As Americans gear up for vote counting in a close election between Democrat Kamala Harris and Republican Donald Trump, a distinctive scene unfolded in Delhi. Here, priests held a ‘havan’ ceremony to pray for Trump’s victory, led by Mahamandelshwar Swami Vedmutinand Saraswati. He began the ritual with the blowing of a conch shell, signaling the ceremony’s start. Surrounding him, devotees displayed Trump posters and chanted slogans, with Saraswati even placing a sacred vermillion mark on Trump’s photo as a blessing.
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#WATCH | Delhi: Spiritual leader Mahamandelshwar Swami Vedmutinand Saraswati performs hawan and rituals for the victory of Former US President Donald Trump in the US Presidential elections. pic.twitter.com/XYYNT4Pqgv
— ANI (@ANI) November 3, 2024
The event featured posters showing Trump alongside Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi with the caption “Friend forever,” symbolizing a bond that supporters wished to honor. Videos of the event have gone viral, showing attendees chanting, “Vote for Donald Trump. Make the world great again.” Other prominent figures like Tesla CEO Elon Musk, political activist Robert F. Kennedy Jr., and Indian-American entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy were also depicted on posters in the background.
The ceremony sparked widespread reactions on social media. One user commented, “They had a lot of known problems to perform puja like potholes, footpath, clean water, and foam-free river. Yet, they chose Trump.” Another added, “I never saw any American or European doing anything like this for any Indian leader. Why are some Indians so quick to make anyone their Paw Paw?”
This isn’t the first time Indian supporters have held a ceremony for Trump. Following an assassination attempt at his rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, last July, the Hindu Sena—a right-wing Hindu group in Delhi—organized a ‘havan’ at Maa Baglamukhi Shanti Peeth in Dilshad Garden. A spokesperson expressed concern for Trump’s safety, emphasizing the need for divine protection. As part of the ritual, the group chanted the Mahamrityunjay mantra 1.25 lakh times in the Maha Mrityunjaya Japa Havan Yagya, a sacred prayer believed to provide healing and protection.