Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping met this evening at the iconic seaside town of Mamallapuram near Chennai for their second informal summit. Prime Minister Modi, clad in Veshti or Dhoti that remains the traditional dress in most parts of South India, welcomed the visiting dignitary near the Arjuna’s Penance where they had a handshake, in a relaxed atmosphere of warmth and cordiality.
As a perfect host in tune with the value of Atithi Devo Bhava, Prime Minister Narendra Modi guided President Xi Jinping to the Arjuna’s Penance as their first stop. He explained the finer details of the motifs in the monument to the Chinese President. Later, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping had a view of a rock-cut temple near Arjuna’s Penance at Mamallapuram.
The body language and personal chemistry between the two leaders have been portraying the level of comfort they enjoy with each other. Prime Minister Modi has been sharing information on the ancient monuments at Mamallapuram that are listed in the UNESCO-World Heritage sites with enthusiasm, that have been keenly listened to by the visiting dignitary in the informal setting. Today’s programmes would form an ideal setting for tomorrow’s one-on-one and delegation-level talks.