Amidst the chanting slogans of Indo-French friendship and waiving of flags of two countries, French president Emmanuel Macron, along with the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, did a memorable motorboat ride in the mid-stream of Ganga rver here on Monday afternoon. During his around half-an-hour stay in sacred river, Macron was in pleasant mood, curiously wanting to know about the rich tradition of this ancient holy city.
Immediately after boarding the decorated boat, Macron could not stop himself resting on chair and reached the corner, removing the flowers creating obstructions to respond the enthusiastic cheering mobs of Banarasis, apart from seeing various live shows, highlighting the rich and glorious tradition, culture, heritage and legacy of the city. As soon as the motorcade of Macron and Modi reached Assi Ghat, as many as 121 Vedpathi Brahmans reciting Swastivachan (Vedic mantras) amidst the unique echoes of Shankhs (conches) and dhoons of Shehnai welcomed them. Staying there, French President responded to crowds present there in hundreds.
later, amidst fool-proof security arrangements, Macron and Modi, along with Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath boarded on a motorboat and then the boat moved on towards Dashashwamedh Ghat. As per the plans, they did boating only a part of 84-odd seven kilometres semi-circled international ghats between Assi and Rajendra Prasad Ghat in Uttarvahini Ganga and most of the arrangements were made there as all about two dozen ghats there were decorated attractively and at about a dozen of the ghats, various groups and artistes were presenting live shows.
Both sides of the rivers were flooded with Indian and France flags and small and big cutouts of Macron and Modi, highlighting the new era of friendship between the two nations. When the boat was passing though Tulsi Ghat the tableaux of Sriram Rajyabhishek and traditional wrestlers were seen in action. It was place where centuries ago Goswami Tulsidas had penned down Sriramcharitmanas. Then at Prabhu Ghat, more than a hundred Buddhist monks were seen offering Prathana (prayer), followed by grand Rangmanch (theatre) show at Prabhu Ghat and dance drama based on sermons of lord Buddha in both Kathak and Bharatnatyam styles of traditional dances at Chet Singh Ghat.
When the motorboat of two VVIPs was passing through Niranjani Ghat they saw more than hundreds sadhus (seers) reciting bhajans and then at Kedar Ghat, the big group of artistes were seen staging Mayur dance and playing ‘Phoolo Ki Holi’. At Mansarovar Ghat, Kabir Panthis were seen reciting couplets and it was followed by Raja Ghat where artistes were presenting Kathak of Banaras Gharana; at Darbhanga Ghat, the artistes seen presenting Kacchi Ghodi dance of Rajasthan and at Rana Mahal Ghat, artistes playing about 50 instruments including tablas, sarods, sitars, sarangi etc.
Concluding their boating, when the two VVIPs came out from Dr Rajendra Prasad Ghat, Macron was seen responding to the crowds, meeting to the local people waiting there and looking curious and anxious to know more about the rich cultural, spiritual, literary and other traditions of the city.