india

Updated: Oct 11, 2019 23:45 IST

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who reached Mamallapuram ahead of Chinese President Xi Jinping, received the leader at the monument called Arjuna’s penance in the seaside town on Friday. Dressed in a traditional Tamil ‘veshti’ (dhoti), angavastram (a shawl), and a shirt, the Prime Minister shook hands with Xi as the two leaders greeted each other.

PM Modi and the Chinese President are scheduled to hold informal talks on Friday evening as well as on Saturday. The Chinese leader arrived at Mamallapuram around 5 pm and was taken around the historic shore temples by the Prime Minister. He was also offered tender coconut water as a welcome drink. On his way to Mamallapuram, along the picturesque East Coast Road, the Chinese leader was greeted with traditional music and folk artists performed at a number of locations to welcome Xi.

PM @narendramodi and President Xi Jinping are at the Pancha Rathas complex in Mamallapuram. ( Photo: PMOIndia/ Twitter )

Kickstarting their informal meet, Modi took Xi on a guided tour at the magnificent relief structure Arjuna’s Penance, which was carved in the mid-seventh century. ( Photo: narendramodi/ Twitter )

Prime Minister Narendra Modi shakes hand with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the famous site of Pallava Era during the 2nd informal summit in Mahabalipuram on Friday. ( Photo: ANI )

The two leaders also visited the Panch Rathas and the Shore Temple in Mahabalipuram, which is known for its architecture and temples which date back to the Pallava Dynasty ( Photo: PMOIndia/ Twitter )

Prime Minister Narendra Modi shakes hand with Chinese President Xi Jinping during the 2nd informal summit at the famous site of Pallava Era in Mahabalipuram on Friday. ( Photo: ANI )

PM Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping continue their conversation against the backdrop of Shore temple, the last of the monuments visited by the two leaders in Mamallapuram today. The temple is one of the oldest in southern India. ( Photo: MEAIndia/ Twitter )

PM Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi have a quiet conversation at the ‘five chariots’ at Mamallapuram. The monuments resemble processional chariots of a temple and are hewn out of solid rock to form five free-standing monolith temples. ( Photo: MEAIndia/ Twitter )