Ahmedabad:

PM Narendra Modi today participated in 8 km long ‘India Cultural Road Show’ here along with his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu and his wife Sara from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Internatiolan airport to historic Sabarmati Ashram of Mahatma Gandhi.

The half an hour road show started at 1130 am after PM Modi received Netanyahu couple at the airport at 1120 am (almost an hour later than the official schedule earlier announced).

PM Modi wearing Kurta Pajama and a grey cloth jacket, broke the protocol second time in four days to receive Netanyahu, his personal friend , on airport. Earlier he had done so in New Delhi on January 14 on Netanyahu’s arrival to India on six day visit. PM Modi had himself landed at the airport here today around an hour before the Israeli special aircraft carrying Netanyahu touched down at around 1100 am.

At the airport Netanyahu and his wife were accorded grand and colourful welcome and the visiting leader and his better-half looked overwhelmed.

Israel PM folded his hands in Indian Namsate posture when he reached close to the area where artists were performing to welcome him. He and wife Sara choose to leave red carpet to mingle with folk dance performers from across Gujarat.. PM Modi who played a guide of sorts throughout the road show for the visiting PM explained them about the traditional umbrella of Tarnetar and musical instrument Bhungal which is used in Bhavai plays of Gujarat.

Contrary to the expectations of a joint road show in open jeep like that with Japanese PM Shinzo Abe and his wife on September 13 on the same route, a closed bullet proof vehicle especially brought from Delhi was used for the purpose. Modi sitting on the front seat and Netanyahu and Sara on the back kept waving through out the route to the large crowd gathered on the road side to have a glimpse of the leaders from within the vehicle through the window. The vehicle was moved slowly and closer to crowd so that they could have a better view of the leaders. The move to choose a closed vehicle was for security reasons.

For the road show around 50 stages en route were made which apart from others also included the folk dances and cultural depictions of 15 states including Kuchipudi of Kerala, Bhangada of Punjab, Bihu dance of Assam, Ghoomar of Rajasthan and Raasgarba and Mishr Raas and other forms of folk dances from Gujarat. School students also performed Ganesh Vandana and Yoga for it. The sign boards for the road show and on the stages also were in Hebrew language.

The road show which crossed through airport circle, riverfront, Subhash bridge and RTO reached Gandhi Ashram in Ranip area at around 1200 pm. Netanyahu couple and Modi were welcomed with traditional garlands of cotton there. During the around 20 minute stay at the Ashram, Modi again played the role of guide of sorts for the couple. They visited Hriday Kunj, the residence of Gandhiji in the Ashram and garlanded his picture with cotton garland. They also tried hands at spinning wheel. Traditional reciting of Gandhiji’s favourite bhajans were done. Playing as a generous guest Modi even explained Netanyahu couple about spinning wheel and other items in the Ashram.

They also paid floral tribute to the statue of Gandhiji and later flew kites on the bank of river Sabarmati under the guidance of PM Modi. Modi handed over the strings of a flying kite to Netanyahu and explained him how to fly it. Later Sara also tired her hands on it.

PM Modi explained them about Kite, its importance on the occasion of recently concluded Uttaryana in Gujarat and how the kite-wheel was used. He also told them about the riverfront. Later Netanyahu couple made entry in the visitor book in the following manner –

Israel PM wil visit I-create center of excellece in Dev Dholera village close to Bavala and also another center of excellence for agriculture (vegetable production) in Vardad in Sabarkantha today during his day long visit before leaving for Mumbai later in the evening. He would leave for Israel tomorrow.

DeshGujarat