 At Wuhan, Prime Minister Modi had expressed hope that such informal summits would become a tradition between the two nations. And we can recall, when Prime Minister Modi was in Wuhan in 2018, he was welcomed with the tune of a famous Hindi movie song, Ye Vada Raha. Big Binds, Culture Unites, beautiful culture of the historic city of Ma Malapuram, beckons a special visitor today, the Chinese President. Ma Malapuram has an old relationship with China. The first and second century Celadon, i.e. the soil vessel, tells the Chinese oceanic cultures here. Even the Chinese Sikhs of that time have met in Tamil Nadu. If we talk about the Arjuna Spenance, then this is very interesting to see. Prime Minister Shree Narendra Modi has given a sign in the traditional China address of India's Samridh, Virasat and Sanskritika, and it connects the countries of Virasat. This temple is called Ganesh Rat. And the locals of Krishna's Butterball also call it the Makhan Laddu of Krishna. Tourists get attracted to the Krishna's Butterball. They want to get clicked with the Butterball as if they were carrying it. They try hard to move it as well. The Arjuna's Spenance is a magnificent base relief that suggestively depicts the story of the great epic Mahabharat. With this city of Ma Malapuram, China has a spiritual connection, historical connection, cultural connection, ecological connection. Amongst these boulders, the greenery giving the message of ecology so necessary for any economy to prosper. India and China are two large economies of Asia. It is said that the 21st century is an Asian century. And therefore the role of both the nations, India and China, becomes very critical. Prime Minister Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping have met on multiple occasions. Besides the first informal summit in Wuhan, they have met on the sidelines of many global summits like the BRIC summit, G20 summit this year in Osaka, Japan, last year in 2018 in Buenos Aires, Argentina. The leaders met at the SEO summit at Bishkek as well. And it is interesting to observe that both the leaders believe in taking ties beyond capital cities of New Delhi and Beijing. That's the Arjuna's Spenance. The panoramic view that one can see on this base relief depicts the life in the forest beautifully sculptured dates back to the Palava dynasty in the 6th and the 7th century AD. And as far as Krishna Butterball is concerned, you will be surprised to know that at the beginning of the 20th century for the people's safety, this Butterball was also trying to remove this stone from its place. But this stone is solid and solid. And the message was given that this is a natural path. People have come from far away to connect with this path. And today, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping will go to these heritage sites. Both the leaders will talk to each other in an open environment. And I hope that both the countries will get the strength from that. When the Chinese President Xi Jinping came in September 2014 to India, Prime Minister Modi had welcomed him in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. And we can finally recall the image of the two leaders sitting on the swing near the Sabarmati Riverfront with the Gujarati Garba in the background. The delicacies of Gujarat and the culture of India on display. India is known for its soft power. Both India and China are ancient civilizations. China and India are both important engines for global growth. A good Sino-India relationship is an important and a positive factor for maintaining peace and stability in the world. This is Ganesh Mandir. Ganesh Ji from Riddhi Siddhi. Vignharta. And India is a tradition. Whenever a task is to be started, it is done with Ganesh Vandana. This is Akhand Mandir Shiv Kusamarpit. It is known as Atyanth Kaam Pallavar Varan. Atyanth Kaam Asheer Shakki Phaichan is known as Parmeshwara Varman Pratham. This Mandir is from Duital Salaviman. In India, under complete surveillance, this Samrit Virasad is kept as a secret. And for any spectator who wants to connect with history, with humanity, can observe and absorb the heritage and learn lessons for a brighter future. Towards the left of the Krishna's Butterball is the Ganesh Rat. Even as the Sun is also keeping vigil on a very important development. A new milestone in the relations between India and China. On the right side of the Krishna's Butterball is the Trimurti Cave Temple. And here comes the Honourable President, Xi Jinping. Honourable Prime Minister Narendra Modi welcoming the Chinese President Xi Jinping. A firm handshake from Wuhan Spirit in 2018 to Chennai Spirit in 2019. The first meeting point, the Arjuna's penance. Archaeological evidences show, Ling's had existed about 2,000 years ago between Mammalapuram, the venue of the second informal summit between the two leaders, and China. The Pallavas, whose flourishing seaport was Mammalapuram, had a relationship with China's and had even sent their own voice there during their rule. Celadon Ware, pottery of the first and second century common era, recovered on the eastern coast of Tamil Nadu, suggest Chinese maritime activities. And the connect that one saw in the history can also be felt in the present as we see warmth, born homie, camaraderie between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Chinese President Xi Jinping. He arrived in Chennai this afternoon to a very colourful welcome and then has now arrived at Mammalapuram smiles being exchanged and I'm sure a positive message will go not only to Asia but to the whole world. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while addressing the 74th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York earlier this year had started by saying that it's a very special occasion because this year, 2019, the entire world is celebrating the 150th birthday anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi and his message of truth and non-violence is very relevant for us even today for peace, development and progress in the world. Dressed in the traditional Chinese attire, Honourable Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi and the President of China Xi Jinping. So that's the traditional Chennai attire and now Prime Minister describing the importance of the Arjuna's penance. This is the unfinished rock-cut cave temple. This is towards the north of Krishna Mandipa. This cave temple would have been the largest of all cave temples of the Pallavas. On stylistic grounds, it may be placed later among the Mammalapuram style cave temples in the period of Parmeshwara Varman who ruled from 672 to 700 CE. This cave temple has a unique plan in having a rock-cut shrine at the back of the facade hall with an unfinished passage for circumambulation. The facade itself is relieved with a series of what is known as hara elements. The pillars are unique in having viala over the palaka and below the kapota as is seen in many examples during those times. This is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. So taking off from the Wuhan spirit, the Chennai spirit will continue to chart the future course of India-China partnership. If we talk about the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, then SDG-17 focuses on the global partnerships and a positive partnership between two of the Asian giants, India and China, will certainly help in accomplishing sustainable developmental goals. The panoramic view that we see on the Arjuna's penance depicts the life in the forest which is aptly sculptured in two large boulders. The cleft between the two boulders is utilized to show the flow of the river Ganga. All semi-gods, goddesses, celestial beings rush towards the central point to witness the great event. But even as we see this panoramic view of the Arjuna's penance, there is another story as the legend has it. Some scholars identified the panel of the Arjuna's penance with the story of Bhagiratha bringing the Ganges to the Earth. This is known as the Descent of Ganges. According to them, the representation here is that of Bhagiratha's penance and Shiva granting him the desired boon by agreeing to release Ganga from his locks the scene representing the descent of the river from the jungle-covered hills in the joyful presence of the gods. The great event of Mahabharata was that of the Arjuna's penance. Arjuna's penance means the penance of Arjuna. Arjuna worships Shiva. It is believed that in the form of a hunter, Lord Shiva takes the test of Arjuna. After the penance, Arjuna is called Vardhan Swaroop Pashupata Astra, which is a divine astra. The story of Vardhan is also seen here. And on the backdrop of the Vishal Chaktan Shilpa, there is a history in the penance. This is an auspicious example of Pallavmurti Kala. The testimony of this event has been presented to all three people in a lively manner. Lord Vishnu's Lagu Temple can also be seen. And some scholars believe that the story of Bhagiratha when he brought the river to the earth was recorded in the Arjuna's penance. After the penance of Arjuna, both the leaders were now talking and moving forward. In the traditional parampiric paridhanas of Tamil Nadu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi Ji, Chinese President Xi Jinping, Chinese traveler Yun Sangh had visited Kanchipuram, which was the capital of the Pallavas in the 7th century AD. And he chronicled the life during the Pallava dynasty. Yun Sangh was very keen on understanding more about Buddhism. Kanchipuram then was a flourishing Buddhist center and a hub of learning. Prime Minister Modi always emphasizes on people-to-people contact and one of the joyful ways of ensuring strengthening of partnership is to showcase the rich cultural diversity the country has. Incredible India. From tourist perspective, it's important that there are cultural exchanges. This is the Ganesh Rath. It's a monolithic temple dedicated to Shiva. It is also known as Atyanth Kama Pallaveshvaram. The title Atyanth Kama is to be identified with Parameshwara Varman I, who was a Pallava king from 672 to 700 CE. He continued the tradition of carving of monolithic temple initiated by Narasimha Varman I at Mamallapuram. The honorable president of People's Republic of China, Xi Jinping, showing keen interest to understand the different aspects of history, Ganesh Rath's Akhand Mandir is dedicated to Shiva. It has a narrow Mukh Mandapa which has two lion pillars in the center and two lion pilasters and flanked by two Dwarapalas at either end. Prime Minister Modi had emphasized on the importance of people-to-people contact through an acronym Strength, S, Spirituality, T, Tradition, Trade and Technology, R, Relationship, E, Entertainment that includes movies, art, N for Nature Conservation, G Games, T Tourism and H for Health and Healing. In the backdrop of the two leaders now, Krishna's Butterball, a photo opportunity for both the leaders. A photograph they say can waste more than a thousand words. Two powerful leaders, leaders of two powerful economies of Asia. The Krishna's Butterball is very intriguing. One wonders how this boulder is delicately balanced by nature. Why does this boulder does not fall? How does it defy gravity? Quite a mystery. But that is why it is such an attraction for tourists across the globe. If you want to see Krishna's Butterball, you'll have to come to Tamil Nadu, India, at a place called Mamullapuram, which is the venue for the second informal summit between India and China. The locals call it the Krishna's Butterball. It is about 6 meters tall, 5 meters wide and weighs about 250 tons. It is absolutely beautiful. Krishna's Butterball is a natural gem. So the entire group of monuments that includes the Arjuna's Penance, the Panch Raths and the Shor Temple, the three monuments that the Chinese president will get to see today before both the leaders attend the cultural program. The entire group of monuments is considered a world heritage site by UNESCO. Indian and Chinese cultures were based on development along river banks, whether it was the Ganga or the Yangtze River. It provides habitat for humanity, for flora and fauna. And as both India and China aspire to become more and more developed economies, it is also very essential to lay emphasis on the soft bar. So in this informal meeting, there is no written agenda, no MOUs to be signed, just a freewheeling discussion and exchange of thoughts. And after visiting the premises of the Arjuna's Penance, the two leaders now move on towards the Panch Rathas. The five Rathas of Mamalapuram exhibit the different types of Vimanas, like a magnificent periodic table of Dravidian architecture. These are carved from top to bottom. The five monuments, popularly known as Panch Pandav Rathams, are temples to Shiva, Vishnu, Skanda, Durga and Ganesha. There are three pre-standing sculptures of animals, a lion, an elephant and a bull, symbolizing the vehicles or vahans of gods. Every rock and every boulder here stands tall as a testimony to the architecture of the Pallava Kings. Sheer poetry in stone has for centuries left the visitor mesmerized by its magnificence and intrigued at the same time because no one knows why they were never completed. These spectacular Rathas or chariots seem to wait today in readiness to take back in time two very special guests who share a special friendship. The Chinese President, Mr. Xi Jinping and the Indian Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi Ji, they represent two ancient cultures that have had ties of trade, friendship and perhaps most importantly of spirituality for several centuries. This site is situated almost a kilometer away from Arjuna's penance. While Arjuna's penance is an exquisite example of bar relief, these chariots are unique monuments. It is with great pride that India showcases her ancient treasures to the world and we see the arrival of the Honorable Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi Ji, here at the Panchuratha site. Taking pride in one's culture is what makes us Indians special and today the Honorable Prime Minister is dressed in the traditional dress of Tamil Nadu. He receives President Xi, a beautiful setting sun adding magical light to the site. The Panchurathas are also known as the Panch Pandava Rathas and they are an excellent example of monolithic architecture. The Pallava kings who built these Rathas were known to experiment with new and different forms of art and architecture. They pioneered rock-cut architecture that can be seen all around the Mahabali Puram complex. The first small structure is called Draupadi Ratha. It looks like a hermit's abode with a hut like patched roof with a curved effect. The shrine is dedicated to Goddess Dilga. In the foreground is the mount of the goddess, the standing lion and this is the Nakul Sehide Ratha. It is upside down in its shape. There are no figure carvings on this Ratha but its beauty lies in its simplicity. Next to it stands a life-size monolithic elephant. This is a fine example of Pallava imagination and propensity for experimentation. And this is the Bhim Ratha or the chariot. This is the largest of the five structures with a roof that is shaped like a country wagon. It's interesting how these Rathas are named after Pandavas, epic heroes from the epic the Mahabharata and the Mahabharata which dates back to circa 5th century BC mentions China. So we know that our ties with China go back thousands of years. The Yudhishtara or Dharma Ratha is the tallest structure. It depicts the maturing of temple architecture and is the most refined of the five structures. It became the basis of the temples to come later during the reign of the Cholas and others thereafter. The base of this shrine is supported by carved pillars with line bases and corner supports. There are many life-like sculptures on the corners of this shrine that depict various manifestations of Lord Shiva. The two leaders pause for a moment to admire these great works of art. One of the greatest of Chinese poets is Li Bai who lived in the 8th century. His words resonate on this occasion. We sit together, the mountain and me, until only the mountain remains. In only such a meditative state could the artists have created such works of beauty and the beauty in turn takes one into a meditative state. The relations between India and China go back at least 2000 years. The Tamil and Chinese interaction is at least 13 centuries old. So it is quite easy to imagine travellers coming here to admire these very sites, to wonder at these structures in the ancient times just as we admire them today. Perhaps, Hyun Sang who was here during the Palava period did walk here with his friends and admire the sheer beauty of these structures. These beautiful structures have been left unfinished. No one really knows why. Li Bai has said, No one understands now those who could hear a song this deeply vanished long ago. The first records of contact between China and India were written during the 2nd century BC. Buddhism was transmitted from India to China in the 1st century AD. Trade relations via the Silk Road acted as economic contact between the two regions. There is a thousand year old history between Zhuanzhou and Tamil Nadu. Tamil traders lived there during the Song and Yuan dynasties and built temples there. The most famous being the Chedian Temple which has a beautiful deity which is called by a different name in China. But archaeologists believe that the style of that deity is exactly similar to the kind of work that was being done at the same time in India. In the 1930s dozens of stones showing perfectly rendered images of the god Narasimha the man lion avatar of Vishnu were unearthed in Zhuanzhou. Chanakya in circa 350 BC who was the Prime Minister of the Mauryan Empire refers to Chinese silk as Chinam Sukha or the Chinese silk dress and Chinapatta for the Chinese silk bundle in his Arthashastra. In the records of the grand historian Zhang Qian in 113 BC and Sima Qian in 145 BC make references to Shendu which may have been referring to the Indus valley originally known as Sindhu in Sanskrit. Of the many interesting similarities between India and China is Sugha which was first developed in China and when it came to India we called it Chini meaning something which is referred to as Chinese and even today when we talk about sweetness in life or in relationships we talk about Chini. The Cholas maintained a good relationship with the Chinese and entire treasure trove of ancient Chinese coins have been found in the Chola homeland. Many sources describe the great sage Bodhidharma the founder of the Zen school of Buddhism in China as a prince of the Pallava dynasty. During the 8th century the astronomical tables of science by the Indian astronomer and mathematician Aryabhat were translated into the Chinese astronomical and mathematical book of the Treaties of Astrology of the Quiyan era and of all the beautiful Chinese things that have become part of the Indian tradition are the Chinese fishing nets in Kerala they were probably introduced in the 14th century and today are a major tourist attraction people come from all across the world to look at them these structures here the Rathas date back to the 7th century and are attributed to the reign of King Mahindra Varman and his son Narasimha Varman in the 7th century of the Pallava kingdom these temple structures were never consecrated due to which some historians even speculate that this could be a training ground of sorts to create templates for future endeavour for creating larger templates this is the second informal meeting between President Xi and Prime Minister of India Shri Narendra Modi the greenery all around and these boulders which have been so beautifully chiseled into these shrines remind me of the words of Lipo you ask me why I make my home in the mountain forest and I smile and I'm silent and even my soul remains quiet it lives in the other world which no one owns you ask me why I dwell amidst these jade green hills I smile no words can tell the stillness in my heart I live in the other world one that lies beyond the human art and culture, science and economics have always gone hand in hand between India and China five of these vrathas are present here of which four are linear whereas the fifth which is the Nakul Sahidev Ratha stands apart the elephant and the lion standing close together almost lifelike a delegation to China was sent as long back as a thousand years ago by the great Chola Emperor Raja Raja a Shiva temple in China and the use of Chinese umbrellas centuries ago shed light on ancient links between Tamil Nadu and the dragon land in fact one finds similarity in the lions that we see here in many of the temples of Tamil Nadu to the dragons of China these are visuals of the Dharmaraja Ratha this informal meeting reminds one of September 2014 when the two leaders met in Ahmedabad on the banks of the Sabar Mati River they met last year in Wuhan an ancient city which at the same time is modern in China and of course and now this meeting in Mamalapuram these informal meetings where the two leaders meet as friends work towards solidifying the India-China relationship the Panchupandava Rathas are simply spectacular they are monoliths that is they are made out of a single living rock like many of the other structures in this area the Pallavas were pioneers in this kind of architecture President Shee and the Honourable Prime Minister Shree Narendra Modi circumambulating these structures so we see the Dharmaraja Ratha which has beautiful depictions of Shiva in various forms the structures with their beautiful sculptures and personifications of Lord Shiva almost lifelike as they depict Shiva in various manifestations such as Gangadhar, Nataraj and there in the corner is Ardhanarishwar the combined form of Lord Shiva in Goddess Parvati it is the ultimate divine manifestation of the masculine and the feminine in the same deity and we see Lord Shiva's Mount Nandi behind the beautifully carved Arjun Ratha and those boulders that were left incomplete and no one knows why perhaps in the unfinished lies great potentiality just like old songs and old music can create new melodies for the future the Honourable Prime Minister Shree Narendra Modi and President Shee moving towards the beautifully decorated gate as he sees off President Shee from this spot a firm handshake for a firm friendship as the carcade leaves this spot they move towards the famous shore temple of Mahabalipuram which is also known as Jalashayan or one that reclines by the water it is also believed that the shore temple was a landmark for the navigation of ships and a haven for seafarers the most iconic image of Mahmalapuram are the twin shore temples magnificently located by the sea the taller east facing temple Kshatriya Simha Pallaveshwaragrahaam has a five story Vimanam the west facing smaller Rajasimha Pallaveshwaragrahaam has a three story Vimanam with a variety of fascinating sculptures most faded by passage of time but most of it has fallen and only the lower portions of the walls remain a magnificent series of seated Nandes decorate the outer edges of this wall one legend says that gods themselves were jealous of the beauty of these temples Mahmalapuram is not only a grand living museum of architecture and sculpture but also a perennial puzzle delighting tourist, historian and a Resika alike Mahabalipuram has a historic shore temple which is the first sacred temple of Tamil Nadu at the top of Tamil Nadu is the historic Mahmalapuram that is Mahabalipuram today history is re-established again and this is the first sacred temple of Tamil Nadu Shor Mandir today's historic and important occasion when