The inaugural and consecration ceremony of the Battsagaan Buddhist Temple was held in Bodh Gaya, presided over by HH the Dalai Lama. The temple is a branch of the Gandan Tegchenling Monastery, the main centre for Mongolian Buddhists in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. His Holiness spoke of the historical relationship shared by Tibet and Mongolia dating back thousands of years to before the introduction of Buddhism to both countries.