Ba Vang Pagoda sets two World Records

The Great Buddha’s Birthday 2023 was celebrated on May 21, 2023, at the Ba Vang Pagoda. The world’s largest mountain lecture hall was inaugurated on the occasion. Thus the lecture hall on the mountain of Ba Vang Pagoda (Uong Bi City, Quang Ninh) set two world records together at the same time. Thousands of people and Buddhists from all around the world took part in the inaugural function.

On this occasion, the World Records Union (WorldKings) officially recognized the world record set by the Ba Vang Pagoda for having three Golden Temples with a double storey Buddha lecture hall located on the mountain. In addition to this, the World Record Association also officially recognized the Ba Vang Pagoda as the temple with the largest Buddhist lecture hall on the mountain with two floors having the largest area in the world.

Dr Biswaroop Roy Chowdhury, President of World Records Union (WorldKings) and Editor-in-Chief, India Book of Records (IBR), attended the grand inaugural ceremony along with the officials of the World Records Union (WorldKings) and the World Record Association. Dr Biswaroop said that the yellow top of the Buddha temple is visible from far away. The temple is a grand creation on the Buddhist land of Vietnam.

Chanting was done to celebrate the Buddha’s birthday. There were many more religious activities on the occasion such as offering incense sticks, offering water to bathe Lord Buddha, taking out a parade with flowers to celebrate the birthday, and dancing on the floor as a mark of happiness.

On the sidelines of the 52nd Meeting of Vietnamese Record Holders in Ho Chi Minh City. The Great Buddha’s Birthday - 2023 was celebrated on May 21, 2023, at the Ba Vang Pagoda in Vietnam.

The lecture hall on the mountain is beautifully decorated with intricate art work and unique designs. The hall can accommodate around 15,000 people at once. Its construction began in the year 2016, with the aim of providing a large sitting place for the Buddhists. Here they can listen to Buddhist scriptures and organize important ceremonies at the temple. The art work shows harmony with the world’s Buddhist cultural architecture. At the same time, it is a place where tourists from all over the world can come and worship in large groups.

Thich Truc Thai Minh of Ba Vang Pagoda receiving the two world records from the officials of World Records Union (WorldKings) and World Records Association.

Professor, Academician Hoang Quang Thuan, Chairman of the Founding Council of the Vietnam Records Organization and Dr Biswaroop Roy Chowdhury (3rd from left) presenting the record certificate to Thich Truc Thai Minh of Ba Vang Pagoda.

(From left) Mr Le Doan Hop -Chairman of the Vietnam Record Setting Council, honorable Thay Thich Truc Thai Minh, abbot of Ba Vang Pagoda and Mr. Michael Vincent - General Director of the World Record Association (WRA), happily showing the twin records.

Leaders of government parties attended the celebration (from left) Thang Van Phuc Chairman of Vietnam Record Association and former Deputy Minister of the Vietnam Home Affairs with Dr. Nguyen Thanh Son - Former Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Former Chairman of the State Committee for Overseas, Vietnam.

Grand Vesak Celebration was attended by many national and international monks of Vietnam Buddhist Sangha and from Buddhist organizations like, the Central Buddhist Fellowship Organization of Lao PDR; All Nepal Bhikkhu Association of Nepal; All Island Buddha Sasana Council of Sri Lanka; The State Samghanayaka, Myanmar; the Central Buddhist Fellowship Organization of Lao PDR; All Island Buddha Sasana Council of Sri Lanka; The Central Monastic Body of Bhutan; Wat Phra Dhammakaya; Dhammakaya Foundation of Thailand.

Government dignitaries admiring the performances

(from right) Mrs. Truong

Thi Ngoc Anh - Vice Chairwoman of Vietnam Fatherland Front Central Committee; Mr. Ta Quang Dong - Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Vietnam; Dr. Le Doan HopFormer Member of the Party Central Committee, Former Minister of Information and Communications.

Honorable Thay Thich Truc

Thai Minh, abbot of Ba Vang Pagoda in the ribbon-cutting ceremony with Dr. Nguyen Thi Doan - Former Member of the Party Central Committee, Former Vice President of the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam, Chairwoman of the Vietnam Association for Promoting Education and other performers

Esteemed dignitaries at the Ba Vang Pagoda celebration, seen here are (from right) Dr. Biswaroop Roy Chowdhury - Chairman of the World Records Union (WorldKings), Mr. Michael Vincent - General Director of the World Record Association (WRA) and Acharya Manish

Ji – Ayurveda Expert and Founder of HIIMS hospital, India.

The Grand celebration saw many beautiful and vibrant Vietnamese cultural and folk performances one after the other.

60,000 Buddhists, people from Vietnam and abroad joined the Grand Vesak Celebration to commemorate the birthday of Lord Buddha at the Ba Vang Pagoda.

Thousands of people and devoted Buddhists came together to celebrate the Great Buddha’s Birthday and got to experience its profound serenity.

The monumental masterpiece, known as the “Three Golden Temple,” got the first World record and the second record was for World’s largest mountain lecture hall.