Modi heads home after temple, gurudwara visit in Vancouver

IANS VANCOUVER, APRIL 17 Prime Minister Narendra Modi headed home after ending his three-nation tour, with the final day spent in the city of Vancouver in British Columbia, visiting a temple and a gurudwara and attending an official dinner hosted by Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper.In his final tweets before emplaning for India, Modi said: "I leave Canada with immense satisfaction. This visit will further enhance India-Canada ties. A big thanks to the people of Canada." "A special thanks to @pmharper- a fine host, a wonderful human being and a very dear friend," he wrote on his twitter handle @narendramodi. Besides visiting the two religious institutions connected with the diaspora, Modi also met British Colombia Premier Christy Clark. The Canadian prime minister, who has been a constant companion of Modi throughout his Canadian tour, received him at Vancouver International Airport, and accompanied him to the Gurudwara Khalsa Diwan on Ross Street and the Laxmi Narayan temple in Vancouver. Harper hosted an official dinner for Modi at the Pinnacle 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. Canada 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. He said the gurudwara at Lakhpat, where Guru Nanak had stayed for 15 days, had been damaged in the 2001 earthquake and had been reconstructed successfully. Modi said: "We should fill life with colours of humanity and serve mankind." Modi and Harper also visited the Komagata Maru Museum. The museum is in memory of the steamship of the name that reached Vancouver in 1914, carrying 376 passengers from Punjab, British India. Of them 24 were admitted to Canada, but 352 other passengers were not allowed to land and the ship was forced to return to India. At the Laxmi Narayan temple in Vancouver, Modi and Harper were presented with shawls and the priest put vermillion marks on their foreheads. In his remarks at the temple, Modi thanked the Canadian prime minister and the people of Canada for the warm welcome and hospitality they had accorded him. He said the Supreme Court of India had described Hinduism as a way of life. He exhorted the gathering to live life scientifically, in balance with nature, and with compassion. Modi said the United Nations recently adopted June 21 as the International Day of Yoga with 177 countries co-sponsoring India's resolution. ‘Hinduism not a religion but a way of life’ Accompanied by his Canadian counterpart Stephen Harper, Prime Minister Narendra Modi today visited a Gurdwara and a temple here and said Hinduism is not a religion but a way of life. Modi and Harper, who arrived from Toronto, went straight to the Gurdwara. They participated in the prayer meeting and were presented 'saropas'. Addressing the gathering there, Modi said the Sikhs in Canada had won respect for India through their work here. He talked about the teachings of Guru Nanak and the role of Sikhs in India's Independence struggle, including that of Bhagat Singh. He emphasised the need for working for humanity as he highlighted how Sikhs had set examples in giving sacrifices. Subsequently, Modi and Harper went to the Lakshmi Narayan Temple where again he praised the Indians living in Canada. He talked about the need for working for humanity through Hinduism. "The Supreme Court in India has given a nice definition to 'Hindu dharam'...The Supreme Court has said that Hindu dharam is not a religion but a way of life...I believe the SC's definition shows the way," Modi said. He said Hindu religion has worked for the benefit of nature, including wildlife, through the scientific way of life. "This can show a way out of small problems of life," he said. The Prime Minister also referred to the UN declaring June 21 as International Yoga day with a record co-sponsorship last year, 125 days after he made a suggestion in this regard in the world body. He asked Indian diaspora to spread the message about yoga for the benefit of humanity. He highlighted the role of Indian-origin Canadians in developing bilateral relations at both the religious places.