Pope John Paul II offers a flower wreath at Raj Ghat, a memorial to Mahatma Gandhi in New Delhi, November 6. The 79-year-old Roman Catholic Pontiff received one of the most subdued welcomes of his 89 trips abroad when he landed in New Delhi the previous night. His visit, whose primary aim is to conclude a conference of Asian bishops, has been clouded by controversy over conversion, and Hindu activists have demanded that he apologise for Christian evangelisation in the Hindu majority country.

TAN