Myanmar President U Htin Kyaw visits Bodh Gaya

Myanmar President U Htin Kyaw on Saturday arrived at Bodh Gaya in Bihar to offer prayers at the revered Mahabodhi temple amid tight security, officials said.

Gaya District Magistrate Kumar Ravi said Kyaw, who is here on a two-day visit, will offer special prayers at the Mahabodhi temple, Buddhists' holiest shrine, and circumambulate the Mahabodhi tree under which Lord Buddha is said to have attained enlightenment.

The 1,500-year-old Mahabodhi temple is considered a life time destination for millions of Buddhists across the world.

Kyaw along with his wife and a 31-member Myanmarese delegation, comprising five ministers, government officials and family members, landed at Gaya International airport, 2 km from Bodh Gaya, in a special aircraft. They were welcomed by district officials. Bodh Gaya is 110 km from Patna.

A police official said Kyaw also visited the Burmese monastery in Bodh Gaya and will visit other Buddhist temples there.

Kyaw, who didn't speak to the media, will leave Bodh Gaya for Agra on Sunday to visit the Taj Mahal.

Kyaw, who is on a four-day visit to India, is expected to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the national capital on Monday.

Some agreements between both sides are expected to be inked.

This is the first presidential visit from Myanmar after Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy (NLD) assumed power in March this year.