Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday visited one of Sri Lanka's oldest Buddhist Seema Malaka temple here and took part in the traditional lamp-lighting ceremony.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday visited one of Sri Lanka's oldest Buddhist Seema Malaka temple here and took part in the traditional lamp-lighting ceremony.
Modi, accompanied by Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, prayed and offered flowers at the altar of the temple, which is a part of the more-than-120-year-old Gangaramaya Temple.
The temple's chief monk received the two leaders.
Modi entered the holy sanctum of the temple and lit lamps - a traditional practice - on the eve of the International Vesak Day celebrations, the biggest festival of Buddhists.
Modi and Wickramsinghe together pressed a switch to begin the lamp-lighting ceremony, which was characterised by brilliant multi-coloured lights and fireworks display.
(With agency inputs)
1. PM Modi
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Prime Minister Narendra Modi along with his Sri Lankan counterpart Ranil Wickremesinghe visiting Seema Malaka Temple, in Colombo on Thursday.
Image courtesy: Narendra Modi Twitter
2. Blessed
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Prime Minister Narendra Modi being blessed by the priest at Seema Malaka Temple, in Colombo on Thursday.
Image courtesy: PTI
3. Making offerings
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Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, center right, and his Sri Lankan counter part Ranil Wickremesinghe, center left, carry trays with flowers as they offer them at the Gangaramaya Buddhist temple in Colombo, Sri Lanka.
Image courtesy: PTI
4. Seema Malaka Temple
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Prime Minister Narendra Modi along with his Sri Lankan counterpart Ranil Wickremesinghe visiting Seema Malaka Temple, in Colombo on Thursday.
Image courtesy: PTI
5. PM Modi and PM Wickremesinghe
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Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, center, and his Sri Lankan counter part Ranil Wickremesinghe, right, arrive at the Gangaramaya Buddhist temple in Colombo, Sri Lanka.
Image courtesy: PTI
6. PM Modi and PM Wickremesinghe
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Prime Minister Narendra Modi pressing switch for lighting the lamp at Seema Malaka Temple, in Colombo on Thursday. Sri Lankan counterpart Ranil Wickremesinghe is also seen.
Image courtesy: PTI
7. Vesak celebrations
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Prime Minister Narendra Modi looks on after leaving a temple in Colombo on May 11, 2017, shortly after switching on coloured lights to mark Vesak, the most important Buddhist festival celebrating the Buddha’s birth, enlightenment and the passing. Modi is in Sri Lanka on an overnight visit as the chief guest of the celebrations
Image courtesy: AFP
8. PM Modi and PM Wickremesinghe
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Prime Minister Narendra Modi along with his Sri Lankan counterpart Ranil Wickremesinghe visiting Seema Malaka Temple, in Colombo on Thursday.
Image courtesy: PTI
9. Prime Minister Narendra Modi
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Prime Minister Narendra Modi being greeted by children as Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe looks on, upoon his arrival at Bandaranaike International Airport, in Colombo on Thursday.
Image courtesy: PTI
