Correct Answer :   Arunachal Pradesh

Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu on Monday (11th Dec 2023) attended the annual "Shar Amartala Torgya" Festival here at the Thegtse Sangye Choi Long monastery at Balemu, a small hamlet at the trijunction of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam and Bhutan in West Kameng district.

The religious festival is being held under the patronage and blessings of Padmashree His Eminence The 14th Thegtse Rinpoche.

Addressing a huge gathering of devotees from West Kameng, Tawang and Bhutan, Khandu expressed gratitude to the Almighty for being able to attend the third celebration of the festival at Balemu for the second time.

He appreciated all the MLAs of West Kameng and Tawang districts for responding positively to his appeal for generous contributions to the construction and development of the monastery that he inaugurated earlier in the day.

"Being Monpas it is our duty to contribute in whatever possible way to develop a monastery, especially in a place that has a religious significance for us. I appreciate all Monpa MLAs for their contributions. However, my special thanks go to Union Minister for Earth Science Kiren Rijiju, Buragaon-Thrizino MLA Kumsi Sidisow and Bomdila MLA Dongru Siongju for their generous contribution who though hail from West Kameng district are non-Monpas," he said.

Khandu, who inaugurated the Mindrol Wang Thri Khang Zang Gatsal or the Dharma Teaching Stage of the monastery, on behalf of all Mon people, expressed gratitude to Thegtse Rinpoche for reviving the lost religious glory of Amartala (Balemu) by initiating to open the study centre for the preservation of Buddhist culture.

Amartala (Balemu) is a place of great religious significance.

"We the Mon people have been following Buddhism for centuries. It is our culture. And we must preserve this culture for posterity and maintain our indigenous identity," he said..

Source : ANI