PM Modi to participate in Buddha Purnima celebrations on Thursday

Prime Minister Narendra Modi shall be participating in the Buddha Purnima celebrations on Thursday.

Union Ministry of Culture in collaboration with the International Buddhist Confederation (IBC), a global Buddhist umbrella orgsation, is holding a Virtual Prayer Event with the participation of all the supreme heads of the Buddhist Sanghas from around the world, as per an official statement.

Prime Minister Modi shall be delivering the keynote address in the morning.

"Buddha Purnima celebrations are being held through a Virtual Visak day owing to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic across the globe. The event is being orgsed in honour of the victims and the frontline warriors of COVID-19," said the statement.

Prayer ceremonies on the occasion will be streamed live from the Sacred Garden Lumbini, Nepal, Mahabodhi Temple, Bodhgaya, India, Mulgandha Kuti Vihara, Sarnath, India, Parinirvana Stupa, Kushinagar, India, Pirith Chanting from Ruwanweli Maha Seya in the Anuradhapura stupa premises, Sri Lanka, Boudhanath, Swayambhu, Namo Stupa, Nepal apart from other popular Buddhist sites.

Minister of Culture and Minister of Tourism Prahlad Singh Patel and Minister of State for Minority Affairs, and Youth Affairs and Sports Kiren Rijiju shall also be participating in the event.

Vesak -- Buddha Poornima -- is considered as the triple blessed day, as Tathagata Gautam Buddha's birth, enlightenment, and Maha Parnirvana.

( With inputs from ANI )