Lionel Messi Embraces Indian Culture, Performs Shiv Abhishek During Jamnagar Visit

Lionel Messi, who is the iconic football player of the time, won over the hearts of people in India when he took part in the local customs and religious practices during his recent visit to India. Heaped on social media, the videos of the Argentine superstar chanting Hindu mantras and performing religious rites at Vantara in Jamnagar have gained immense popularity.

Messi was with Luis Suárez and Rodrigo de Paul, his teammates from Inter Miami, during the trip to India that was part of their world tour that included four cities: Kolkata, Hyderabad, Mumbai, and Delhi. The players' last stop during the tour was the Vantara wildlife rescue and conservation center, which is supported by Anant Ambani, in Jamnagar.

Pictures from the giant Reliance Industries showed Messi roaming the Vantara grounds, playing with animals and temple visits with Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant, his wife. Among the most circulated videos, the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner was chanting “Jai Mata Di”, “Har Har Mahadev” and “Om Namah Shivaya” while also performing Shiv Abhishek, a Hindu ritual.

Messi, after coming back to Argentina for a brief off-season respite, expressed his gratitude towards Indian supporters for their affection and kindness through Instagram.

“Namaste India! What amazing tours of Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad and Kolkata. A huge thank you for the nice greeting and all the affection. I really wish that football in India will have a bright future,” the star player wrote while posting the best moments from his trip.

At the last event in Delhi, Messi spoke to the supporters and made known his wish to come back to the country. He called the whole thing "short but intense," and granted that the love he got in India was so strong and delightful that he could not forget. He did not only hope to visit the country one day again to maybe play a match but to play a match.

The football superstar during his trip also got acquainted with Indian sports legends. He had a conversation with the previous captains of the national team, Sunil Chhetri and Bhaichung Bhutia, and gifted Chhetri an Argentina jersey. The gift exchange happened between Messi and Tendulkar; the cricket legend gave Messi a kit of the Indian cricket team while Messi in return gave him a signed bat.

This was the first time Messi was in India in 14 years’ time. His last visit was in 2011 when Argentina played an international friendly against Venezuela in Kolkata—an occasion when Messi also became the captain of his national team for the very first time in his career.