Modi heads home after temple, gurudwara visit in Vancouver

Vancouver, April 17: Prime Minister rendra Modi headed home after ending his three-tion tour, with the fil day spent in the city of Vancouver in British Columbia, visiting a temple and a gurudwara and attending an official dinner hosted by Cadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper. In his fil tweets before emplaning for India, Modi said: “I leave Cada with immense satisfaction. This visit will further enhance India-Cada ties. A big thanks to the people of Cada.” “A special thanks to @pmharper- a fine host, a wonderful human being and a very dear friend,” he wrote on his twitter handle @rendramodi.

Besides visiting the two religious institutions connected with the diaspora, Modi also met British Colombia Premier Christy Clark.

The Cadian prime minister, who has been a constant companion of Modi throughout his Cadian tour, received him at Vancouver Intertiol Airport, and accompanied him to the Gurudwara Khalsa Diwan on Ross Street and the Laxmi rayan temple in Vancouver. Harper hosted an official dinner for Modi at the Pincle Vancouver Harbourfront Hotel. At the Gurudwara, Modi and Harper had their heads covered in pieces of cloth in deference to the Sikh tradition not to enter bare headed. Both were presented a yellow saropa, or a scarf of honour, and a sword each by the gurudwara authorities. Both the leaders stood with hands folded in prayer. Cada has 1.2 million Indian diaspora, with most concentrated in Vancouver.

Modi, in his address to the gathering at the gurudwara, spoke about the reconstruction of the gurudwara at Lakhpat in Gujarat during his tenure as chief minister. (ians)