These cultural demonstrations reflect public sentiment that sees Russia as a long-time ally.
India Gears Up for Putin: Aarti in Varanasi, Sand Art in Odisha, and Artistic Tributes Nationwide
On 4th December, 2025, Russian President Vladimir Putin is on a 2-day visit to India. For his arrival, along with heightened security measures, there are other ongoing preparations with a mixture of ritual fervour, artistic tribute and public display of goodwill.
In Varanasi, which is the parliamentary constituency of Narendra Modi, local residents performed a traditional “aarti” in front of a framed portrait of Putin. After this ritual, Vishal Bharat Sansthan organised a welcome march from Subhash Bhavan to the Munshi Premchand Smriti Gate. Participants carried posters of Modi and Putin and chanted slogans such as “Bharat-Russia sambandh zindabad”, “Bharat-Russia ki dosti”, and “The world needs India-Russia friendship”. Drums, flags, devotional hymns and visible public enthusiasm added colour to the procession.
These preparations are not only limited to Varanasi. In Odisha’s Puri, internationally acclaimed sand artist Manas Kumar Sahoo created a sand animation on the beach welcoming Putin. The artwork captured the idea of peace and friendship between the two nations. It was reportedly completed in two hours and released as a video highlighting the artist’s intent to celebrate Indo-Russian ties.
Painter Jagjot Singh in Amritsar used acrylic colours to sketch a portrait of the Russian leader as a mark of respect, while other artists across the country prepared hand-painted posters and portraits ahead of the visit.
All these preparations are unfolding as Putin arrives in New Delhi around 6:35 pm for a two-day visit during which he is set to attend the 23rd India–Russia annual summit with Prime Minister Modi, hold a private dinner, and meet the President. The agenda reportedly includes talks on trade, crude oil, defence cooperation, energy security and labour mobility, highlighting the strategic significance of the visit.
These cultural demonstrations reflect public sentiment that sees Russia as a long-time ally, perhaps especially in light of recent global geopolitical tensions. For many, this is a symbolic gesture of friendship. These events don’t necessarily represent the views of the entire nation, but they represent a particular section ready to publicly embrace diplomatic ties as cultural identity.
India readies for high-level diplomacy to welcome Putin not only by official protocol, but also by ordinary citizens expressing solidarity through art, devotion and marches. That mixture of politics, culture and popular sentiment makes this visit as much a public affair as a diplomatic one.
Source: The Hindustan Times
