Modi prays at Buddhist temple

PRIME MINISTER Narendra Modi on Thursday visited one of Sri Lanka’s oldest Buddhist Seema Malaka temples and took part in a traditional lamp-lighting ceremony.

The Indian Prime Minister, accompanied by his Sri Lankan counterpart, Ranil Wickremesinghe, prayed and offered flowers at the altar of the temple that is a part of the more than 120year-old Gangaramaya Temple.

Modi entered the sanctum and lit lamps on the eve of the International Vesak Day celebrations, the biggest festival for Buddhists.

Modi and Wickremesinghe together also pressed a switch to begin the lamp-lighting ceremony, which is a brilliant multicoloured lights and fireworks display.