Japanese PM Shinzo Abe at Ganga aarti in Varanasi

A million lights flickered through the descending fog on freshly-painted Ghats in Varanasi. Priests chanted “mantras” as the images reflected on the waves of the Ganga and the colourful flags fluttered in the winter air.

Varanasi, on Saturday, turned out in its best spiritual colours to welcome Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe who was accompanied by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on a brief five-hour visit to Kashi, the heritage city that will soon establish a partner city link with Kyoto in Japan.

The welcome began as soon as the two Prime Ministers landed at the Babatpur airport where a stage had been set up on the runway where they witnessed a classical dance performance that was a fusion of Indian and Japanese forms.

Colourful lights flashing welcome messages and giant hoardings of the two leaders adorned the 22-km route from the airport to the Taj hotel where the two leaders spent about half an hour. Around 15,000 schoolchildren had lined the route, waving Indian and Japanese flags to the guests.

After a brief halt at the hotel, both the leaders headed to the Dashashwamedh Ghat to witness the a cultural extravaganza that was followed by the “Ganga Aarti”, a daily ritual designed to offer prayers to the Ganga river.

They performed the traditional “Ganga Pujan” before the “Aarti”.

The entire Dashashwamedh Ghat and the podium where the guests were seated was bathed in shades of yellow, orange and red.

Army and Navy personnel stood on guard while underwater security, for the first time, was ensured for the VIP guests. The entire area had been sanitised more than 24 hours prior to the arrival of the VIPs

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, clad in a Nehru jacket, sat mesmerised as he watched the leaping flames of the “Ganga Aarti” that swung in tandem with the chanting of mantras. After the “Aarti”, Mr Modi hosted a dinner for Mr Abe in the hotel.

Around 56 dignitaries, including UP governor Ram Naik, UP chief minister Akhilesh Yadav, Union ministers, Japanese officials and local artists of eminence, were present at the dinner. After meeting all the guests, the two PMs returned to Delhi. According to sources, the menu at the dinner included local dishes as well a host of fusion dishes.