PM Modi at pagoda, temple on last day in Myanmar

New Delhi/Yangon: Thursday was a busy day for Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Yangon, Myanmar’s former capital and largest city, as he wrapped up his Myanmar trip with visits to the grave of last Mughal emperor Bahadur Shah Zafar and the 2,500-year-old Shwedagon Pagoda, and praying at Kalibari Temple there. It was seen as a tribute to the shared India-Myanmar multi-cultural heritage.

Mr Modi, on the last day of his three-day trip to this Buddhist-majority nation, his first bilateral visit, went to the pagoda, regarded as the pinnacle of Myanmar’s cultural heritage. He also planted a Bodhi tree sapling at the pagoda, signifying a common cultural heritage.

“Delighted to visit Myanmar’s cultural landmark, the Shwedagon Pagoda,” PM Modi tweeted. The 2,500-year-old Shwedagon Pagoda enshrines strands of the Buddha’s hair and other holy relics. Located west of the Royal Lake in Yangon, Shwedagon Pagoda is considered the most sacred and impressive Buddhist site for the Myanmarese people. India also has tremendous religious and cultural goodwill in several Southeast Asian nations like Myanmar as it’s seen as the Land of the Buddha.

Shwedagon Pagoda is covered with hundreds of gold plates and the top of the stupa is encrusted with 4,531 diamonds, the largest of which is a 72-carat diamond.

Mr Modi also visited the Bogyoke Aung San Museum where he was accompanied by Myanmar’s State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi. “I thank Daw Aung San Suu Kyi for the special gesture of showing me around the Bogyoke Aung San Museum. Paid tributes to General Aung San,” PM Modi said.

He also visited the grave of Bahadur Shah Zafar and paid floral tributes. The PM also tweeted a picture of himself at the Mughal emperor’s grave.

Bahadur Shah Zafar, who was also a prolific Urdu poet and calligrapher, died at the age of 87 in Yangon, then known as Rangoon, where he was exiled by the British after the Revolt of 1857.

Mr Modi also paid his respects at Martyrs’ Mausoleum and performed puja at the Kalibari. “Performed puja at Yangon’s Kalibari Temple. Feeling extremely blessed,” Mr Modi tweeted, with a picture of himself at the temple.

On Wednesday, Mr Modi had visited the famous early 12th-century Ananda Temple in Myanmar’s ancient city of Bagan. The temple is being renovated with India’s assistance after it was damaged in a tremor last year.