Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived today at Mahabodhi Temple and joined the prayer under the Mahabodhi tree.
PM Modi had tweeted just before his arrival that he was feeling "blessed" to be visiting Bodh Gaya, as he is the first Prime Minister to visit the place after Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru.
"I consider myself blessed to be visiting Bodh Gaya. After Pandit Nehru, this is the 1st time a PM will visit Bodh Gaya," PM Modi tweeted.
In the course of the visit, the Prime Minister will go to see the Mahabodhi Temple and the Holy Bo Tree and will also inaugurate the Exhibition "Chetiya Carika: The Pilgrimage and Quest for Truth."
The Prime Minister's visit to Bodh Gaya coincides with Day 3 of SAMVAD - the Global Hindu Buddhist Initiative on Conflict Avoidance and Environment Consciousness, during which the delegates for this event will be present at Bodh Gaya.