Modi opens International Day of Vesak and visits Dalada Maligawa

The three-day international conference to mark the 14th UN Day of Vesak began yesterday under the patronage of Prime Minister Narendra Modi yesterday at the Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall (BMICH). Among a gathering of delegates from over 80 countries, President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe joined the Indian leader to light the traditional oil lamp at the inception of the day’s proceedings. Members of the Buddhist clergy were joined by other religious leaders to celebrate the landmark event. Among those present were the Chief Prelates of the Asgiriya and Malwatte chapters as well as the head of the Catholic Church Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith. Later in the day, the Indian Prime Minister visited the Dalada Maligawa in Kandy accompanied by President Sirisena. After his visit, in his Twitter feed Premier Modi described the Dalada Maligawa as ”a center of immense spiritual importance” 

- Pix by Lasantha Kumara and Sudath Silva