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Chair Lift Aerial Ropeway

The Vishwa Shanti Stupa [World Peace Pagoda] and monasteries built by Japanese devotees are situated atop the Ratnagiri hills.

The best way to reach the hilltop to the Peace Pagoda is by Chair Lift Aerial Ropeway. It is a lot of fun!!! I have vivid childhood memories of sitting on mom’s lap on these aerial ropeway.  The only other alternative is trekking the hills.

The Rajgir chair-lift aerial ropeway is said to be the oldest ropeway in the country. It was donated by famous Japanese monk Fujii Guruji. The first person to ride on this ropeway was Loknayak Jaya Prakash Narayan!!! Presently it is said to be the biggest revenue-generating unit of the Bihar State Tourism Development Corporation (BSTDC). There are talks of commissioning of the new ropeway. The new ropeway would have cabins which would accomodate several persons, as against the existing chair-lift ropeway, which can accommodate only one person. Once new one is installed, the old one will be given the heritage status on the pattern of the famous toy train of Darjeeling.

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When we got down from the aerial ropeway, there was a somewhat long walk to the World Peace Pagoda. We saw some mountain monkeys on the way. They seemed quite accustomed to humans beings, and did not care about our existence.

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World Peace Pagoda / Vishwa Shanti Stupa

The Most Venerable Nichidatsu Fujii [1885-1985], more commonly known as Fujii Guruji, is founder of the Buddhist religious order, Nipponzan Myohoji, which is dedicated to working for world peace through Peace Walks and the construction of Peace Pagodas. Guruji began building Peace pagodas in 1947, soon after the Second World War, offering a new vision and hope not only amid the deprivation of post-war Japan but to the entire world. The first Peace Pagodas were built as in the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki where the atomic bombs took the lives of over 150,000 people, almost all of whom were civilian, at the end of World War II. Today, Peace Pagodas exist throughout the world and continue to be built by Nipponzan Myohoji and others in a practice directly from the Lotus Sutra. Though all of the peace pagodas are not built under the guidance of Nichidatsu Fujji, most of them have been built either under his guidance or under his recommendations.

By 2000, eighty Peace Pagodas had been built around the world in Europe, Asia, and the United States, including six in India. Rajgir Vishwa Shanti Stupa [World Peace Pagoda] is the first of the Peace Pagoda in India. It was built in 1969 by Japanese Nipponzan Myohoji, to spread the message of peace and non-violence. Pandit Jawaharlala Nehru [1889-1964] laid the foundation stone of this first Peace Pagoda in Bihar state at Rajgiri.

The Rajgir World Peace Pagoda is built completely in marble. It has four gold statues of Buddha are on the four sides of the stupa, with each representing his life periods of birth, enlightenment, preaching and death.

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Anjali Mudra / Namaskara Mudra

This gesture of Namaskara is practiced throughout many Asian countries. It is a sign of respect and greeting in countries like India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Burma, Thailand, etc.

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Dharamchakra Mudra

This mudra symbolizes one of the most important moments in the life of Buddha, the occasion when he preached to his companions the first sermon after his Enlightenment in the Deer Park at Sarnath. It thus denotes the setting into motion of the Wheel of the teaching of the Dharma.

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Here we see a combination of mudras:
Abhaya Mudra [fear not] with right hand, and..
Varada Mudra [charity, compassion] with left hand.

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Nirvana Buddha

Nirvana in Buddhism means liberation from the endless cycle of birth – death – rebirth [known as samsara].
In this pose, the Buddha is always depicted lying on the right hand side on top of a resting table.

 

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This monument was perhaps inscribed by most venerable Nichidatsu Fujii, loveling called Fujii Guruji, as this webpage suggests.. click here..

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Namu Myoho Renge Kyo
Na Mu Myo Ho Ren Ge Kyo

Most Venerable Nichidatsu Fujii

Born on 8th August, 1885 at the foot hills of Mt. Aso in Japan, most venerable Fujii Guruji joined the Nichiren Buddhist order at the age of 19 in 1303.

In 1931, he came to India and worked with Mahatma Gandhi in India’s non-violent war of Independence. Gandhiji gave him the name “guruji”, and included “Na Mu Myo Ho Ren Ge Kyo” the essense of Buddhism in his prayers. It was his firm belief that his mantra had the power to counter the threat of total annihilation of the world cause of nuclear armament.

Guruji built 70 peace pagodas all over the world. The Rajgiri Shanti Stupa atop Ratnagirri Hill was completed in 1969.

As a pacifist and an advocate of complete disarmament, he made his life a vehicle for the spread of message of peace and amity and led many peace marches. In recognition of his services, he was conferred Jawaharlal Nehru Award for International Understanding in 1979.

The great disciple of Lord Buddha, a Nichiren Bodhisattava and much loved by Mahatma Gandhi, most venerable Fujii Giruji entered Norvana on Jan 1985 at Atami in Japan at the ripe age of 101.

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Related Links

Incredible India.. click here..
Home State: Bihar, India.. click here..
Home Town: Patna, Bihar, India.. click here..

My Vacations Photo Gallery.. click here..

Vacation: USA / Illinois.. click here..
Vacation: USA.. click here..
Vacation: UK.. click here..
Vacation: India.. click here..
UNESCO World Heritage Site.. click here..

Places of Worship: Temples & more.. click here..
Places of Worship: Churches & more.. click here..

Home: Public Art in Chicago.. .. click here..

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