Puri sources reported that President Ram Nath Kovind paid obeisance to the deities at Shree Jagannath Temple here and sought blessings amid tight security. According to sources Kovind, who is on his maiden visit to Odisha after becoming President, was welcomed at the Singhdwar, the Lion's Gate of the 12th century shrine, by Gajapati King of Puri Dibyasingha Deb and senior servitors.
He was accompanied by wife Savita Kovind, the President was escorted inside the sprawling temple complex among others by the Gajapati King of Puri, officials of Shree Jagannath Temple Administrtaion (SJTA) and his family priest. Accordingly the President went inside the sanctum sanctum of the temple and offered prayers before the sibling deities of Lord Balabhadra, Devi Subhadra and Lord Jagannath during a special darshan, said a senior priest.
Moreover Kovind also paid obeisance at the temples of Devi Bimala and
Mahalaxmi and went around the sprawling complex spending around 45 minutes
inside. Further elaborate arrangements were made by the district administration
and the officials of SJTA for the President's visit to the temple.
