India received a Maori powhiri from Ngai Tukairangi and Ngati Kuku
Team India led by vice-captain Rohit Sharma received a tradition Maori welcome upon their arrival at Mount Maunganui ahead of the second ODI of the five-match series against New Zealand
The visitoes received a Maori powhiri from Ngai Tukairangi and Ngati Kuku, the manawhenua for the Bay Oval area on the ground and the side enjoyed it.
"I like embracing other cultures. The Haka dance is famous in New Zealand and to watch it here, it was a totally different experience and I am very grateful that the locals came and performed the Haka here.
"The entire team enjoyed it, we took their blessings and we hope these blessings will work for us tomorrow," Dhawan said.
A Maori welcoming ceremony generally involves speeches, dancing, singing and the hongi in the end. It is used to welcome guests onto a marae and during other ceremonies.
India arrived at Tauranga on Friday and went to the venue where they were welcomed in typical New Zealand fashion.
Virat Kohli's side crushed the hosts in the first ODI by eight wickets at Napier with Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Shami and Shikhar Dhawan starring for the visitors.
Kuldeep Yadav and Mohammed Shami took seven wickets amongst themselves to restrict New Zealand to a paltry 157 and Dhawan followed it up with an unbeaten 75 to power India to victory.
India will now aim to continue the momentum and take a 2-0 lead and put further pressure on the hosts when the two sides meet on Saturday at Mount Maunganui.
The visitors will also be boosted with the arrival of Hardik Pandya, who has left the country to join the squad in New Zealand after the Committee of Administrators (CoA) revoked the interim suspension on him and KL Rahul.
However, it is most likely that he will be available only from the third ODI onwards.
