Thudong Monk Arrives at Magelang Temple Sunday Afternoon
A group of thudong monks were welcomed at the Liong Hok Bio temple, Magelang City, Sunday (19/5/2024).
- A total of 42 monks carrying out the thudong ritual arrived at the Liong Hok Bio temple, Magelang City, Sunday (19/5/2024) afternoon. They will stay overnight before continuing their journey to Borobudur Temple tomorrow.
The group of thudong monks set foot at the temple at around 14.00 WIB, one hour earlier than expected. Nine hours earlier, as darkness slowly fell from the sky, they departed Temanggung.
The monks were greeted with showers of water and flowers of seven kinds at their feet. These legs have braved hot asphalt 60 km away. The leader of the group of monks, Bhante Kamsai Sumano Mahathera, said that the monks stopped at several places along the Temanggung-Magelang route, such as monasteries, schools and mosques. They will stop or rest after covering a distance of 7 km.
When they arrived at the mosque, Bhante Sumano said, the group of thudong monks were greeted by the community and the ustaz. They quenched their fatigue and thirst in the mosque foyer.
"After we drank, we prayed in Buddhism. Mr Ustaz also joined in the prayer together. We felt like family," he said after the welcoming ceremony at the Liong Hok Bio Tri Dharma Worship Place (TITD).
Bhante Sumano noticed that people always smiled and encouraged the monks on both sides of the road. Not a few people gave sandals to monks who walked barefoot.
Some monks, he continued, believe that the spiritual journey is carried out barefoot.
"However, out of respect, we accepted the sandals," he said.
The community's support is not only about providing sandals, but also scattering flowers on the road so that the soles of the monks' feet don't get too hot.
In return for attention, Bhante Sumano said, some monks distributed snacks to people.
Even though he said the response from residents was busier last year, enthusiasm remains high.
"We got a lot of attention along the 60 km distance and didn't have any difficulties. Maybe it was just a leg injury, but it was for the sake of happiness," he said.
A total of 42 thudong monks from Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia are expected to arrive at Borobudur Temple on Monday (20/5/2024) afternoon.
Sunday night they stayed at the Liong Hok Bio temple.
Chairman of the Tri Bakti Foundation, Paul Chandra Wesi Aji, said that the monks would also recite the chanting prayers at the temple tomorrow morning.
"Prayer means that the universe will be better," he said.
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