December 8 holds immense significance for the followers of Gautama Buddha, the messenger of peace, around the world. Historically, Bodhi Day commemorates the day when Prince Siddhartha, who grew up in a royal family in a Himalayan state, departed from his palace to discover the harsh realities of life, 2,500 years ago.

He left his native land as a magnificent prince, but when he returned after a long time, he became a ‘sadhu’ who was dressed in a simple saffron dress, holding a ‘kashkol’ in his hand and had a shaved head in place of his attractive curly long hair.

During his journey to know the truth of life, the prince stopped at various places to face extreme poverty and miseries. However, he was interested in knowing why humans suffer pain; why people quarrel with each other; and how pain can be defeated to transform the earth into a cradle of peace.

Finally, under a tree, the prince attained enlightenment and the facts of life became clear to him, thus, Siddhartha was........

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