Mauritius PM Ramgoolam offers prayers at Ram temple in Ayodhya

Mauritius Prime Minister Navinchandra Ramgoolam on Friday offered prayers at the Ram temple here.

Ramgoolam along with his wife Veena Ramgoolam also reviewed the temple construction work and received updates on its progress, officials said.

A 30-member delegation of Mauritius officials accompanied him.

Earlier, on his arrival here, he was welcomed by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.

A red carpet was laid out for the Mauritius Prime Minister who was received with Vedic chants, 'kalash aarti', flower showers and the rhythmic sounds of drums, nagadas and the 'shankh'.

The route leading to the Ram temple from the airport was decorated to welcome the Mauritius PM.

Posters and banners welcoming him were also put up across the route.

According to a press statement, Ramgoolam spent about half-an-hour in the temple complex and also saw its construction work.

Chief Minister Adityanath said that the visit of Ramgoolam is a symbol of cultural unity between India and Mauritius.

A special short film on the construction of the Ram Mandir was presented to Ramgoolam and his delegation by the Tata Group at the temple premises. The film highlighted the grandeur, craftsmanship and distinctive features of the temple, with details explained by CDO Krishna Kumar Singh.

Later, Adityanath honoured the visiting leader by presenting him  with a scale model of the temple. He presented Veena Ramgoolam with an angavastra.

UP minister Surya Pratap Shahi, who along with Adityanath welcomed Ramgoolam, said, "A large number of people from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar went to Mauritius during the British rule and are in the mainstream there. They have kept the cultural identity of India alive there. We welcome the Prime Minister of Mauritius to Ayodhya." Ramgoolam had earlier in the day visited the Kashi Vishwanath temple in Varanasi.

The Mauritius prime minister is currently on a state visit to India from September 9 to September 16.

He held bilateral talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday.