President visits "Shanti stupa" at Vaishali

Hajipur, Feb 16(UNI) The countrys first woman President Pratibha Devi Singh Patil today visited the historic ''Vishwa Shanti Stupa'' at Vaishali, the 'seat of worlds first republic'.

During her tour, Ms Patil visited ''Abhishek Pushkarni'' pond, near the stupa where the kings of the ancient Lichchavi republic were coronated. She also visited the site of Asthi-Kalash (Urn) of the Lord Mahaveer, twentyfourth Tirthankar of Jain religion.

Governor R S Gavai, state Art and Culture Minister Janardan Singh Sigriwal and Human Resource Development Minister Vrishni Patel also accompanied the President.

Mrs Patil is the third President to visit Vaishali.Earlier, the countrys first President Dr Rajender Prasad had visited the site in 1956 and planted a mango tree near the stupa, while Dr Shankar Dyal Sharma made his visit in 1996 and laid the foundation stone of the ''Vishwa Shanti Stupa''. He also performed rituals there.

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