Buddhism- Theravada and Mahayana and gradually as a mission to strengthen the relation of the two sects of Buddhism.

Ven Sirimattana, who was in Gangtok recently to finalize the visit of Ven Jamnian Silasettho said that more Lord Buddha relics are being collected from Buddhist countries like Burma, Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia to be presented to Rabong Buddha Statue.

Talking to this reporter, Ven Sirimattana said that the second master, who has a hectic schedule travelling across the world, has cancelled his Sweden trip to visit Sikkim.

Ven Sirimattana, who made personal visits to Sikkim earlier with the third master Ven Ngam Ratanayamo revealed that they have been influenced and impressed by Sikkim, which they visioned as something different from the rest of the world and so his interest to visit Sikkim grew.

Explaining the significance of the relic, Ven Sirimattana said that the Buddha relic presented by the 19th Supreme Patriarch of the Kingdom of Thailand is received from the sky and has insurmountable power. “If you believe in it, the sky relic has the power to multiply,” he said.

The high ranking monks of the Supreme Patriarch’s monastery have also been visiting places like Bodhgaya, Nepal and Bhutan and sponsoring various projects.

When this reporter asked former secretary, N Dorji to comment on the development, he said, “This is a good trend to bring about universal peace and brotherhood, especially at this time of globalization.”

Being constructed to commemorate the 2550th birth anniversary of Lord Buddha, the Sakyamuni project is expected to boost pilgrimage tourism in the region.