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The News
- PM Narendra Modi finished a short Nepal visit recently, which coincided with the auspicious occasion of Buddha Jayanti.
- On arrival at Lumbini, PM Modi was warmly received by the Prime Minister of Nepal, Sher Bahadur Deuba, his spouse Dr. Arzu Rana Deuba, and several Ministers from the Government of Nepal.
PM Modi in Nepal
- PM Modi visited the birthplace of Gautam Buddha in Lumbini. Before the visit, PM also offered prayers at the Mahaprinirvana Stupa at Kushinagar.
- India & Nepal have agreed in principle to establish sister city relations between Lumbini & Kushinagar
PM Modi in Nepal
- PM Modi & Nepal PM Deuba visited the sacred Mayadevi temple to offer prayers.
- Maya Devi Temple marks the spot where Queen Maya Devi gave birth to Siddhartha Gautama in around 563BC.
- The sacred pond beside the Maya devi temple is believed to be where Maya Devi bathed before giving birth to the Buddha.
PM Modi in Nepal
- PM Modi will also lit a butter lamp in front of the Ashokan Pillar, and watered the Bodhi tree, gifted by PM Modi during his 2014 visit.
- The pillar, which was erected by emperor Ashoka in 249 BC, bears the first epigraphic evidence of Lumbini being the birthplace of Lord Buddha.
PM Modi in Nepal
- PM Modi also laid the foundation stone for the construction of a unique centre for Buddhist Culture and Heritage within the Lumbini Monastic Zone.
- Once completed, the Centre will be a world-class facility welcoming pilgrims and tourists from all over the world to enjoy the essence of spiritual aspects of Buddhism. It will be a modern building, NetZero compliant in terms of energy, water and waste handling, and will house prayer halls, meditation centers, library, exhibition hall, cafeteria, offices and other amenities.
PM Modi in Nepal
- PM Modi also attended the 2566th Buddha Jayanti Celebration at International Convention Center and Meditation Hall at Lumbini, Nepal.
Significance of the visit
- This was PM Modi’s fifth visit to Nepal since 2014 when he was elected as Prime Minister of India.
- It was his first visit to Nepal after his re-election in 2019. Since 2014, there have been regular exchanges of high-level visits and official interactions between India and Nepal.
- Sher Bahadur Deuba from Nepali congress became PM of Nepal in July 2021 after intense power struggle & intervention of Nepal supreme court. He had paid a visit to India in April 2022 & Nepal joined the International Solar Alliance (ISA) as 105th country.
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