Gaya (Bihar): Tibetan spiritual leader the
Dalai Lama today offered prayer at the Maha Bodhi temple in
Bodh Gaya, where Gautama Buddha attained enlightenment about
2500 years ago.
The Dalai Lama arrived here yesterday after
concluding his tour of Sarnath in Varanasi, where Buddha had
delivered his first sermon after enlightenment.
He visited the Maha Bodhi temple at around 10 a m and
was presented with a 'khata', the traditional ceremonial
scarf, on behalf of the temple authorities.
The Dalai Lama then went to the temple's sanctum
sanctorum and spent nearly 30 minutes there praying and
meditating, Bodh Gaya Temple Management Committee member
Arvind Kumar Singh said.
The Nobel Peace Prize winner would stay at Bodh Gaya
for around a month, Singh said.
The Dalai Lama's programmes during this period include
discourses during January 4 and 7 and again between January 14
and 17, he said adding that people from various places are
likely to visit Bodh Gaya to pay obeisance to the spiritual
leader.
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has instructed the
authorities to make adequate security arrangements in the
pilgrim town during the Dalai Lama's stay.
PTI
