About 50 Indian and Nepali motorbike enthusiasts are participating in a rally is aimed at showcasing the timeless people-to-people connect between India and Nepal and  strengthen mutual cultural relations. The Pashupatinath-Kashi Vishvanath Amrit Mahotsav Motorcycle Rally was flagged off on Thursday jointly by Nepalese Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Prem Bahadur Ale and Indian Ambassador Vinay Mohan Kwatra from the Pashupatinath Temple in Kathmandu.

The rally was flagged off in the august presence of the Venerable Chief Priest Mool Bhatta of the temple, who blessed the participants before they set out on the journey.

The rally is intended to increase awareness among youth about the precious shared religious and cultural heritage of the two countries.

In his remarks, Minister Ale spoke about the age-old cultural heritage and civilizational links between India and Nepal. Ambassador Kwatra 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.

The participants of the rally will visit Kashi Vishwanath Temple in Varanasi on November 13 and perform puja and offer ‘Swachchata Shramdan’ (cleanliness drive) at Dashashvamedha Ghat to spread the message of cleanliness to people of both countries. 

During the 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 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 its civilisation journey, UNI news agency said (SAM)