Narendra Modi in Myanmar: Indian PM visits Shwedagon pagoda, performs 'puja' at temple in Yangon

Yangon: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday visited the 2,500-years-old Shwedagon pagoda, considered to be the pinnacle of Myanmar’s cultural heritage, and performed ‘puja’ at the Kalibari Temple in Yangon. Modi paid his respects at the pagoda on the last day of his three-day first bilateral visit to this Buddhist-majority country. He also planted a Bodhi tree sapling at the pagoda complex, signifying common cultural heritage, external affairs ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said.

The 2,500-year-old Shwedagon Pagoda enshrines strands of Buddha’s hair and other holy relics. Located west of the Royal Lake in Yangon, Shwedagon Pagoda is considered to be the most sacred and impressive Buddhist site for the Myanmarese people. From a humble beginning of 8.2 metres, the Shwedagon Pagoda today stands close to 110 meters. Shwedagon Pagoda is covered with hundreds of gold plates and the top of the stupa is encrusted with 4,531 diamonds, the largest of which is a 72 carat diamond. Modi later paid his respects at the Martyrs’ Mausoleum and performed ‘puja’ at the Kalibari Temple.

He also visited Bogyoke Aung San Museum with Myanmar’s state counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi. “I thank Daw Aung San Suu Kyi for the special gesture of showing me around the Bogyoke Aung San Museum. Paid tributes to General Aung San,” Modi said.