"Every year, for this puja here, His Holiness Karmapa and many other great masters and many other monks also, we pray for world peace in the country," said Nama Kama Chuida, a Buddhist Monk from Darjeeling.
The 17th Karmapa, Ogyen Trinley Dorje, who was also present at the prayer session, said that they would pray to Lord Buddha for the next eight days.
The monks also gathered under the holy Bodhi tree for special prayers. The Bodhi tree is a 'peepul' or sacred fig tree under which the Buddha achieved enlightenment.