Lionel Messi Vantara visit: Football icon performs aarti with Anant Ambani during Jamnagar tour
- Lionel Messi’s Vantara visit blends Indian tradition with global conservation values as the football legend performs rituals and explores wildlife care in Jamnagar.
Lionel Messi Vantara visit became one of the most talked-about moments of his India tour as the global football star took part in traditional Hindu rituals and explored the wildlife conservation centre in Jamnagar, Gujarat.
Lionel Messi was welcomed at Vantara by Anant Ambani and his wife Radhika Merchant. The visit combined cultural traditions with a detailed tour of the centre’s animal rescue and rehabilitation facilities. Visuals released by Bharat Details showed Messi standing barefoot inside the temple premises, performing aarti alongside his hosts and offering prayers in a calm and respectful atmosphere.
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Traditional rituals and cultural welcome
During the visit, Messi participated in several customary rituals, including Nariyal Utsarg and Matka Phod, which symbolise auspicious beginnings and goodwill. The ceremonies concluded with chants for peace and harmony. According to an official statement shared with Bharat Details, these rituals reflect the values with which all major initiatives at Vantara begin, rooted in Sanatana Dharma.
Messi also took part in a Maha Aarti that included Ambe Mata Puja, Ganesh Puja, Hanuman Puja and Shiv Abhishek, offering prayers for global peace and unity. The footballer was accompanied by his Inter Miami teammates Luis Suárez and Rodrigo De Paul, who also joined him during the visit.
Exploring Vantara’s wildlife conservation work
After the rituals, Messi was given a detailed tour of Vantara’s conservation ecosystem. The centre is home to rescued lions, tigers, elephants, reptiles and several other animals that have been brought in from difficult or unsafe conditions.
Messi interacted with veterinarians, animal caregivers and conservation staff, learning about medical treatment, rehabilitation processes and long-term care plans followed at the facility. Officials explained how rescued animals are provided with specialised nutrition, monitored recovery programmes and protected habitats.
Reacting to the experience, Messi praised the initiative, saying the work being done for animals at Vantara is meaningful and deeply impressive. He expressed appreciation for the care and compassion shown towards rescued wildlife and acknowledged the dedication of the teams working on the ground.
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Alignment with Messi’s social work
Vantara officials noted that Messi’s visit reflected a shared commitment to humanitarian values. The footballer leads the Leo Messi Foundation, which focuses on education, healthcare and child welfare across the world. During his interaction with the Vantara team, Messi reportedly expressed a strong sense of alignment with the centre’s vision of science-driven and compassionate animal care.
Several photographs from the visit showed warm moments between Messi and Anant Ambani, including a brief embrace, highlighting the cordial bond between the two during the tour.
Part of Messi’s India journey
The Jamnagar stop marked the final phase of Messi’s India tour. He earlier visited Kolkata, Hyderabad, Mumbai and Delhi. While his arrival in Kolkata witnessed crowd management issues, the rest of the tour proceeded smoothly, with fans across cities sharing their excitement through social media and public interactions.
Lionel Messi’s visit to Vantara added a unique cultural and conservation-focused chapter to his India tour. The combination of traditional rituals and wildlife conservation highlighted a rare intersection of global sport, Indian heritage and environmental responsibility.
