‘Kathin Chibar Dan’ festival begins in Rangamati

Rangamati, Oct 14 -Kathin Chibar Dan, a month-long religious festival of tribal Buddha community of the Chittagong Hill Tracts, started from Buddhangkur Temple premises in Rangamati on Monday with much enthusiasm.‘Kathin Chibor Dan’ means ‘Offering of the Difficult Monk’, an annual colourful festival where new robes are donated to the monks.
Buddhangkur Temple and Rangamati Barua Janakalyan Songstha jointly organised the festival that include Panchasheel Grohon, Buddha Puja, Ashta Porishkar and Pradip Puja.
On the first day, a religious meeting was held chaired by Dharmashava Parbatta Bhikhkhu Songho president Sraddhalangkar Mohatherar where principal of Buddhangkur Temple Karunapal Bhikhkhu read out the Mangalacharan.
Seeking divine blessings of Lord Goutam Buddha for lasting peace and prosperity for the people of all communities in the country, the Buddhists will light candles and offer prayers in the temple.
The historical background of the robe offering is mentioned in the Vinaya Pitaka text. When the Buddha was dwelling at Jetavana Vihar in Shravasti, a group of 30 monks visited him. The Buddha noticed their worn out, threadbare robes. It is said that at the time, monks used to wear robes sewn together from pieces of cloth collected from different places such as cemeteries, discarded in the street, and rubbish heaps.
To address this, the Buddha granted permission for the monks to celebrate the Kathina ceremony—with several rules, such as only those monks who have successfully completed the rains retreat may receive a Kathina robe.- UNB