Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi received a traditional dhol (drum) welcome at the Shangri-la Hotel when he arrived in Singapore on Wednesday for a two-day official visit.
The 73-year-old enjoyed the five-minute performance by members of the Maharashtra Mandal Singapore (MMS), before asking for one of the drums and striking a beat on it in rhythmic fashion.
“It was great to see the prime minister in action,” said MMS president Sachin Ganjapurkar. “Mr Modi wished the Indian diaspora a very happy Ganesh Chaturthi festival. As cries of Ganpati Bappa Morya (asking Lord Ganesha to remove obstacles in people’s path and bless them with success) rang in the air, he shook hands with many of those who turned up to meet him.”
Ganesh Chaturthi, which celebrates Lord Ganesha as the god of new beginnings, is being celebrated in Singapore and elsewhere in the world this weekend. The MMS is celebrating the festival at the open field near Farrer Park MRT station from Sept 7 to 11, which is open to the public.
Mr Ganjapurkar said MMS will “lovingly preserve” the drum on which Mr Modi played. “We will cherish this memory. We have decided to retire the drum in honour of this day.”
Mr Modi shared visuals from the “vibrant welcome” on X and and thanked Singapore for it.
He later enjoyed another cultural performance, a three-minute bharatanatyam performance by Elizabeth Tan, Rachel Wong and Cerys Ong, all members of the Singapore-based Indian dance company Chowk Productions.
“The Indian diaspora was full of enthusiasm as they waited for the arrival of Modi-ji,” said ENT surgeon Shirish Johari, who was among the 200 crowd with a bunch of fellow doctors.
“The atmosphere was vibrant. We just hoped it could have been a longer interactive session.”
Mr Modi signed a few autographs and allowed a woman to tie a rakhi (or raksha bandhan, which celebrates the bond between siblings and families) on his wrist.
He then went to his room after the 30-minute session.
“Modi-ji’s visit to Singapore demonstrates his strong belief in Prime Minister Lawrence Wong and the Singapore government,” said marketing executive Eva Singh, who greeted the Indian Prime Minister.
“Each visit (this is Mr Modi’s fifth here) has resulted in trade agreements and MOUs that have mutually benefited both nations.
“From the development of smart cities and the growth of SMEs (small and midsize enterprises) in India to student exchange programmes, the collaboration between our countries continues to drive progress. As both leaders usher in a new era, I an hopeful we will continue to grow and flourish together.”
