PM Narendra Modi’s Heritage Visit To Myanmar Finishes Today
On the last day of his visit to Myanmar, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi took out time to visit the historic sites which the spiritually and historically rich country has to offer.
Modi visited the 2500 year old Shwedagon Pagoda in Yangon, one of the most revered sites in Myanmar.
With a gold-plated, 99-meter tall (325 feet) spire encrusted with diamonds and rubies, the pagoda towers over Yangon is the spiritual centre of the Burmese Buddhism.
PM Modi planted a Bodhi tree sapling at Shwedagon pagoda complex, reinforcing common cultural heritage of the country.
He even paid a visit to Martyrs' Mausoleum in Yangon, to honour the national heroes of Myanmar. It is located near the southern gate of Shwedagon Pagoda. The mausoleum is dedicated to Aung San and other leaders of the pre-independence interim government, all of whom were assassinated on 19 July 1947.
It is customary for high-ranking government officials to visit the mausoleum on 19 July to pay respects, as the date has been designated as Martyrs day.
Yangon served as the capital of Myanmar until 2006, when the military government relocated the capital to the purpose-built city of Naypyidaw in central Myanmar.
