Myanmar President U Min Aung Hlaing Offers Prayers At Sacred Mahabodhi Temple In Bihar

Bihar: Marking the commencement of his high-profile, five-day state visit to India, newly elected Myanmar President U Min Aung Hlaing arrived in Bihar’s spiritual heartland on Saturday morning to offer sacred prayers at the historic Mahabodhi Temple.

The holy site, a recognized UNESCO World Heritage center, is revered globally as the location where Lord Buddha achieved supreme spiritual enlightenment under the sacred Bodhi tree.  Landing at the Gaya international airport, the Myanmar President and his high-level delegation—comprising several senior cabinet ministers and prominent corporate leaders—were accorded a grand ceremonial reception.

Bihar Governor Lt Gen Syed Ata Hasnain (Retd) and state Agriculture Minister Vijay Kumar Sinha warmly welcomed the visiting dignitaries with a traditional guard of honor.  Following his airport reception, President Min Aung Hlaing proceeded directly to the ancient temple complex to participate in deep Buddhist rituals, meditation sessions, and ceremonial prayer offerings. He also paid a spiritual visit to the nearby historical Sujata Temple.

Emphasizing the deep cultural weight of the visit, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal highlighted that the pilgrimage strongly underscores the eternal spiritual, historical, and people-to-people ties bonding the two neighboring countries.  This marks President U Min Aung Hlaing's maiden diplomatic visit to India since formally assuming the presidency following Myanmar’s recent parliamentary elections.

Beyond its profound religious significance, the expansive state tour is designed to heavily prioritize strategic bilateral cooperation. Over the coming days, the Myanmarese leader is slated to attend a major India-Myanmar business forum, followed by high-level bilateral talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on June 1. The strategic dialogues will extensively review border security management, regional trade expansion, defense cooperation, and cross-border transport connectivity, before the delegation concludes the tour with industrial site visits in Mumbai.