hellomagazine.com

RANIA MAKES FLORAL TRIBUTE TO GANDHI ON INDIA VISIT

SEND TO A FRIEND

1 DECEMBER 2006

Queen Rania of Jordan and her husband King Abdullah have paid their respects to Mahatma Gandhi the day after arriving on a whistle-stop trip to India. The elegant 36-year-old queen scattered dozens of pink rose petals at Raj Ghat, the memorial site dedicated to the man known in India as the father of the nation. Rania's husband also strewed petals and laid a floral wreath.

Friday's tribute, which comes during the pair's first state visit to India, will have been a significant moment for the Jordanian royals. Jordan became an independent sovereign state in 1946, while India followed a year later thanks to the efforts of Gandhi.

A simple black marble platform marks the spot of Gandhi's cremation on the banks of the river Yamuna and a commemorative ceremony is held there every Friday to mark the day he died on January 31, 1948. It has become customary for foreign dignitaries to pay their respects at the spot.

The couple's three-day state visit is intended to strengthen ties between the two nations. King Abdullah and his wife, who were greeted by India's prime minister and president after touching down in New Delhi on Thursday, enjoyed a colourful arrival as their hosts laid on a welcome ceremony at the presidential palace.