(Top) Minister Sarbananda Sonowal presents the Bodhi tree sapling to Bhutanese Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay; Tobgay prays at the Mahabodhi Mahavihara on Saturday. Pictures by Suman and PTI

Gaya, Jan. 17: Union minister of state for youth affairs Sarbananda Sonowal presented a sapling of Bodhi tree to Bhutanese Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay at the Mahabodhi Mahavihara today.

Bhutan is only the fifth country to receive one. The sapling was gifted to Tobgay under the sacred Bodhi tree, the place where prince Siddhartha sat on meditation around 2,600 years ago and attained enlightenment.

After receiving the sapling, the Prime Minister marked in visitors’ register of Bodhgaya Temple Management Committee (BTMC). “Thank you for gifting Bhutan a sapling of the Bodhi tree. My delegation and I are deeply honoured to receive this sacred gift on behalf of the king and people of Bhutan,” he said.

On the air service between Paro and Gaya throughout the year, the Prime Minister said: “At present, air service would continue only during the tourist season — from October to March. However, bus service can be made available from Bhutan to Bodhgaya to attract more devotees and tourists.”

Sonowal said: “The Bodhi tree sapling is a symbol of peace and universal brotherhood that would attract more devotees and tourists from Bhutan to India. The sapling has been presented as a fulfilment of the promise made by President Pranab Mukherjee in November 2014.”

Tobgay landed at Gaya airport by a special aircraft of Air India. He visited the Mahabodhi Mahavihara and offered prayers before the Buddha statue in the sanctum sanctorum and also under the Bodhi tree.

He also visited the Bodhgaya branch of Mahabodhi Society of India, Bhutanese temple, Daijokyo temple, Sujata village. He would visit the Nalanda university ruins and the archaeological complex tomorrow before returning home the same day.

The Union minister presented a replica of Ashokan pillar to the Prime Minister. Magadh division commissioner R.K. Khandelwal presented a replica of Mahabodhi Mahavihara and a laminated leaf of Bodhi tree leaf to the Prime Minister. Gaya district magistrate-cum-BTMC chairman Sanjay Kumar Agarwal presented a Buddha statue to the wife of Prime Minister.

A Bodhi tree sapling has also been gifted to other countries like Thailand, South Korea, Vietnam and Nepal as a special gesture of international relationship.

Nepal planted the sapling at Maya Devi temple in Lumbini, the birthplace of Siddhartha, in November 2014.

President Mukherjee gifted a similar sapling to his Vietnam counterpart Truong Tan Sang in September 2014.

In May 2014, the then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had gifted the sapling to Thailand king Bhumibol Adulyadej.

In March 2014, a similar sapling was sent to South Korea President Park Geun-hye.