JABAR EKSPRES – A crowd of people crowded the roadside entering Magelang city, Central Java, to welcome dozens of thudong monks, a ritual performed by walking thousands of kilometers.
Thousands of citizens enthusiastically welcomed their arrival by lining up on the right and left sides of the road between the Magelang city boundary to the Liong Hok Bio temple located south of Magelang city square.
The Liong Hok Bio temple is a resting place and overnight for 32 monks after traveling from Ambarawa, Semarang Regency to Magelang.
Dozens of monks wearing brown robes were seen walking behind the retinue or escorts, some of whom carried the Red and White Flag.
The escorts were not only security personnel from the police and military, but also from several local community organizations (CSOs).
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The friendly and spontaneous welcome of the people to the monks who had traveled a long way showed the authentic attitude of the Indonesian people towards others.
Chairman of Thudong International, Welly Widadi said, the walking ritual has been carried out since Gautama Buddha. In the past, Gautama Buddha, to convey his teachings, walked from one region to another, from one city to another, and from one country to another.
The Thudong carried out by 32 monks followed the teachings of the Buddha, they walked from Thailand to Malaysia, Singapore, and Indonesia with the aim of going to Borobudur Temple to carry out the Holy Tri Vesak 2567 BE/2023.
These monks from Thailand walked to Malaysia – Singapore and then headed to Batam by ferry and from Batam continued to take an airplane to the Indonesian capital in Jakarta.
From Jakarta, they were released from the Ministry of Religious Affairs office and headed to Magelang on foot through several provinces, namely DKI Jakarta, West Java and Central Java. The Thudong Monk ritual ended at Borobudur Temple to participate in the celebration of the Tri Holy Vesak together on June 4, 2023.
