World Peace Pagoda, Pokhara

The pioneer of peace63 BC Siddhartha Gautam Buddha was born in Lumbini of Nepal in 563 BC and spent 29 years of familial life in his kingdom Kapilvastu, Nepal. After his Great Renunciation at the age of 35 he attained enlightment in Bodhgaya of India and became the Buddha (the enlightment one). Three months after the enlightment, he delivered his first sermon in Saranath. This is called Dharmachakra Pravartan (setting in motion the wheel of Dharma).
Based on Harmony, Compassion and Non-Viokence, his religion continued to expand throughout the world. During this expansion, the religion reached Japan, the Land of Rising Sun, from India via China and Korea, 14 years ago. It has made a deep impact in the Japanese way of life. Various organizations have been established in the Japan to spread his message of peace. One of them is Nipponzan Myohoji established in 1981 AD.
The founder of Nipponzan Myhoji, Most Ven. Nichidastsu Fuji witnessed and experienced the great devastation of Hiroshima and Nagasaki of Japan in the World War II. After witnessing this, he realized the need of spread the message of peace by building 100 World Peace Pagodas throughout the world.
During this period he recalled an important prophecy made by the Religious Guru Priest Nichiren about 7 hundred years age. The prophecy was “It will be free of burden of debt by taking Buddhism from Japan, The Land of Rising Sun to the country of Indu (the Moon) India from where Buddhism had come to Japan.” Buddhism had declined in India during the period. In accordance to this prophecy, Nipponzan Myohoji made an effort to bring Buddhism from the Land of Rising Sun to the Country of Indu. The organization materialized the prophecy by making a World Peace Pagoda on Ratnagiri mountain of India in 1969 AD.
The organization attempted to make World Peace Pagoda in Nepal, where Lord Buddha was born. Most Ven. Fuji laid the foundation stone of the World Peace Pagoda by laying the sacred relics of Shakyamuni Lord Buddha on Min Hilltop of Anadu, Pokhara on 12 September 1973. On 28 November 1973, the birth statue of Siddhartha was duly set up here after building a Prayer hall, a Vihara and a Guest House. When the world Peace Pagoda, under construction reached the height of 35 feet, all these buildings were destroyed forcibly by the government showing town planning reasons on 31 July 1974. An unfortunate situation was created.
Though the government destroyed all the physical structures, the Buddhists kept their emotional attachments with the place and regularly conducted worships and religious rites. Seeing this, Most Ven. Fujii prophesized that one day, though the government had destroyed it, the Peace Pagoda would be built here since it had rooted deeply in the hearts of Nepalese people and instructed to make continuous effort. Signs of the accomplishment of the prophecy by Most Ven. Fujii were seen. After 18 years of continuous endeavor on 21 May 1992, Honorable Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala himself came and re-laid the foundation stone of the world Peace Pagoda. Then onwards the construction work continued without any obstructions. It was completed by the assistant of local people and the incessant endeavor of Ven. Morioka Senin of Nipponzan Myohoji, Japan. When the construction work was completed, as an inaugural ceremony, Consecration Worship was conducted in the presence of the Chairman of Nepali congress and former Prime Minister Koirala on 30 October 1999.
This is the first Peace Pagoda built in Nepal and the 71st in the process of building World Peace Pagodas around the world. Positive peace message is conveyed in this area by the construction of the Pagoda. All the people who come to visit this place can experience peace in abundance…