Modi in Nepal: PM lays foundation stone for India International Centre for Buddhist Culture and Heritage in Lumbini

Lumbini: Prime Minister Narendra Modi along with his Nepalese counterpart Sher Bahadur Deuba on Monday laid the foundation stone for the India International Centre for Buddhist Culture and Heritage in the Lumbini Monastic Zone in Nepal. 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. “Taking forward our cultural ties. PM @narendramodi and PM @SherBDeuba perform Shilanyas ceremony of the India International Centre for Buddhist Culture & Heritage,” Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said on Twitter. The centre is being built at the initiative of the International Buddhist Confederation, New Delhi, he said. “The Centre will be a modern building, NetZero compliant in terms of energy, water and waste handling, and will house prayer halls, meditation centres, library, exhibition hall, cafeteria, offices and other amenities,” the MEA said in a statement.   The Centre will be constructed by the International Buddhist Confederation (IBC), New Delhi, on a plot allocated to the IBC by the Lumbini Development Trust (LDT), under an agreement between the IBC and the LDT signed in March 2022, it said. “After the shilanyaas ceremony, which was performed by monks belonging to three major Buddhist traditions, Theravada, Mahayana and Vajrayana, the two Prime Ministers also unveiled a model of the Centre,” the MEA said. [caption id=“attachment_10680321” align=“alignnone” width=“300”]  Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveils a model of the Centre - Twitter/@MEAIndia[/caption] PM Modi, who is on a day-long Nepal visit, on Monday arrived in Lumbini where he was by Deuba. After arriving in the neighbouring country, Prime Minister Narendra Modi offered prayers at the sacred Maya Devi temple in Lumbini on the occasion of Buddha Purnima. He was accompanied by Deuba during his visit to the historic temple which is the birth place of Gautam Buddha. Both the leaders also paid their respects at the Marker Stone inside the temple premises, which pinpoints the exact birth spot of Lord Buddha. They attended the pooja conducted as per Buddhist rituals, MEA said in a statement. The pillar, which was erected by emperor Ashoka in 249 BC, bears the first epigraphic evidence of Lumbini being the birthplace of Lord Buddha. The two Prime Ministers also lit lamps near the Ashoka Pillar located adjacent to the temple. The two leaders also watered the Bodhi tree sapling from Bodh Gaya which was gifted by PM Modi to Lumbini in 2014 and also signed the temple’s visitor’s book. It is Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s fifth visit to Nepal since 2014. Read all the Latest News , Trending News ,  Cricket News , Bollywood News , India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.