Around 300 distinguished guests gathered at the Bahai House of Worship — popularly known as Lotus Temple — to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Battle of Haifa, according to a press statement issued Monday.
The event was jointly organised Sunday by the Bahai community of India, Maharaja Gaj Singhji II of Marwar-Jodhpur and Yaduveer K C Wadiyar of Mysore and distinguished guests included government officials, members of the diplomatic corps, Army officers, members of Parliament and representatives of civil society, it said.
President Ram Nath Kovind had sent a message to mark the function in which he remarked that “400 Indian soldiers from the Jodhpur and Mysore Lancers, carrying only swords and lances, braved the advanced artillery and machine guns of the adversaries to liberate the city of Haifa and displayed valour, courage and heroism in the face of seemingly impossible odds”.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his written message to mark the function, conveyed his greetings and best wishes to the Bahai community of India and the organisers.
In the message, he said, “That this encounter between Abdul-Baha and the Indian troops one hundred years ago served to deepen the enduring relationship between India and the Bahai faith.”
