PM Modi reaches Colombo on two-day visit to Sri Lanka

11 May,Colombo

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has reached Colombo this evening on a two-day visit to Sri Lanka to attend the International Vesak Day celebrations. He will be the Chief Guest at the inaugural ceremony of the celebrations to be held in Colombo tomorrow.

Modi was received by Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe alongwith senior cabinet ministers at the Colombo airport.

Just after his arrival, the Prime Minister visited Gangaramayya temple in Colombo where he inaugurated a lighting ceremony for Vesak celebrations.
Modi also offered puja at the temple alongwith his Sri Lankan counterpart. He is scheduled to attend a private dinner with Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena.

Modi will address a gathering of Indian Tamils in Norwood of Nuwara Eliya district tomorrow.

The Prime Minister will also inaugurate a base hospital in the same province which has been built with Indian grant. He will also visit the biggest Buddhist temple in Kandy before his departure tomorrow evening.

This is the second visit of Modi after his last visit to island nation in March, 2015.

Earlier, in a facebook post, the Prime Minister said, his visit brings to the fore one of the most abiding links between India and Sri Lanka – the shared heritage of Buddhism.
Modi also said, he will meet Sri Lankan top leadership and other eminent dignitaries. He said, people can watch all his programmes in Sri Lanka live on the Narendra Modi Mobile App.

Vesak, the most important day in the Buddhist calendar, marks the commemoration of Lord Buddha’s birth, enlightenment and passing away. More than 400 Buddhist delegates from over 100 countries will participate in the conference focused on ‘Social Justice and Sustainable Peace’.