Narendra Modi at Laxmi Narayan temple in Vancouver

Vancouver: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Canadian counterpart Stephen Harper visited the Laxmi Narayan temple in Vancouver on Thursday.

The Prime Minister's supporters have him an enthusiastic welcome, clicking his photo and chanting "Modi, Modi" while waving the flags of India and Canada.

Prime Minister Modi prayed at the temple, with the priest applying tika on his forehead.

Later, he addressed his supporters, stating that Hinduism is not a religion but is a way of life.

"I bring greetings from 1.2 billion Indians to the 1.2 million Indians living in Canada. In India, the Supreme Court gave a superb definition for Hinduism: they said that it is not a religion but a way of life: how to live in synchrony with nature," the Prime Minister said.

Prime Minister Modi also spoke about the upcoming first International Yoga Day.

"Last year in September, I spoke at the UN General Assembly for the first time and requested that June 21 be celebrated as International Yoga Day. The UN has agreed to this and 177 countries have become its co-sponsors," he said.

"It is good if people of Indian origin help in the spread of yoga. Yoga is very essential to guide humanity, for mental peace and good health," he added.

Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the Gurdwara Khalsa Diwan at Ross Street. He will later attend an official dinner hosted by his Canadian counterpart Stephen Harper, before departing for India.

Before arriving in Vancouver, Prime Minister Modi held a round table conference with heads of pension funds, banks and other financial leaders of Canada in Toronto.

The Prime Minister also visited the memorial to the Air India 'Kanishka' bombing, paying tributes to the victims in a wreath laying ceremony. Prime Minister Modi, along with Prime Minister Harper also met the kin of the victims.

Prime Minister Modi arrived in Canada on Tuesday, for the third and final leg of his three-nation, nine-day tour.