New Delhi: The Pashupatinath-Kashi Vishvanath Amrit Mahotsav Motorcycle Rally was flagged off today (November 11) jointly by Nepal Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Prem Bahadur Ale and Ambassador of India Vinay Mohan Kwatra from the sacred Pashupatinath Temple. Honourable Ven. Mool Bhatta of the Temple was also present. Nearly 50 Indian and Nepali motorbike enthusiasts are participating in the rally.
The rally aims to showcase the profound and timeless people-to-people connection between India and Nepal and further strengthens mutual cultural relations, an official release said.
The rally is also intended to increase awareness among youth about the two countries' precious shared religious and cultural heritage.
In his remarks, Nepal Minister Ale spoke about the age-old cultural heritage and civilizational links between India and Nepal and wished the participants of the bike rally success in their journey, the official release said.
Ambassador of India, in his remarks, spoke about the special association between Kathmandu and Kashi and the role played by the two ancient temples–Pashupatinath and Kashi Vishwanath–in bringing people of the two countries together.
Ambassador Kwatra also urged the youth of India and Nepal to cherish and preserve this shared cultural wealth.
Venerable Chief Priest (Mool Bhatta) of Pashupatinath Temple blessed the participants before they set out on this journey.
The rally participants would visit Kashi Vishwanath Temple in Varanasi on November 13 and perform puja and offer 'Swachchata Shramdan' at Dashashvamedha ghat to spread the message of cleanliness.
During its journey, the rally would also cross several historically important places: Motihari–where Mahatma Gandhi launched 'Champaran Satyagraha' during India's freedom struggle, Sarnath–the city where Mahatma Buddha delivered his first sermon, and Gorakhnath Math–a temple highly revered and visited by people from both India and Nepal.
The rally is organized by the Embassy of India, Kathmandu, in collaboration with Royal Enfield Kathmandu as part of 'Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav', an initiative of the Government of India to celebrate and commemorate 75 years of independent India and the history of the remarkable progress of its people, the release said.
