British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and his businesswoman-wife Akshata Murty have been setting ‘couple goals’ since they landed in New Delhi on Friday for the G20 Summit. After their viral ‘tie-fixing’ picture, the couple’s photos from Sunday’s Akshardham Temple visit are receiving appreciation.
Welcomed at the temple in traditional Hindu manner, Sunak and Murty were seen doing ‘aarti’ at the temple. They also performed abhishek (ritual pouring of water) on the murti of Shri Nilkanth Varni Maharaj, and offered prayers “for world peace, progress and harmony”.
“My wife and I were delighted to visit Swaminarayan Akshardham for darshan and puja this morning. We were amazed and awed by the beauty of this temple and its universal message of peace, harmony, and becoming a better human being. This is not only a place of worship, but a landmark that also portrays India’s values, culture and contributions to the world,” Sunak said in a statement.
As soon as the pictures were shared on social media, netizens couldn’t help but comment ‘WOW’ with heart-shaped eyes and hug emojis. “Best photos of this G20 summit. UK PM is proud of his religion,” an X (formerly known as Twitter) user posted.
One ‘X’ user went ahead and quoted a dialogue from the popular Shah Rukh Khan-Kajol movie ‘Kuch Kuch Hota Hai’. “London mein rehne se, wahan padhne likhne se, main apne sanskaar nahi bhuli aur yeh tum mat bhulna — Kuch Kuch Hota Hai [2023],” he wrote.
The Hindi dialogue roughly translates to: “I did not forget my culture and traditions despite staying and studying in London. And you must note it.”
Some even used the opportunity to attack Tamil Nadu CM’s son Udhayanidhi Stalin over his ‘eradicate Sanatan Dharam‘ comment. “The world is accepting the power of ‘Sanatan Dharma’ today, while corrupt leaders in India, like Udhayanidhi Stalin, are trying to end it,” another person posted on ‘X’.
Another user went ‘aww’ over Sunak and Murty holding an umbrella amid the rain at Akshardham. Delhi witnessed heavy downpour early in the morning when the UK PM was on his way to the temple.
Besides Indians, swamis at Akshardham too praised Rishi Sunak. Brahmavihari Swami, the senior swami of the sanstha said, “Despite the inclement weather conditions, the Prime Minister dedicated almost one hour to partake in the act of darshan and prayer at the temple.”
He added that the UK’s relationship with India is built on a bond of friendship and “fostered by cultural exchanges as well as a vibrant Indian diaspora” in the United Kingdom.
Another Viral Photo of Rishi Sunak & Akshara Murty
A photo of Sunak and Murty, giving a glimpse into their personal life, went viral on Friday. A picture that captured a candid moment between the couple showed the First Lady of the United Kingdom fixing her husband’s tie before deboarding the plane.
The arrival pictures of the couple showed Sunak wearing a black suit with an orange tie, while Akshata Murty wore a plain white shirt along with a colourful, floral skirt.
“Sasural a Gaye sir…welcome to India,” a user posted on Instagram with a heart emoji. “Welcome damaad ji (son-in-law),” another netizen said. Others commented, “Welcome to Bharat.”
Sunak’s parents, both of Indian origin, came to the United Kingdom from east Africa. His grandparents are reportedly from Punjab. UK’s first lady, Akshata Murty is the daughter of India’s billionaire Narayana Murthy. The couple got married in 2009.
Earlier this year, Sunak’s mother-in-law, Sudha Murty, credited her daughter for the UK PM’s meteoric ascent to power. In a video circulating online, Sudha Murthy was heard saying that Akshata “made her husband a Prime Minister”
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