A NEW Buddhist Temple has been officially opened in a Catterick Garrison barracks to welcome new Gurkha recruits.

Gurkha Company completed the temple in the Infantry Training Centre after bringing statues of Lord Buddha, Dolma Taradevi and Guru Padma Sambhava, as well as other relevant items from Nepal.

The project was completed by a number of Gurkha Company soldiers who put their DIY skills to use.

Major Dammar Bahadur Shahi, from Royal Gurkha Rifles, Infantry Battalion, attended the event on Monday, February 9, a month after the last new consignment of Gurkha recruits.

He said: “The new Gurkha soldiers are all between 17 and 21, and most of them have come to the UK for the first time.

“They are now four weeks into 39 weeks of infantry training before being able to choose logistics, engineers or signals.”

The temple is used by Gurkha Company to hold social and religious activities, and during training Gurkha soldiers are visited by Buddhist religious leader Lama Guru, who explains the lessons which link to the British Army’s core values.

Around 300 people attended the opening and guest of honour Colonel James Robinson, Colonel of the Brigade of Gurkhas, cut the ribbon to declare the temple open.

During the final rehearsal for the ceremony, Buddhist rituals were performed by religious leader Knenpo Chewang Gurung, and the Pujari Commander.