PM Modi visits Buddhist shrine in Sri Lanka's Anuradhapura

Colombo: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday visited the Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi temple in the historic city of Anuradhapura in Sri Lanka and paid respects at the Buddhist shrine.

Modi was accompanied by Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake during the trip to Anuradhapura, a spiritual city at a distance of around 200 km from Colombo.

The prime minister also sought blessings from the head monk at the shrine.

"Offered prayers at the sacred Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi in Anuradhapura with President Dissanayake. It's a deeply humbling moment to be at one of the most revered sites in Buddhism," Modi said in a social media post.

"It is a living symbol of peace, enlightenment and spiritual continuity. May the teachings of Lord Buddha always guide us," he said.

The Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi temple holds a special significance in the India-Sri Lanka civilisational relations.

It is believed that the sacred Bodhi tree at the temple has its origin in India's Bodhgaya.   The sapling from the Bodhi tree was brought by Theri Sanghamitta, the daughter of Emperor Ashoka from India, and was planted there in the precincts of the temple.

During the visit to Anuradhapura, Modi and Dissanayake will also inaugurate two India-assisted railway projects.

The prime minister arrived in Colombo on Friday evening after concluding his trip to Thailand.

On Saturday, Modi and Dissanayake held extensive talks following which they unveiled over 10 specific outcomes including seven agreements to expand ties in several sectors such as defence, energy and digitalisation.

The pact on defence is considered significant as it signalled an upswing in the India-Sri Lanka strategic ties nearly four decades after the IPKF episode.

The two sides also firmed up a total of seven pacts including one on developing Trincomalee as an energy hub under a trilateral framework also involving the United Arab Emirates and another agreement on power grid connectivity.