NEW JERSEY (TIP): Bihar Jharkhand Association of North America (BJANA), a 47-year-old organization in NJ, USA in partnership with the Indian consulate in New York, the east coast chapter of Bihar Foundation conducted successful celebrations of Buddha Jayanti on May 6th at the Buddha Vihar, Princeton, NJ.
Buddha Jayanti, one of the most important Buddhist holidays, commemorates the birth, enlightenment, and passing of Gautam Buddha. The event was attended by dignitaries from the consulates of India, Nepal, Vietnam, and Sri Lanka, as well as members of the Indian Diaspora from various Indian Community Organizations.

On this occasion, Bihar Chief Minister Sri Nitish Kumar mentioned in his message to BJANA communities in the USA, about the teachings and ideals of the Buddha, which will enlighten us and guide us on the right path.

Nitish Kumar has appreciated the efforts we are taking in preserving the glorious history, rich cultural heritage, language, and traditions of our region in the USA. He is also confident that this celebration will help us rise above all man-made divides and spread peace, happiness, and prosperity in both the country.

The event was attended by Indian Consul General Randhir Jaiswal, he extended his warmest greetings and best wishes to all the Buddhism followers who celebrate Buddha Purnima. He congratulated BJANA and Bihar Foundation for leading the Indian community and people from Nepal, Srilanka, and Vietnam to celebrate the Buddha Jayanti together. He emphasized that the teachings of Buddha continue to inspire and guide us toward a path of peace and harmony.

The event was attended by the Consul General of Nepal Bishnu Prasad Gautam and the Consul General of Vietnam Dinh Phuong Mai, they addressed the attendees about Buddha’s enlightenment and the teachings that can bring happiness and peace in life. BJANA president Anurag Kumar welcomed the attendees and thanked everyone for being part of this celebration. The event started with the parikrama of the Lord Buddha statue and a performance by kids in the form of dance and Buddha’s teachings.

On behalf of FIA, Executive Vice President of FIA Dr. Avinash Gupta and FIA Trustee Srujal Parikh congratulated and thanked BJANA, Indian Consulate & Bihar Foundation for organizing Buddha Divas at the grand location of Buddha Vihar and getting all communities together. Alok Kumar, chairman of the Bihar Foundation East Coast Chapter in his message emphasized the importance of teachings from the life of Buddha and focused on inner peace, kindness, and compassion.

Sanjeev Singh, vice president of BJANA, expressed his sincere gratitude to the executive team, volunteers, and members of the community who helped make this event a success. Additionally, Mr. Singh thanked Dr. S. Siddharth, the principal secretary to the chief minister of Bihar, and Kumar Ravi, the commissioner of Patna, for their invaluable assistance in making this event a success.
(Press release)