KATHMANDU, Oct 7: Lumbini Peace Marathon has announced to organize Bodh Gaya  Enlightenment Marathon in Bodh Gaya of India in September 2020.

Bikram Pandey Kaaji, the organizer of Lumbini Peace Marathon, made this announcement during his speech at the Global Religious Tourism Dialogue held in New Delhi, India last week.

"This is the third episode Lumbini Peace Marathon has made its successful mark, and it is already making its way to Bodh Gaya, following the footsteps of Siddhartha Gautam in 3rd Century BC in the same spirit of Siddhartha Gautam's Renunciation of palatial life of Kapilvastu in search of enlightenment," said Pandy during the program. "So, if Bodh Gaya has given the birth of enlightenment, Lumbini is giving the birth of Spiritual Sports in Bodh Gaya," he maintained.

The marathon has been named as Bodh Gaya Enlightenment Marathon and is planned for the Full Moon Day of September in 2020.

The marathon route runs through the tapped and untapped Buddhist heritage sites of Bodh Gaya, bringing to light for tourism opportunity. The marathon will have two categories – international standard full marathon of 42.195 kilometers and Half Marathon of 21 kilometers. This will be the first marathon of its kind like spiritual sports. The organizers are expecting massive footfalls of international as well as Indian marathon runners in the inaugural event.

The trail is expected to cover major attractions in Bodh Gaya like 82-feet Buddha Statue, Mahakala Caves, Senani Gaon, Sujata Village, Mahabodhi Temple, among other Buddhist attractions in Bodh Gaya.

 
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