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Published 16:01 IST, June 9th 2019

PM Modi gets Samadhi Buddha Statue as gift from Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena. Here's how it is important

Hours after his arrival in Sri Lanka on Sunday, Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena bestowed his "special friend" Prime Minister Narendra Modi with a special gift, a replica of the Samadhi Buddha Statue. 

Reported by: Monica Aggarwal
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Hours after his arrival in Sri Lanka on Sunday, Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena bestowed his "special friend" Prime Minister Narendra Modi with a special gift, a replica of the Samadhi Buddha Statue. 

In a tweet posted by the Prime Minister's office, it is stated that the Buddha statue is considered to be one of the best sculptures in the Anuradhapura era. The original statue was sculptured between the 4th and 7th centuries AD. 

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Prime Minister Modi's office took to Twitter and said that the replica of Samadhi Buddha Statue has been hand-carved using white teak and it took almost two years to complete the masterpiece. Furthermore, the meditation pose that the Buddha statue is sitting in is known as Dhyana Mudra.

WATCH: 'I Am Confident Sri Lanka Will Rise Again,' PM Modi's Message As He Pays Tribute To Victims Of Easter Bombings At St Anthony's Shrine In Colombo

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PM Modi arrived in Sri Lanka on Sunday morning and paid his tributes to the blast victims at the St Anthony's shrine. Expressing his condolences, PM said that India stands in solidarity with the people of Sri Lanka. 

Taking to Twitter soon after paying his tributes at the St Anthony's Shrine, Kochchikade, PM wrote that he is confident that Sri Lanka will rise again because the cowardly act of terror cannot defeat the spirit of the country.

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He arrived in Sri Lanka for a day-long visit and met with President Sirisena and discussed bilateral issues of mutual interest. He is the first foreign leader to visit Sri Lanka after the Easter attacks in April. His visit is considered as a sign of India's affirmation of solidarity with Sri Lanka in the aftermath of the deadly Easter terror attacks in April.

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WATCH: "Happy To Be Back": PM Modi Arrives In Sri Lanka After Maldives Visit, Received By His Sri Lankan Counterpart Ranil Wickremesinghe

15:39 IST, June 9th 2019