Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived at Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s residence in Lucknow .
He is scheduled to attend a dinner at Adityanath’s residence later in the day. During which, he will also meet all the ministers of the state government.
Before coming to Lucknow, PM Modi offered prayers at Mahanirvana Stupa in the Kushinagar district of Uttar Pradesh on the occasion of Buddha Purnima.
The temple, housing the reclining Lord Buddha idol, is said to be the place where Lord Buddha attained nirvana.
The prime minister reached the temple after returning from his day-long visit to Nepal’s Lumbini. Visiting the temple, he offered a ‘chivar’ (robe) at the idol in the presence of priests, who presented him with an idol of Lord Buddha.
Addressing a gathering in Lumbini, PMModi said, “Buddha is the embodiment of the collective understanding of humanity. Buddha is enlightenment, as well as research. Buddha is thoughts, and sacraments too.”
During his Nepal visit, PM Modi along with his Nepalese counterpart Sher Bahadur Deuba laid the foundation stone of a technologically-advanced India International Centre for Buddhist Culture and Heritage in Lumbini, Lord Buddha’s birthplace.
He also offered prayers at the sacred Maya Devi temple in Lumbini.
