Smt. Nimuben Jayantibhai Bambhaniya, Hon’ble Minister of State for Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution, Government of India, paid a reverential visit to the UNESCO World Heritage Site, Mahabodhi Mahavihara Temple Complex in Bodh Gaya, the hallowed site where Lord Buddha attained enlightenment.
Upon her arrival, the Hon’ble Minister was warmly welcomed with a traditional khada (scarf) by Dr. Mahasweta Maharathi, Secretary, Bodh Gaya Temple Management Committee (BTMC).
The Hon’ble Minister offered prayers to Lord Buddha at the main shrine and under the sacred Bodhi Tree, the direct descendant of the original tree under which Siddhartha Gautama attained Supreme Enlightenment. Monks present blessed her with the chanting of sacred mantras, invoking peace and wisdom.
The visit concluded on a gracious note with Dr. Mahasweta Maharathi presenting mementos to the Hon’ble Minister on behalf of the BTMC. These included a Holy Bodhi Leaf, an Art Portfolio featuring paintings on Buddhist themes by renowned artist Upendra Maharathi, a Pictorial Documentation of the Mahabodhi Mahavihara Temple Complex, and a book on the Holy Bodhi Tree ( Maintenance and Conservation).
The Hon’ble Minister also signed the Visitors’ Book, expressing her deep reverence for the sacred site and its universal message of peace and compassion.