New Delhi, March 10: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to embark on a two-day visit to Mauritius, where he will be the chief guest of island nation’s 57th National Day celebrations. During the visit, India and Mauritius are also expected to ink a raft of agreements to strengthen bilateral relations.

The Indian diaspora is also excited and has started preparations to give PM Modi a grand welcome ahead of their national day celebrations.

Meanwhile, the pictures of PM Modi's visit to the island nation, almost three decades ago, has surfaced where he participated in various programmes and also held wide-ranging interactions with the local population.

Modi Archive, a popular handle on X, shared the old pictures of PM Modi’s visit to the 'Mini India', recalling the deep bond of history, language and culture that the two nations share in common.

“As PM Modi revisits Mauritius, it feels like a homecoming to Mini India,” said the X handle.

Notably, Mauritius holds a ‘special connection’ with India, as a vast chunk of its population has their origins here.

According to Modi Archive, PM Modi visited Mauritius for the first time in 1998, where he addressed the International Ramayana Conference in Moka.

“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.

During his first visit, PM Modi also connected with local population of Mauritius and built long-lasting friendships.

He engaged with key leaders, including then-President Cassam Uteem, Prime Minister Navinchandra Ramgoolam, and Leader of the Opposition Sir Anerood Jugnauth.

He also met Paul Raymond Berenger, who later became Prime Minister of Mauritius and also understood how Mauritius' struggle for independence mirrored India's own fight for freedom.

The Modi Archive further says: “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.”

Recalling this emotional connection at Pravasi Bharatiya Divas in 2015, PM Modi had said: "If there is one place that unites all of Mauritius, it is Ganga Sagar. The pond was created by the residents of Mauritius, but they brought water from the Ganga and poured it into the pond. Though the quantity of water may be small, the emotions and devotion associated with it have given it a different dimension. To the people, it is a representation of the Ganga, and even today, the Shivratri Mela is organised on its banks and brings together the entire population of Indian origin."

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!"

--IANS

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