Patna/Wajidpur (Bihar), Jan 7 : Visiting Mauritius President Rajkeswur Purryag went over to Wajidpur, his ancestral village in Bihar, over the weekend to trace his family roots.

It was an emotional homecoming for the First Citizen of Mauritius and he enjoyed every moment of his stay.

Hundreds of elders from other villages too descended on Wajidpur, which is located near Patna to honour their proud ‘son of the soil’.

The president’s wife, Aneetah Purryag, and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, also accompanied him on the visit to the village.

Later, they addressed a public rally, where villagers turned up to listen to what Purryag had to say.

Purryag termed ties between India and Mauritius as more brotherly than friendly. He could not control his emotions as he recalled his forefathers’ sacrifices and struggle during their time. He intended to recite a poem dedicated to them, but turned tearful and skipped it.

Purryag is on a weeklong state visit to strengthen bilateral cooperation and people-to-people contact between both nations.

Purryag would be the chief guest at this year''s Parvasi Bharatiya Divas (Day of Indian Diaspora) in Kochi, Kerala.

During his visit to his village, Purryag spoke in Hindi and advised the people of the state to follow the path of development and education to give a better future to the coming generation.

Both countries enjoy an active programme on cooperation in various fields, including capacity building, economic and social development, defence and security, as also trade and investment.(ANI)