Vesak 2023 Commemoration In Borobudur, Ganjar Hopes The Process Will Run Smoothly

Central Java Governor Ganjar Pranowo received the Chairman of the Central Java WALUBI DPD, Tanto Harsono at the Puri Gedeh Office House, Thursday, May 4. (Special)

Central Java Governor Ganjar Pranowo hopes that the long procession of the 2023 Vesak commemoration in Borobudur can run smoothly.

This was said by Ganjar after receiving representatives of Indonesian Buddhists to meet the Governor of Central Java Ganjar Pranowo at the Puri Gedeh Office House, Thursday, May 4.

They discussed the readiness to commemorate the 2023 Waisak masehi or 2567 BE centered in the Borobudur Temple and Mendut Temple, Magelang.

The chairman of the WALUBI DPD in Central Java, Tanto Harsono, said that he came with a group to the Central Java Governor's Office House to deliver a series of Vesak 2023 commemorations. The theme of this year's Vesak commemoration is "Actualize Dharma Buddhist Jaran in Daily Life" with the sub-them "Momentum Waisak Strengthens National Unity and World Peace".

The 2023 Vesak or 2567 BE commemoration is slightly different from previous years. On this year's commemoration, there will be a group from Thailand who will participate in enlivening Vesak at Borobudur Temple. This group consists of monks and Bhikkhu from various countries. They gathered in Thailand to walk or tudong to Borobudur Temple.

"We will have guests from Thailand. Biksu will walk from Thailand to Borobudur. It started on March 23 yesterday. Now it's up to Singapore. Later on the 9th, they will enter Batam, from Batam they will fly to Jakarta, then from Jakarta on foot until June 1st they enter Borobudur. Later, on the 27th, they will stay at Pekalongan, where Habib Lutfi was last night," he said after meeting Ganjar.

This year's Waisak commemoration series starts on May 21, 2023 with the agenda of Karya Bakti at the Semarang Tunggal Giri Heroes Cemetery. The treatment social service activities continued with a target of 8,000 patients, on May 30 and May 31, 2023.

Then, on June 2, 2023, the fire will be taken by Mrapen. The eternal fire of Mrapen will be immediately buried in the Candi of Mendut. Continued on June 3, 2023, a procession of taking the Holy Water of Jumprit and resting it at the Mendut Temple was carried out.

"On June 4, starting at 06.00, a procession will be carried out from the Mendut Temple to Borobudur Temple. The seconds of Waisak will be held at 10.41.19, later connected with Pradaksina or three rounds of the temple. The night, the peak event with the release of the lanterns at the Main Marga," he said.

After meeting representatives of Buddhists, Ganjar Pranowo said the commemoration committee had prepared Vesak 2023 carefully. It is predicted that this year's Vesak commemoration at Borobudur Temple will be crowded. Therefore, Ganjar asked the organizers to prepare all permits carefully. Especially later, a number of guests from Thailand will also come.

"Later, the activities will be as before, there will be social, religious, and they will explain the existing readiness," he said.

Ganjar hopes that the entire procession for this year's Vesak commemoration will run smoothly. Moreover, the procession was carried out for quite a long time, starting from taking the Fire Mrapen and the Holy Water Jumprit, to the peak of the celebration at Borobudur Temple.

"Hopefully it can run smoothly later because the procession is quite long, approximately two weeks. Starting from taking the fire in Mrapen, holy water in Jumprit, then their social service, to the celebration of the peak later in Waisak," said Ganjar.

In addition to Vesak's preparation, at the meeting WALUBI also conveyed to Ganjar regarding plans to create religious tourism destinations for Buddhists in Indonesia and around the world.

Responding to this, Ganjar requested that the plan to make the tourist destination be reviewed, including coordinating with the manager of the Borobudur Temple area. This is because the location of the new destination plan is not far from Borobudur Temple.

"Including requests for permits, they want to make a kind of destination. I ask for it to be reviewed first so that existing permits are integrated around the existing Borobudur area. This was conveyed earlier," he said.