A second sapling of the revered ‘Bodhi’ tree from Gaya in Bihar was planted in Vietnam’s Presidential palace on Monday by India’s President Pranab Mukherjee, 55 years after India gifted the first offshoot of the holy tree to this Communist country.
Mukherjee along with Vietnamese President Truong Tan Sang planted the sapling in the nicely maintained lawns of the palace soon after the two leaders finished delegation-level talks and signed seven pacts. The sapling was carried in a small wooden box as a gift to the country and people of Vietnam. It was procured from the Bodh Gaya Temple Management Committee (BTMC) a few days back.
India has been traditionally gifting saplings of this gigantic tree to countries it has strong bonds of trust and friendship. Under the Bodhi Tree at the Mahabodhi Temple in Bodh Gaya, Bihar, Prince Siddhartha attained enlightenment 2,600 years ago and became the lord Buddha.
The first ‘Bodhi’ tree in Vietnam was gifted by then President Rajendra Prasad to his counterpart President Ho Chi Minh in 1959 and it was planted in the Tran Quoc Pagoda here.
Mukherjee will circumambulate this tree on Tuesday. Buddhists revere the holy Bodhi Tree and even the leaves are worshipped by them. Though Vietnam is a Communist country and has no official religion, many practice Buddhism. Many Vietnamese travel to Bodh Gaya in Bihar every year.