His Holiness Visit Mahabodhi Temple, Kalachakra Puja over

Today, the 20th January 2003, His Holiness the  Dalai Lama visited the office of the Bodhgaya Temple Management Committee on the invitation of the Committee . The Chairman, Secretary and  the members of the Bodhgaya Temple Management Committee received His Holiness at the gate of the office and escorted him to the Library Hall where a huge gathering of the local people from all walks of life gathered to receive the blessings of His Holiness. The District Magistrate of Gaya and Chairman of the Bodhgaya Temple Management Committee, Mr. Brijesh  Mehrotra gave the welcome address thanking His Holiness for holding the Kalachakra puja here at Buddhagaya. His Holiness also blessed all the people present here and recounted  His reminiscences about his first visit here in the year 1956 for the first time alongwith the Panchen Lama. He also said that the 13th Dalai Lama visited the Temple and Buddhagaya. His Holiness also thanked the government, the District administration and the local people for the successful holding of the Kalachakra Puja. His Holiness was also presented a Memento of a wooden statue of Siddhartha depicting the scene of Birth of Siddhartha. Later His Holiness visited the Mahabodhi mahavihara and offered prayers. His Holiness later in the day left for Varanasi .