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."
The historic battle was fought entirely by Indian troops -- the Jodhpur Lancers and the Mysore Lancers -- towards the end of World War I to capture the strategic city of Haifa in Israel from the Ottomans, the statement issued by the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahais of India said.
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"However, what is less well known is that another important objective of this battle was to ensure the safety of Abdul-Baha, the son of the founder of the Bahai faith (Baha'u'llah) who was a resident of Haifa at that time and whose life had been threatened by the Turkish Commander-in-Chief," it said.
Maharaja Gaj Singhji II of Marwar-Jodhpur spoke at the function of the proud tradition of the Jodhpur Lancers and that this epic battle is considered to be not only the last successful cavalry charge in the history of warfare, but also possibly the finest of all during the First World War.
Yaduveer K CWadiyar of Mysore also addressed the gathering, saying, "In commemorating the battle we not only remember the valour and sacrifice of our soldiers, but also celebrate this great Indian tradition of being a cradle to different cultures and faiths."
Nazneen Rowhani, representative of the Bahai community of India, shared excerpts of the recorded conversation that Abdu'l-Baha, the head of the Bahai faith in 1918, had with the Indian soldiers a few days after the battle.
Maya Kadosh, Charge d'affaires, Embassy of Israel, New Delhi, remarked on how this historic event is yet another example of the warm relationships shared between India and Haifa which has recently culminated in Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi rechristening the Teen Murti Chowk in New Delhi as Haifa Teen Murti Chowk.
The event concluded with multi-faith prayer service by the staff and students of City Montessori School (Lucknow) at the Bahai House of Worship.
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