President offers prayers at Puri Jagannath temple

Puri: President Droupadi Murmu on Wednesday offered prayers at the Jagannath Temple in Puri. This is her fourth visit to Puri after assuming office.

The President began her morning with rituals at the sacred Swetaganga pond, where she arrived around 7 am and performed ‘shraddha’ and ‘pinda daan’ for her ancestors. She later proceeded to the Jagannath Temple, reaching the Lion’s Gate around 7.40 am, where she was received by Governor Hari Babu Kambhampati, chief minister Mohan Charan Majhi, Puri Gajapati Maharaja Dibyasingha Deb, the temple’s chief administrator and senior servitors.


After offering prayer at the ‘Arun Stambh’, the President entered the shrine and had darshan of Lord Jagannath in the sanctum sanctorum. She remained inside for nearly 20 minutes and lit ‘diyas’. Vedic chants accompanied her entry through the Nata Mandap. Following the darshan, she visited the Mukti Mandap, where priests blessed her.

She offered prayers at the temples of goddess Bimala and goddess Lakshmi within the complex. For her well-being, the temple administration and servitors hoisted the ‘Patitapabana Bana’ atop the Nilachakra. While returning, she spent a few moments seated on the ‘Baisi Pahacha’, reflecting in prayer.

At the Lion’s Gate, temple authorities presented her with sacred ‘sukhili bhog’, a traditional khandua patta and a pattachitra painting depicting the deities in Sunabesha, surrounded by the 10 incarnations of Lord Vishnu.

As she exited the temple premises, the President walked a short distance greeting devotees lined up on both sides of the road. She later proceeded to Lok Bhavan before departing for her next destination.

In view of her visit, security in Puri was tightened with 30 police platoons deployed across the city. Entry for general devotees at the Jagannath Temple was suspended from 6 am and resumed at 8.10 am after the President completed her visit.

“The district administration, temple authorities and servitors were delighted by the President’s visit,” said the temple’s chief administrator, Aravind Padhee.

Murmu has previously visited the shrine in 2022 soon after becoming President, during the 2024 Rath Yatra, and again in Dec 2024 during the Navy Day celebrations in Puri.

The President arrived in Puri on Tuesday as part of her two-day Odisha tour, where she was welcomed by the governor, chief minister, deputy chief minister, local MLAs, the district collector and the SP.

After offering prayers at the temple, she flew in a special IAF helicopter to her hometown Rairangpur in Mayurbhanj district, where she will attend a series of programmes during her three-day stay. She is scheduled to return to New Delhi on Feb 7.