Messi Tours Vantara Wildlife Center in Gujarat

Lionel Messi, the global football icon, visited Vantara, a wildlife rescue, rehabilitation, and conservation center in Jamnagar, Gujarat, on Tuesday, joining his Inter Miami teammates Luis Suárez and Rodrigo De Paul for a tour that blended cultural rituals with animal interactions.

The group received a traditional welcome featuring vibrant folk music, a shower of flowers, and a ceremonial aarti. Messi participated in a Maha Aarti at the center's temple, including pujas dedicated to Ambe Mata, Ganesh, Hanuman, and Shiva, where he offered prayers for world peace and unity. These rituals align with the center's ethos, rooted in reverence for nature and all living beings.

Founded by Anant Ambani, Vantara houses rescued animals from around the world, including big cats, elephants, herbivores, reptiles, and orphaned young ones. Accompanied by Ambani and his wife, Radhika Merchant, Messi toured the expansive facilities. He visited care centers for lions, leopards, and tigers, where animals live in naturalistic environments, and observed herbivores and reptiles receiving specialized veterinary care, nutrition, and behavioral training.

At the multispecialty wildlife hospital, Messi...