Vajpayee in Bali

[Guest guest]

Colourful reception for Vajpayee in Bali

Bali, Jan. 13: It was a festival of colours with a difference at a

reception hosted here in honour of Prime Minister Atal Behari

Vajpayee in the picturesque Indonesian island on Friday night.

Though it was not "holi", yet it was a function where everyone — from

the Prime Minister downwards — turned up in bright colourful "batik"

shirts, worn in Indonesia at formal occasions and festivals.

 

Union Ministers Ajit Panja and Omar Abdullah, Principal Secretary to

the Prime Minister Brajesh Mishra, Vajpayee's son-in-law Ranjan

Bhattacharya as also the other members of his entourage, including

the elite Special Protection Group personnel, had put on colourful

outfits for the occasion.

 

The Prime Minister, after five days of hectic schedule in Hanoi and

Jakarta, was visibly relaxed as he was enthralled by traditional

Balinese dancers who performed various dance forms of the island

which has a predominant Hindu influence.Vajpayee presented a "kalash"

(vessel) of "ganga jal" to Bali Governor Dewa Made Bartha, who had

hosted the reception.

 

Indonesian Transport Minister, who is the minister-in-waiting, Gede

Ardika, was also present on the occasion.Dance and drama play an

important role in Balinese society through which people learn the

tales of Ramayana and Mahabharata as also other epic stories.

 

Vajpayee later posed for photographs with the dancers who dished out

their best performance in honour of their distinguished guest.The

Prime Minister will visit the famous Tanah Lot temple later in the

day before returning to New Delhi on Sunday.