President Ram Nath Kovind along with First Lady Savita Kovind on Monday offered prayers at Lord Jagannath temple, on the last day of his three-day visit to Odisha.
Mr. Kovind and his wife arrived at the temple around 9.10 a.m., accompanied by Governor Ganeshi Lal and Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, and spent about 40 minutes at the 12th century Lord Vishnu shrine.
They entered the sanctum sanctorum of the temple and paid obeisance to deities - Lord Balabhadra, Devi Subhadra and Lord Jagannath.
Puri’s Gajapati Maharaja Dibyasingha Deb and the SJTA chief administrator Krishan Kumar welcomed them at the Lion's Gate of the temple.
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They also offered prayers to Maa Bimala and Mahalaxmi on the premises of the Lord Jagannath temple.
The temple was decorated with flowers for the President’s visit and the security has been beefed up in the town.
Mr. Kovind donated ₹1 lakh for the development of the shrine, said the official of the Shree Jagannath Temple Administrator.
He had visited the temple in 2018.
Shops and business establishments on both sides of the Grand Road were closed for security purpose.
No visitor or devotee was allowed to enter the temple 30 minutes before the President’s arrival.
Mr. Kovind had on Sunday attended the 18th convocation of National Institute of Technology, Rourkela and also inaugurated a super speciality hospital of the Rourkela Steel Plant.
