Former King Gyanendra Shah is set to visit the Lumbini Thai Thousand Buddha Vihara today to participate in an ongoing religious ceremony. The prayer, which began on Mangsir 4, aims to invoke world peace and consecrate 1,000 Buddha statues established in the monastery.

The official inauguration of the Vihara is scheduled for today and will be conducted by Federal Parliament Member Babudev Ghimire, Vice-chair of the Lumbini Development Trust Dr. Lyarlkel Lama, and the Vihara’s head, Chokyai Nima Rinpoche. Following the inauguration, Former King Shah will join the main prayer ceremony.

The Lumbini Development Trust has confirmed that Shah's visit is limited to the prayer event, with no other formal engagements planned. He is expected to return to Kathmandu later today after completing the ceremony.

The ongoing prayer ceremony follows the Mahayana tradition and has brought together over 600 Buddhist practitioners from 12 different countries. According to the District Police Office in Rupandehi, there will be no VIP security arrangements for Shah’s visit, though police deployment will be adjusted based on the crowd's needs.

The Lumbini Development Trust has assured that the former King's visit will not disrupt the flow of tourists visiting Lumbini.