Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama called on Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Friday at his official residence in Patna, and held a prayer ceremony for “peace and well-being of one and all”, said officials.
Mr Kumar accorded a warm welcome to the exiled Buddhist monk, and presented him with a bouquet and ”angavastram”, following which they posed for pictures, they said.
The Dalai Lama thereafter offered prayers before a ”Bodhi tree” at the chief minister’s 1, Anney Marg bungalow along with other Buddhist priests, making affirmations for all-round peace and prosperity.
The ”Bodhi tree” at the Chief Minister’s official residence is a sapling of the Mahabodhi tree at Bodh Gaya, under which Lord Buddha had attained enlightenment more than 2000 years ago.
Several dignitaries, including Deputy CM Sushil Kumar Modi, Assembly Speaker Vijay Kumar Choudhary, legislative council officiating chairman Haroon Rashid and state minister Ashok Choudhary, were also present on the occasion.
As a parting gift, the chief minister presented the monk with an idol of Lord Buddha.
The Dalai Lama visits Bihar every year in December-January as part of an annual retreat during which he offers public discourses at Bodh Gaya and also conducts the “Kalachakra” tantric initiation ceremony.
Last week, the chief minister had called on the Dalai Lama at the Tibetan temple in Bodh Gaya, and apprised him of his government’s ”Jal Jeevan Hariyali” campaign.