Indian PM Modi to Visit Nepal on Buddha Purnima
NATIONAL
Prime Minister Narendra Modi offered prayers at the sacred Maya Devi temple in Lumbini, Nepal on the occasion of Buddha Jayanti 2022. Lumbini is one of the holiest places of Buddhism as it is the birthplace of Gautam Buddha.
He visited the temple along with his Nepalese counterpart Sher Bahadur Deuba. Indian PM visited the Himalayan nation at the invitation of Deuba. It is the Prime Minister's fifth visit to Nepal since 2014. He is the first Indian PM to visit Lumbini.
Indian Prime Minister also laid the foundation stone for the construction of a center for Buddhist Culture and heritage within the Lumbini Monastic Zone.
Buddha Purnima is celebrated on the 16th of May annually which commemorates the birth of Prince Siddhartha Gautama, later the Gautama Buddha. He is the founder of Buddhism. The day is also known as Buddha Jayanti, Buddha Pournami, and Vesak day.
According to Buddhist tradition, Gautama Buddha was born c. 563–483 BCE in Lumbini, Nepal. He was born in the clan of the Shakya, he spent the majority of his adult life in modern-day Nepal and India, attaining enlightenment under the Bodhi tree at Bodh Gaya. He preached his first sermon on the Four Noble Truths in Sarnath.
The four noble truths of Buddhism are the truth of suffering, the truth of the cause of suffering, the truth of the end of suffering, and the truth of the path leading to the end of suffering.
Important points for the exam:
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi offered prayers at the sacred Maya Devi temple in Lumbini, Nepal on the occasion of Buddha Purnima.
- Buddha Purnima is celebrated on the 16th of May annually which commemorates the birth of Prince Siddhartha Gautama, later the Gautama Buddha.
- Since 2014, it is the Prime Minister's fifth visit to Nepal and he is the first Indian PM to visit Lumbini.
- Lumbini is one of the holiest places of Buddhism as it is the birthplace of Gautam Buddha.
- Indian Prime Minister also laid the foundation stone for the construction of a center for Buddhist Culture and heritage within the Lumbini Monastic Zone.
Facts to know:
- Capital of Nepal: Kathmandu.
- Currency of Nepal: Nepalese rupee.
- Prime Minister of Nepal: Mr.Sher Bahadur Deuba.
- President of Nepal: Ms.Bidhya Devi Bhandari.
