Buddha Purnima which marks the day of the incarnation of Lord Vishnu on Earth is being celebrated today this year. Lakhs of devotees from far-flung places gathered at `Har ki Paudi` in Haridwar to take a holy dip in the river Ganga here on the occasion of Buddha Purnima on Monday. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Nepalese counterpart Sher Bahadur Deuba participated in the foundation stone laying ceremony for the construction of a Centre of Buddhist Culture and Heritage in Lumbini, on the auspicious occasion. Pics/PTI

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Visiting Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Nepali counterpart Sher Bahadur Deuba on Monday jointly laid the foundation stone of the India International Centre for Buddhist Culture and Heritage in Lumbini
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Modi arrived in Lumbini, the birthplace of Gautam Buddha and a Unesco World Heritage Site, earlier in the day and offered prayers at famous Maya Devi temple to mark the occasion of Buddha Purnima

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Nepal PM Sher Bahadur Deuba during the foundation ceremony of the India International Centre for Buddhist Culture & Heritage
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Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar at Buddha Smriti Park to attend function on Buddha Purnima, in Patna

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Hindu devotees gather at the banks of river Ganga at Phaphamau ghat in Prayagraj
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Buddhist devotees offer prayers at Benuban Vihar monastery in Agartala

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Devotees wait to offer prayers at Vindhyavasini temple in Mirzapur
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Buddhist monks circumambulate the world heritage site Boudhanath Stupa during Buddha Jayanti or Buddha Purnima festival in Boudhanath Stupa, Kathmandu, Nepal

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A Buddhist monk lights candles in front of a Buddha statue in Agartala
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The iconic Lalbaugcha Raja idol was shifted onto a raft on Sunday afternoon after delays since morning due to high tide and technical challenges, with final immersion, delayed by several hours, expected to take place around 11 pm, officials said.