Ramayana Conference, Sacred Lake: When PM Modi Visited Mauritius In 1998

As the streets of Mauritius' Port Louis deck up with posters and flags to welcome Prime Minister Narendra Modi, pictures emerged showing his October 1998 visit to the country that time as a BJP National General Secretary.

Credited for veering the BJP towards a resounding win in Gujarat in 1998, Mr Modi visited "Mini India" to address the International Ramayana Conference in Moka. Mauritius holds a 'special connection' with India, as a vast chunk of its population has their origins here. "As PM Modi revisits Mauritius, it feels like a homecoming to Mini India," said the X handle Modi Archive.

At the conference, he recalled the deep bond of history, language and culture that the two nations share. "Then serving as BJP National General Secretary, he spoke about Lord Ram's universal values and how the Ramayana serves as a bridge uniting India and Mauritius in an eternal civilisational embrace," it said.

While connecting with the local population of Mauritius, he had also engaged with key leaders, including then-President Cassam Uteem, Prime Minister Navinchandra Ramgoolam, and Leader of the Opposition Sir Anerood Jugnauth.

The Modi Archive post further read, "PM Modi's 1998 visit was not limited to official meetings. He took the time to understand the land, its history, and its people and also visited the sacred Ganga Talao, where he witnessed how Hindu traditions continue to thrive outside India."

Mr Modi paid homage to Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam, the Father of the Nation, at the Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam Botanic Garden. He also explored the country's natural wonders, including the Seven Coloured Earths in Chamarel and the Chamarel Waterfall.

When PM Modi visited the island nation in 2015, about 17 years later, he stood at Ganga Talao again and offered his respects to Maa Ganga. According to Modi Archive, PM Modi also addressed the people of Mauritius on its national day in 2015 and said, "Brothers and sisters, to know whether a mango crop is good, one does not need to check every single fruit. Just tasting one or two is enough to understand the quality of the entire harvest. Similarly, if the world looks at Mauritius, they can see a glimpse of what India is like. What will the people of India be like? If the sample is so extraordinary, imagine the greatness of the entire nation!"

He will now embark on a two-day visit to Mauritius, this time as the Prime Minister, where he will be the chief guest of island nation's 57th National Day celebrations. A contingent of Indian armed forces will participate in the celebrations along with a warship of the Indian Navy and the Akash Ganga skydiving team of the Indian Air Force.

He will again visit the Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam Botanical Garden to pay homage to Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam. The Prime Minister will call on the new President of Mauritius, Dharambeer Gokhool. Bilateral meetings with Prime Minister Ramgoolam will follow this. It is expected that there will be meetings with other political leaders during the visit.

During the visit, India and Mauritius are also expected to ink a raft of agreements to strengthen bilateral relations. PM Modi will inaugurate over 20 India-funded projects, ranging from capacity building to community-linked infrastructure. The prime minister will also announce new major infrastructure projects aimed at strengthening democracy in the Southeast African island nation.