Why Xi Jinping visited Vadnagar? PM Modi reveals Chinese President's historic connection to his village
PM Narendra Modi revealed that Chinese President Xi Jinping's 2014 visit to Gujarat was driven by a 1,400-year-old historical connection to Xuanzang, who stayed in Modi's ancestral village, Vadnagar.
FollowIn a conversation on the “People by WTF” podcast hosted by Zerodha Co-founder Nikhil Kamath, Prime Minister Narendra Modi made an interesting revelation that Chinese President Xi Jinping's desire to visit Gujarat was driven by a 1,400-year-old historical connection. This connection dates back to the legendary Chinese philosopher Xuanzang, also known as Hiuen Tsang, who stayed in Modi's ancestral village, Vadnagar.
According to Modi, Xi Jinping expressed his desire to visit Gujarat during a courtesy call in 2014, citing a personal connection. "President Xi, during a courtesy call in 2014, said to me that I want to come to India and want to visit Gujarat. He told me there is a connection between me and him," Modi said.
Xi mentioned that Xuanzang had stayed in Vadnagar, and upon returning to China, had stayed in Xi's village. This historical link was a significant factor in Xi's visit to Gujarat, which took place on Modi's 64th birthday in 2014.
During his visit, Xi was shown a pictorial gallery highlighting Vadnagar's Buddhist roots, which dates back to Xuanzang's time. The village was once home to 10 Buddhist monasteries, as written by Xuanzang. Archaeological excavations have since corroborated Xuanzang's writings, establishing Vadnagar's importance in India's rich Buddhist heritage.
Modi also shared fond memories of his childhood in Vadnagar, where he grew up washing clothes for his family and learning to swim in a small village pond.
“I used to wash everyone’s clothes in my family, due to which I would get permission to go to the pond,” he said.
He recalled being an average student but having a teacher who recognized his talent. “I used to run away from anything in which competition was involved,” he added with a laugh.
The historical connection between Vadnagar and Xi's hometown of Xian, China, adds a deeper layer of cultural significance to the visit. Vadnagar, referred to as "O-nan-to-pu-lo" by Xuanzang, was later renamed Anandapura. According to historical documents, the region was ruled by Harshavardhana of Kannauj during Xuanzang's visit, and the philosopher visited his court.
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