Rishi Sunak Wears Sacred Hindu Thread During His First Address As UK Prime Minister

According to Hindu beliefs, tying kalawa on one's hand provides courage and strength to overcome life's challenges; it also serves as a defence.

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak waves to members of the media after taking office outside Number 10 in Downing Street on October 25

Source : Getty

During his first speech at 10 Downing Street, Rishi Sunak, the first Indian-origin and Hindu prime minister of the UK, was spotted donning the holy red Hindu "Kalawa" thread. The Hindus use a cotton roll wrapped in red thread, known as a "mouli" or "kalawa," for all of their religious rituals.

Sunak was seen wearing "Kalawa" when he waved to the public from outside No 10 Downing Street.

The thread is used as a cloth offering to the deity. The Mouli thread is an essential component of any puja.

According to Hindu beliefs, tying kalawa on one's hand provides courage and strength to overcome life's challenges; it also serves as a defence.

Sunak became the first Indian-origin person to lead the UK, the first non-white, person of colour to become the UK's PM, and the youngest person to take the office in more than 200 years, at the age of 42, as well as the first PM to take oath under the new King Charles III.

Sunak stated from 10 Downing Street that he was elected to correct the mistakes of former Prime Minister Liz Truss.

He also paid tribute to former UK Prime Minister Liz Truss, saying, "I want to pay tribute to my predecessor Liz Truss. She wasn't wrong to want to improve growth in this country. It is a noble aim and I admired her restlessness to create change but some mistakes were made, not born of bad intentions but mistakes nonetheless." 

He promised to earn Britons' trust, saying, "Trust is earned, and I will earn yours." Sunak stated that his government will be characterised by integrity, professionalism, and accountability at all levels. 

He also paid tribute to former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson. The new UK Prime Minister stated that he will be eternally grateful to Johnson for his "incredible achievements" as Prime Minister.

1/ Boris Johnson delivered Brexit and the great vaccine roll-out.

He led our country through some of the toughest challenges we have ever faced, and then took on Putin and his barbaric war in Ukraine.

We will always be grateful to him for that.

— Rishi Sunak (@RishiSunak) October 23, 2022

Johnson's warmth and generosity of spirit will be remembered fondly by him. "Congratulations to @RishiSunak on this historic day, this is the moment for every Conservative to give our new PM their full and wholehearted support," Johnson tweeted in response to Sunak's tribute.

Congratulations to @RishiSunak on this historic day, this is the moment for every Conservative to give our new PM their full and wholehearted support.

— Boris Johnson (@BorisJohnson) October 25, 2022

He was sworn in as the new Prime Minister of the United Kingdom after meeting King Charles III at Buckingham Palace.

Sunak will be the UK's third leader in seven weeks, having won a Tory leadership election triggered by Truss's resignation. Despite calls from the opposition Labour, Scottish National Party, Liberal Democrats, and Green Party, Sunak has ruled out an early general election.