Ideals of Lord Buddha a spiritual bridge between India and Thailand: PM Modi

New Delhi: The ideals of Lord Buddha serve as a spiritual bridge between India and Thailand, fostering a deep-rooted connection, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Tuesday.

He was reacting to a post on X from the Indian embassy in Thailand which noted that almost a million devotees in the largely Buddhist country had paid obeisance to the sacred relics of Lord Buddha and his disciples in Bangkok between February 23 and March 3.

Modi said, "I am glad the devotees had a spiritually rich experience and I urge devotees to pay obeisance at Chiang Mai, Ubon Ratchathani, and Krabi, where the relics will be enshrined in the coming days." Holy relics of Lord Buddha along with those of his disciples Arahata Sariputra and Arahata Maudgalayana, preserved in India, had reached Bangkok on February 22.

พระอุตมคุณแห่งพระสัมมาสัมพุทธเจ้าบันดาลให้มีสะพานแห่งจิตวิญญาณระหว่างอินเดียและไทย อันส่งเสริมความสัมพันธ์ที่หยั่งรากลึก ผมอนุโมทนากับพุทธศาสนิกชนทั้งหลายที่ได้รับประสบการณ์ทางจิตวิญญาณอันเปี่ยมล้น และขอเชิญชวนพุทธศาสนิกชนทั้งหลายไปสักการะพระบรมสารีริกธาตุ… https://t.co/RbMMheSPuf

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) March 5, 2024

These relics, revered by Buddhist followers around the world, were ferried in a special Indian Air Force aircraft, befitting the status as a 'State Guest'.