bahariduniya.com I updated : 18 December 2025
Lionel Messi joins Anant Ambani at Vantara for aarti, chants ‘Jai Mata Di’ in viral video: WATCH
During his visit to Vantara in Jamnagar, Gujarat, global football icon Lionel Messi took part in traditional Hindu prayer rituals at the Reliance Foundation’s wildlife rescue and conservation centre.Anant Ambani and his wife Radhika Merchant hosted the visit, during which Messi was accompanied by his Inter Miami teammates Luis Suárez and Rodrigo De Paul. A video shared on Vantara’s Instagram captures Messi performing aarti inside the temple on the premises. In the clip, he can be heard saying ‘Jai Mata Di,’ a chant repeated by those around him, including Ambani and Merchant.
While sharing the video, Vantara expressed its gratitude for hosting Lionel Messi, Luis Suárez, and Rodrigo De Paul. The trio explored Indian traditions and rituals deeply connected to the region’s spiritual heritage and interacted with the rescued wildlife at the centre. Moved by the stories of recovery, compassion, and care, they witnessed how kindness toward animals is an integral part of daily life here. It was a memorable moment where service, spirituality, and conservation beautifully came together.
The video shows Messi taking part in various Hindu rituals at the centre, such as pouring milk over a shivaling, joining a hawan, and meditating while chanting Om. During the shivaling ceremony, he is also heard saying ‘Har Har Mahadev.
Watch the video:
During the visit, Messi explored different parts of Vantara and was introduced to the centre’s efforts in rescuing and rehabilitating animals that have been injured, abandoned, or left orphaned.
As a heartfelt tribute, Ambani and Merchant named a lion cub ‘Lionel’ in honour of Messi. According to ANI, Vantara shared that during his visit to the Foster Care Centre—home to orphaned and vulnerable young animals—Messi learned about their inspiring stories of recovery. In a symbolic gesture, Anant Ambani and Radhika Ambani chose the name ‘Lionel’ for a young cub, a title meant to signify hope and continuity in recognition of the football icon.
Further marking the occasion, Anant Ambani gifted Messi an exceptionally rare Richard Mille watch worth more than ₹9 crore. Messi’s India tour kicked off in Kolkata, where one event encountered organisational challenges, but his later visits to Hyderabad, Mumbai, and Delhi attracted huge crowds eager to see the football superstar.
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