The start of the Peace Run in Pokhara began at the Shanti Stupa – Peace Pagoda on top of Ananda Hill 1100 metres high.
Looking over the valley to Annapurna range, Pokhara city and Fewa Lake.
Walking up to the Stupa early in the morning on Shivaratri, a very important and auspicious festival in Nepal, we heard the distant chanting of this festival.
Krishna opened the ceremony near the Peace Pagoda, explaining to all the invited guests about the Peace Run.
Mr Tej Bahadur Gurung – President of Nepal Handball Association, President of Rotary Club Pokhara and Director of Cosmos International College was instrumental in organising this event and the many events to follow in Pokhara.
Mr Gurung spoke of his long-standing knowledge and gratitude to Sri Chinmoy – the founder of the Peace Run, for the work that Sri Chinmoy has done. And on behalf of not only the people of Pokhara but also all the people of Nepal he offered his gratitude to the Peace Run for coming to Nepal.
Expressing his certainty of the Peace Run bringing Peace on earth.
Mr Gurung receiving a small token of our appreciation.
T-shirts for our invited guests. Mr. Shanker Gurung, Chairperson of World Peace Stupa
Dinanath Baral, Photo Journalist
Mani Prasad Gurung, Photo Journalist
Mr. Om Gurung of Ex-sportsmen Forum, Pokhara
Mr. Dinesh Shrestha, Senior Sports person and his spouse Mrs. Krishna Laxmi Shrestha
Mr. Shreekrisna Adhikari, Principal, Lekhnath Bibhuti School
Harashita recieves a Nepal Olympic Committee pin from Mr Gurung on behalf of the Peace Run Team.
After each of the many invited guests took a moment with the Peace Torch
Mrs. Beni Gurung, spouse of Mr. Tej Bahadur Gurung
Mr. Mahesh Paudel, Member of Ex-sportsmen Forum and Banker
The whole Peace Run team lead by Sweta our amazing Nepal coordinator took a silent and soulful walk around the Shanti Stupa
There is a Buddha statue facing each direction. Each Buddha was donated by a different country, Nepal, Thailand, Sri Lanka and Japan.
A truly oneness world created Stupa
Now that the Peace Run was officially started in Pokhara the Team ran down the hill heading back into the City
The decent from the stupa was interrupted by a spontaneous ceremony at the Dibyajyoti Education Trust
A hostel of about 20 children aged 4 to 12.
They held the torch with absolute sincerity
They had such enthusiasm for running the torch around the world that they high fived 4 laps.
Teachers at the hostel Bikram Acharya and Sunita BK held the torch
Eventually we continued the run into Pokhara.
Stopping to meet many of the local people along the way.
With so many of the team, a group of 5 Peace Runners took an off road route.
As we arrived at Fewa Lake a group of Shivaratri devotees walking past stopped and offered each of the Peace Runners a flaming Tilaka.
As we took a moment of silence before proceeding, a black dog came to join us and lead us to our destination, the Shiva Temple, the focal point of the holiday. In Hindu mythology black dogs are associated with Lord Shiva.
So it felt auspicious to have him join us to the gates of the temple.
To finish our first day in Pokhara a group of Peace Runners took the torch on a boat ride on the lake.
Bringing the torch to one final temple.
