UP: Lucknow illuminated ahead of PM Modi's visit

Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) [India], May 16 (ANI): Lucknow has been decorated with colorful lights as Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to visit the capital city of Uttar Pradesh on Monday.

PM Modi will visit Uttar Pradesh's Kushinagar after which he will leave for Nepal today where he will pay obeisance at Lord Buddha's birthplace on the occasion of Buddha Purnima. After concluding his Neplal visit, the Prime Minister will visit Lucknow and will hold an interaction with the Cabinet Ministers of Uttar Pradesh at chief minister Yogi Adityanath's official residence.

On arrival in Nepal, PM Modi will visit Mayadevi Temple and attend a special prayer. He will be accompanied by PM Deuba. PM Modi will also be lighting a butter lamp in front of the Ashokan Pillar, and water the Bodhi tree, gifted by PM Modi during his 2014 visit.
PM Modi will perform Bhoomi Poojan and lay the foundation stone of the India International Centre for Buddhist Culture and Heritage, being built at the initiative of the International Buddhist Confederation, New Delhi.
A bilateral meeting between the two leaders is also scheduled to undertake a comprehensive review of recent agreements. Some MoUs on cooperation in cultural and educational sectors are expected to be exchanged between the two countries after the bilateral meeting.
Nepal PM Deuba will host a lunch in the honour of PM Modi and his delegation.
Prime Minister Modi will also attend the 2566th Buddha Jayanti Celebration and address a large gathering of people from Nepal and India, including Buddhist scholars and monks.
The visit is aimed at promoting close, comprehensive and multi-dimensional bilateral ties founded on the age-old connection of history, culture, tradition and religion. The visit is expected to strengthen people-to-people connections and promote bilateral tourism.
During his recent visit to India, Nepal PM Sher Bahadur Deuba visited New Delhi and Varanasi where he offered prayers at Kashi Vishwanath and Kal Bhairav temples and also laid the foundation of a shelter home for widows at Nepal's Pashupati Nath temple at Lalitaghat, Varanasi.
In his previous visits to Nepal as Prime Minister of India, PM Modi has visited places of religious significance that bind together the people of India and Nepal like- Pashupatinath Temple in Kathmandu, Janaki Mata Temple in Janakpur Dham and Muktinath Temple in Mustang. (ANI)