Nishant Kumar, son of Bihar Chief Minister Shri Nitish Kumar, visited the revered Mahabodhi Mahavihara Temple — a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the hallowed place of Lord Buddha’s enlightenment — on the evening of February 14, 2026.
Upon his arrival, Mr. Nishant Kumar was warmly welcomed with a traditional khada (ceremonial scarf) by Dr. Mahasweta Maharathi, Member Secretary of the Bodhgaya Temple Management Committee (BTMC), along with Bhikkhu Chalinda (Chief Monk), Bhikkhu Dinanand, and BTMC Member Dr. Arvind Singh. The gracious reception reflected the temple’s enduring spirit of hospitality and spiritual reverence.
Accompanied by his team, Mr. Nishant Kumar offered prayers to Lord Buddha inside the sacred Shrine and circumambulated the Holy Bodhi Tree, the very tree under which Siddhartha Gautama attained enlightenment over 2,500 years ago. The visiting dignitaries were blessed by the resident monks through the chanting of sacred suttas, creating a profoundly serene and spiritually uplifting atmosphere.
During the visit, Mr. Nishant Kumar also toured the BTMC office library and BTMC Bookshop and purchased some books and some books gifted by Dr. Mahasweta Maharathi from Bookshop, where he explored the extensive facilities and perused the vast collection of books on Buddhism. This impressive repository houses a diverse array of Buddhist literature, scriptures, historical texts, and scholarly works sourced from across the world, serving as a valuable resource for researchers, pilgrims, and devotees interested in deepening their understanding of Buddhist philosophy, history, and heritage.
The visit concluded on a gracious and memorable note as Dr. Mahasweta Maharathi, on behalf of the Bodhgaya Temple Management Committee (BTMC), presented Mr. Nishant Kumar with meaningful mementos symbolizing the site’s rich heritage and ongoing conservation efforts. The momentos included: An exquisite replica of the Mahabodhi Mahavihara Temple, A sacred Holy Bodhi Leaf, An art portfolio featuring Buddhist-themed paintings by the renowned artist Upendra Maharathi, A pictorial documentation of the Mahabodhi Mahavihara Temple Complex, A book on the Holy Bodhi Tree (Maintenance and Conservation).
Mr. Nishant Kumar’s visit underscores the deep cultural and spiritual significance of Bodh Gaya and highlights the continued reverence shown by prominent figures from Bihar toward this global center of Buddhist pilgrimage, peace, and scholarly pursuit.
The Bodhgaya Temple Management Committee expressed its gratitude for the visit and reaffirmed its commitment to preserving and promoting the sanctity, heritage, and educational resources of the Mahabodhi Mahavihara for devotees, scholars, and visitors worldwide.